How to Rotate Tires

Without your wheels, you won’t be going anywhere in the San Antonio area. That’s why you need to rotate them once in a while, so they can wear evenly and you can count on them for a solid period of time. If you enjoy doing basic auto maintenance yourself, learn how to rotate tires at home below! Our service team at Nyle Maxwell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Castroville can walk you through the steps and give you guidance on how to rotate your tires. 

Why Do I Need To Rotate My Tires?

Tires all wear differently depending on your driving habits, road conditions, and even the drivetrain of your car. The best way to slow as well as balance out the wear is tire rotation! If you keep up with tire rotations on time, you will be able to use the same set for longer on the Alamo Heights roads.

How Often Should I Rotate Your Tires?

There is no clear-cut answer to this question. However, you should be aware of the general frequency according to wheel drive type:

• Front and rear wheel drive vehicles: every 5,000-7,500 miles
• All-wheel drive vehicles: every 3,000-5,000 miles 

However, for an accurate answer to your model, take a look at your owner’s manual! 

Importance of Tire Position

Before you learn how to rotate tires at home, you need to know that the position of the tires is crucial when rotating them. See how they should be rotated according to the wheel drive you have:

• FWD Tires: Move the front tires to the back of the car in the same left/right positions. When it is time to move the rear tires to the front, switch the right and left tires.
• RWD Tires: Do the opposite for RWD vehicles. Move the rear tires to the front of the car in the same left/right positions. When moving the front tires to the rear, switch the left and right tires.

How to Rotate Your Tires at Home?

You will need a car jack, lug nut wrench, and a set of car jacks. Then, you are ready to follow these steps on how to rotate tires at your Balcones Heights home:

1. Engage your parking brake for safety purposes.
2. Loosen the lug nuts on all four wheels, but don’t take them off. This will help to unscrew them easier when the tire is elevated.
3. Lift up one wheel with a car jack and place the jack stand underneath it.
4. Take off the tires one by one.
5. Check to see if your tires are filled to the optimal tire pressure. Then, you can rotate them according to the appropriate pattern for your type of tire. 
6. Put the tire back onto the wheel mount and screw the lug nuts on by hand as far as you can.
7. Lower the car from the jack stands and use the lug wrench to finish tightening the nuts. Work the lug nuts diagonally from one to another in a star pattern to ensure even tightening. Unevenly tightened lug nuts can cause the brake rotor to warp.

Get All Your Tire Services at Nyle Maxwell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Castroville 

Now that you know how to rotate tires, you can decide if you are ready to take on this task. If not, count on the service experts to get the job done properly yet quickly! Schedule an appointment today and be sure to check out our coupons and financing for service and parts in the Castroville area. While you are here, learn other tire-related service tips, such as how long you can drive on a spare tire.