5 tire rotation

[Westernhunter]

Whats the PROPER order?

 

[PhotographerMike]

Tire Rack has info here; http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=43

 

[dave92cherokee]

It's your typical cross pattern where you move rear forward, passenger front on driver rear, driver front to spare, spare to passenger rear.

 

[billyjp2]

cross pattern is for bias ply tires, for radials front to rear keeping tires on the same side

 

[BlueCuda]

cross pattern is for bias ply tires, for radials front to rear keeping tires on the same side

How does the 5th tire play into that.

I don't do a 5 tire rotation but a friend of mine does. He got a little over 80K from the MTRs on his Wifes Rubicon. They weren't even down to the indicators, just needed to be replaced due to poor wet weather performance IIRC.

 

[tbburg]

If you're planning a 5 tire rotation, try this. Number the rims.(sharpie behind the valve stem works well)
L.F. - 1
R.R. - 2
R.F. - 3
L.R. - 4
Spare - 5
Rotate the tires:
Replace the L.F.(1) with the spare(5)
Replaced the R.R(2) with the tire off the L.F(1)
Follow the numbers around the car.
You end up with the #4 tire as the spare.
Next time you rotate tires, the 4 replaces the 5, 5 replaces 1, 1 to 2, and on around until the spare is now #3.
Each time you rotate the tires, you don't have to remember which tire goes where. Just take the tire in your hand and replace the tire with the next higher number, when you get to 5, it replaces the 1

Oops,... Forgot to answer the question.
the actual tire rotation pattern is:
Spare to left front.
Left front to right rear.
Right rear to Right front.
Right front to left rear
Left rear to spare.

 

[Ray H]

cross pattern is for bias ply tires, for radials front to rear keeping tires on the same side

Years ago that was true. Today, radials can be moved from side to side with no issues.
Personally, I dont think it much matters what pattern you use as long as you do it regularly. When I rotate, I just move the tires clockwise around the vehicle because it requires less moving of the floor jack. Jack up the front, jack up the back, done deal.

 

[99xj4x4]

Never 'criss-cross' in the "X" pattern, it will only leave your tires cupped and worn improperly. Just choose a side to rotate the spare into and keep rotating those three tires.
Personally I just leave the spare, I like having a new spare and I seem to use mine a lot LOL. +youll only have to buy 4 tires at a time when the time comes so its doesnt seem as harsh on the wallet.

 

[JNickel101]

Never 'criss-cross' in the "X" pattern, it will only leave your tires cupped and worn improperly.

Tire Rack seems to disagree with you. As does just about any tire place I've ever been to. The front to rear, rear to front non-criss-cross rotation is only for directional tires.

But I do agree with you on keeping the spare new!!!

 

[Pharaoh XJ]

I am not sure about keeping the spare new for the following reasons:

1- If you decide to change the Size/brand---> you ll have one extra unused spare to give away or keep it & they wont match

2- If you cut one tire & use the spare as full time you ll have uneven ware on the set

3- If the tire is on a carrier & not in the trunk, the sun & humidity will do their job

This is from experience :
I have a spare tire that doesnt match the set size ( i Know), never been on the ground & hard & dry from the sunlight

 

[andrewsnyder]

At my work (Toyota dealer) we leave the spare as the spare, the reasoning behind that is if the spare is on the ground, it could get a nail or whatever in it, or the tire that becomes the spare could have something in it... Then if you should need the spare for real, there's a chance it could be flat... That's why we leave it.

 

[drifto77]

At my work (Toyota dealer) we leave the spare as the spare, the reasoning behind that is if the spare is on the ground, it could get a nail or whatever in it, or the tire that becomes the spare could have something in it... Then if you should need the spare for real, there's a chance it could be flat... That's why we leave it.

Same here, WHEN i rotate the tires. (iam bad about not doing it though)

 

[tbburg]

i had that factory "space-saver" donut for a couple years and never used it. Went up to 30x9.50s and got a full size spare. A couple months later, I put the donut on another Cherokee as a place holder while pushing it around. It went flat in like five minutes.

What was the advantage of the never used spare?

We need to check the spares air pressure as often as the other four(most of us don't) as part of regular maint. even if it doesn't get used. Even then, there's no guarantee the spare will be good when you want it.

I'm with Pharaoh XJ on this one. Rotate all five.

 

[Westernhunter]

I plan to rotate all 5 so when they are worn out I can decide wether or not to get the same ones.
I liked the numbering system,so i dont have to remember the ORDER every time.
My spare is on a carrier and it gets checked and inspected more than all the rest.(its at eye level)

 

[wim hoppenbrouwers]

Hallo Jeepers. I never rotated my tires,is that realy necessary?
I have got Muds from BFG 31" and I dont see differences after 2 years.
What are your opinions? thanks en greeting:wave:

 

[Ray H]

Is it necessary.....NO
Does it mean you will get more miles out of your tires....Probably
If you drive like an old lady and most all of your driving is straight line driving and your alignment is good, it wont matter much if you rotate them or not. But in the real world the fronts will start to show wear patterns before the rears do so if you rotate them, it evens the wear out on all tires.

 

[fscrig75]

I rotate mine everytime I change the oil. I've got it up already to why not take the extra 20mins if it will add some more life to the tires.
As far as a pattern I just use the pattern that is in the owners manual but before I rotate them I swap in the spare at the front left and then rotate. Rear tires straight up and the front cross to the rear.