Car tire wear cannot flow evenly: Front tires tend to wear out much faster than rear tires. There are several reasons for this. So, most often the front axle of the vehicle is heavier loaded than the rear (it mainly accounts for about 60% of the vehicle weight). Front tires are prone to wear when maneuvering and also wear from nonzero settings. In addition, the type of vehicle drive affects not least of all: the drive axle makes the tires wear out faster. Due to the rotation (rearrangement) of the wheels, it is possible to achieve a more uniform wear and, as a result, extending service life.

There is another, no less obvious benefit of wheel rotation: tires with the same depth provide a higher level of comfort and safety... This is especially important when it comes to difficult weather conditions. So, for example, most.

How to properly rotate the wheels? It is probably best to start from the type of tires installed on your car.

Asymmetric non-directional tread pattern

The most popular type of tread for civilian tires at the moment is asymmetric... This, for example, is the case for most models of the summer MICHELIN line, ranging from economical to sporty. When installing asymmetric tires on rims, it is necessary to combine front side of the tire with the front side of the rim: on the sidewalls for this there are the inscriptions Outside and Inside (outer and inner side of the tire) and there is no arrow for the direction of rotation. The convenience of this type of tread is that the complete wheels can be changed among themselves in any way: the outside of the tire will in any case remain outside... In this case, it is appropriate to apply any of the rotation methods. Usually the most suitable method for rearranging the wheels is indicated in the car's operating instructions, but if you don't have one on hand, you can choose one of the methods we have proposed.

Method 1

The front left wheel swaps with the rear right wheel, and the front right wheel swaps with the rear left. This type of replacement is suitable for any type of vehicle drive and is most preferable for all-wheel drive vehicles.

Method 2

The rear wheels are moved to the front axle (the right rear wheel is replaced by the right front wheel, the left rear wheel is replaced by the left front), while the front wheels are replaced by the rear wheels diagonally (the right front wheel is replaced by the left rear wheel, the left front wheel is replaced by place of the right rear). This method is suitable for cars with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

Method 3

The front wheels are installed in the place of the rear ones (the right front wheel is in the place of the right rear, the left front is in the place of the left rear), and the rear wheels, in turn, are shifted to the front axle diagonally (the right rear wheel is in place of the left front, the left rear - in place of the right front). This method is intended for front-wheel drive vehicles.

Symmetrical tread pattern

This type of tread is found primarily on off-road and commercial tires. In the MICHELIN line, for example, this type includes tire models and. The rotation of tires with a symmetrical tread pattern is exactly the same as described above for asymmetric non-directional tires. There is only one difference in the operation of such tires: when assembling wheels, it is not necessary to take into account the position of the outer and inner sides of the tire.

Symmetrical directional tread pattern

Such tires are less and less common in summer tire lines and almost always - winter ones: the V-shaped tread allows you to effectively remove water from the contact patch. So, in the MICHELIN model range, the crossClimate summer tires and a number of winter tires (, Latitude X-Ice 3, Alpin 5, etc.) have a directional tread pattern. Rotation with directional tires mounted on disks can be done in only one way: by swapping the front and rear wheels in places, that is, the front left wheel - in the place of the rear left, the front right - in the place of the rear right.

Asymmetric directional tread pattern

As the name suggests, apart from the outside and inside, the tread pattern of the tire is directional. This type of tire is used only in motorsport due to the inconvenience of use, high cost and lack of tangible benefits for civilian use. Rotation with such tires is carried out in the same way as in the case of symmetrical directional tires: the front and rear wheels of each side of the car are swapped with each other.

Different size tires

Many sports cars are sometimes equipped with wheels of different sizes: the rear tires are usually wider and larger in diameter. If the tires have an asymmetric non-directional tread pattern, then the wheels on each of the axles can be interchanged, but if we are dealing with directional tires, then alas, the rotation of such wheels without tire fitting is impossible.

Wheel rotation using the spare wheel

This type of rotation allows extend the life of the wheels by about 20%, but in reality this method is almost never used: many modern cars either do not have a spare wheel in the trunk at all, or they use a small-sized "stowaway" in its capacity. And even if your car is equipped with a full-size spare wheel, in practice it usually differs by either the tire model or the type of wheel. However, if the spare tire is completely identical to the wheels installed on the car, then rotation in this case can be extremely useful. For the convenience of changing wheels, the type of tread pattern should be either asymmetric non-directional or symmetrical non-directional. The rotation process in this case is no longer as obvious as in the previous methods.

Method 1

The front right wheel is removed to the place of the spare wheel, the spare wheel is installed to the place of the rear right wheel, the rear right - to the place of the front left, the front left - to the place of the rear left, the rear left - to the place of the front right.

Method 2

The spare wheel is installed in the place of the rear right wheel, the rear right - in the place of the front right, the front right - in the place of the rear left, the rear left - in the place of the front left, and the front left wheel, in turn, is removed in the place of the spare wheel.

Wheel rotation frequency

The more often you rearrange the wheels, the more more evenly tires will wear out... But, since it is too often quite troublesome to do this, experts advise to change wheels in places during periodic - when the car is somehow lifted onto a lift. Usually, run of 8-10 thousand km quite enough for the next rearrangement of the wheels: in such a simple way you can not only extend tire life, but also to maintain the safety of movement at the proper level.

A brand new set of tires can live from 80 thousand kilometers or more, however, this applies to ideal working and road conditions. But we can create some of these conditions ourselves. Just a couple of simple rules, and the service life of tires can be easily extended by 30-40 thousand kilometers.

Tire wear

Of course, many factors affect the lifespan of a car tire. This is the driving style, and the class of the car, its technical condition, the type of tires themselves. And, of course, the tire life of a neat summer resident who drives a car a couple of times a year, and an aggressive street racer constantly blowing smoke at the start, will be completely different. An important factor affecting the lifespan of rubber, the degree of deterioration of its elements, be it ball joints, bushings, etc. It is also necessary to set the correct camber, maintain optimal tire pressure.

Why you need to swap tires

Another way to extend the life of your tires is to rearrange the wheels. Previously, experienced drivers often used this technique, for many it was the rule, but today it is practically forgotten. How can changing tires help? It's simple, different wheels in a car are subjected to different loads, which, in turn, leads to obvious differences in the structure and degree of tire wear. For example, the front tires hold most of the weight of the car, since in the vast majority of cars the heavy engine is located in front. The load is increased even more when up to 80 percent of the weight falls on them during hard braking. Then, the front wheels are constantly turning, which cannot but affect their accelerated wear.

Rotation period

The wear structure of the front and rear tires is different, on the front the edges of the tread are grinded, while the rear tires lose the middle part. Timely rotation of the wheels will make it possible to make this wear more even: the rear tires will begin to wear off on the sidewalls, while the front tires will begin to wear flat. Of course, you can simply change to new front tires if you have enough extra money, but it's easier to just swap the tires, extending their life by 1.5 times. Moreover, the tire manufacturers themselves advise to rearrange the tires every six months or every ten thousand kilometers. And in order to do this, you do not have to take separate additional actions, because every six months we already change our cars from summer to winter tires and vice versa. You just need to swap them.

Permutation order

The permutation scheme may be different, but it is correct to do it as follows: we put the rear tires forward in the same order as they were, that is, left to left, and right to right. The front tires should be placed on the rear axle in an intersection, that is, we put the left front on the right rear side, and we do the same for the right front.

But there is one significant nuance here - the asymmetrical pattern on the tread. If you have such tires, then the rearrangement is done without changing the beads. On powerful cars or on sports cars, wheels of different sizes are often installed, in this case the tires are swapped only along the sides, from right to left. And before each shift, carefully study the labeling of your tires.

Tire swap diagram

Rearranging the wheels is critical when it comes to extending the life of the tires you bought. Your tires will wear unevenly as you use them in a variety of driving conditions. Depending on your driving style, it is wise to swap tires every 6,000 miles (9,700 km), roughly at the same time as every second oil change. Read on to find out how to add this inexpensive and easy money-saving way to your mechanic arsenal.

Steps

Part 1

Car Lift

Take a jack. Your car is equipped with a jack, so you can change one wheel at a time. But to swap all wheels, you need to raise the entire car off the ground. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to get hold of a set of supports, which costs about $ 30. DO NOT ATTEMPT to do this with multiple jacks.

• If you do not want to buy supports, then you can use cinder blocks. Alternatively, you can install a hydraulic lift in your garage that costs several thousand dollars.

1. Find a surface with a suitable working level. Avoid the risk of the raised vehicle being unstable by working on level ground. Apply the parking brake before starting work, and block wheels that you did not support so that the machine does not roll forward or backward while you are working.

   • If the road is sloping or there is no access road, you can spend very little time finding an empty spot in the parking lot in front of the supermarket.

2. Remove the caps and loosen the fixing bolts. While your vehicle is still on the ground, use the cross wheel bladder and remove the caps to reach the mounting bolts. Then, using a wrench, loosen the bolts that fasten the wheel to the axle. DO NOT REMOVE the bolts, just loosen them slightly so that they can be easily loosened when you lift the machine.

   • Remove one cap and use it as a container for storing bolts.

3. Raise the car. Use a jack to raise each corner of the machine and then set up the legs. Read the instructions to install them correctly.

   • Using four legs is the easiest and quickest way to get the job done, but some people justly get nervous when the car is in the air. If you have only two feet, you will have to jack up and down the machine several times as the procedure requires you to swap the front and rear tires.
   • Either way, it is a good idea to draw up a permutation diagram before removing any wheels.

   Part 2

   Rearranging Wheels

   1. Check the tread pattern on the tires. Wheels are directional and non-directional. Directional tires have a highly directional tread pattern, usually with grooves designed to drain water and sand outward for improved handling. For this reason, the directional tires on the driver's side and the directional tires on the passenger's side, and vice versa, must not be swapped. The non-directional tires look the same and it is completely safe to swap the driver's side wheels for the passenger wheels.

      • For directional tires, rotation means you need to swap the front wheel on the driver's side with the rear driver's wheel and vice versa.
      • For non-directional tires, under normal conditions, rotation means replacing the front driver's wheel with the rear passenger wheel. The rear wheel on the driver's side replaces the front wheel on the passenger side and both rear wheels move towards the front of the vehicle. With this option, you can be sure to complete a full rotation of the tires in two rounds and ensure the longest possible tire life.

   2. Unscrew the mounting bolts from the first wheel you raised and remove it. Roll the wheel to a new location. Watch the bolts and keep them close to the axle from which they were removed. The threads should be the same, but in general their location should be tied to the car, not the wheel.

      Rearrange the tires correctly according to the diagram. If you have raised the machine completely, simply reposition the wheels, place them on the hubs and hand tighten the mounting bolts.

      • If you only have two supports and they are both occupied, for example in the rear of the car, then you start by removing the two rear wheels. Then, you will need to move the rear driver's wheel to the place of the front driver's wheel. Jack up the machine slightly on this side, remove the wheel, fit a new wheel, tighten the bolts and lower the jack. Then move that front wheel to the rear of the car on the passenger side, etc. Continue to move around the car, swapping wheels in the appropriate order (according to the diagram).

   3. Lower the car. Jack up each side of the vehicle until the supports can be removed safely and then lower the vehicle. Before doing this, make sure that the wheels are sufficiently secured. You should be able to swing the wheel back and forth.

   4. • Tire rotation is a great opportunity to clean rims, wheel arches, and inspect tires for hidden defects or punctures. Also, take the time to inspect the wheel arches and clear any debris from any brake cooling device.

      Warnings

      • Many garages use a pneumatic device to loosen or tighten bolts in your car. However, a very small percentage of these workshops do not follow the tip tightening guidelines and use over 200 Nm of torque. Too much tightening of the tips makes it extremely difficult for a person of average build and height to unscrew them.
      • When changing tires or rearranging wheels, remember to “lock” them to prevent any movement of the vehicle during operation. To do this, you can use a medium-sized stone or a short block of wood (shoe) with a flat surface, positioned behind or in front of the opposite tire. (If you change the left rear wheel, you need to block the right front wheel, etc.)

Wheels must be rearranged regularly by following either the instructions in the vehicle's owner's manual or the rules established in the tire industry. Correct wheel relocation helps to improve even lateral and longitudinal tire wear, as well as improve ride comfort and reduce noise levels. The minimal differences in the longitudinal wear of the tread of the tires, which can appear after periodic rearrangement of the wheels every 5,000 - 8,000 km, do not affect the aquaplaning stability, and the wheels can be rearranged. In this case, any difference in wear actually means that the repositioning should be done at shorter intervals.

Rearranging the wheels is beneficial for several reasons. When done according to the recommended guidelines, it can improve handling and traction and reduce uneven wear.

There are guarantees that are only valid if the wheels are correctly rearranged. Experts recommend rearranging the wheels every 5,000 to 8,000 km, even if there are no signs of wear. Often, the transfer can be carried out at the same time as the oil change, while the vehicle is on a lift. This is a good time to check the tires for damage, remove stones and other foreign objects, determine the uniformity of wear by measuring the tread depth and, of course, check the pressure level.

The tires on the front axle of the vehicle differ significantly from the tires on the rear axle in terms of their tasks. At the same time, tires on a front-wheel drive car operate in significantly different conditions than on a rear-wheel drive one. Whichever wheel the tire is mounted on, there may be different types and rates of wear. Therefore, it is preferable that all four tires wear the same, because when wear decreases the tread depth, it allows all four tires to respond more quickly to steering turns, maintain handling characteristics and help increase grip in corners.

If all tires wear out the same way, you can buy a new set rather than buying tires in pairs. If the entire kit is changed, the original handling characteristics are retained. In addition, manufacturers are constantly releasing new, improved tire models, and if you install a new kit, you can improve the car's handling, instead of looking for the previous generation tires.

Inhabitants of the northern regions can carry out a rearrangement of wheels simultaneously with a seasonal change of tires. Drivers who average 19,000 to 24,000 km a year will have to carry out two of the three wheel changes during tire changes before and after winter. All they have to do is rearrange the wheels again in July.

How exactly should the wheels be rearranged? There are three traditional methods that work for most vehicles (fitted with the same size tires and rims). The second method can be used as an alternative to the first and third.

Rearrangement of wheels:

There are also two additional ways. The fourth method is suitable for cars with the same tire and rim sizes, and the fifth is for cars with different-sized tires on the front and rear axles.

Although many cars are equipped with a spare tire that is smaller than standard wheels, if the spare wheel is the same size as the rest, it must be used during the transfer. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's instructions, or if they are not available, always fit the spare wheel on the right rear wheel. According to the diagram, put one of the other tires in the trunk and use it as a spare until the next rearrangement.

Regular rearrangement of the wheels will ensure that all five tires wear evenly over the entire service life. In addition, correct rearrangement is important when, due to a puncture, you have to put on a spare wheel and use it with three partially worn tires.

Many of us are constantly looking for ways to save money. And you don't need to go far for this: one of them is self-maintenance of your own car. Plus, if you don't take good care of your car's tires, they will cost you dearly.

The easiest way to extend the life of your tires is to reinstall them regularly. Some car owners never do this, others turn to specialists. You can easily save your money by doing this job yourself. We'll tell you how.

Why reinstall tires?

Front and rear tires wear differently. For example, the front tires carry more than 60% of the weight of your car and therefore wear out faster than the rear tires. In addition, corners wear out the front tires at different speeds. When driving to the right, we usually turn to the left faster than to the right. This puts a lot of stress on the right front tire and therefore wears out faster than the left. After driving thousands of kilometers, you will eventually find uneven tread wear.

Rearranging the tires evens out this natural wear and tear. By doing this regularly, you will ensure a smoother, safer ride. More importantly, you will save money in the long run because your tires will last longer. And in general, this is a truly masculine occupation, which should not be abandoned.

How often do you need to reinstall your tires?

Check your vehicle manual. There you will surely find the recommended tire rotation pattern. Most manufacturers recommend replacing tires every 5,000-1,000 km. Do this every time you change the engine oil, for example. It's easier to remember this way.

Required tools

• Car jack. The jack that came with your vehicle may help, but it is not recommended for tire rotation. It is designed to lift the car for a short period of time and quickly change one wheel. It is safer to use a mobile floor hydraulic jack.
• Jack stand. You will need a stand of some kind to rearrange the tires. If you don't want to fork out, you can build a cinder block stand, for example. Just place a cinder block under the wheel and place a board on top of it to avoid scratching the underside of the car. I am.

Permutation scheme

Before we start unscrewing the wheel nuts, we need to determine how we will reinstall the tires. How you rearrange your tires depends on several factors, but most of all you should pay attention to whether your vehicle has directional or non-directional tires.

These tires have a one-way tread pattern that is optimized to rotate the wheel in a specific direction. The arrow and the word "ROTATION" on the sidewall indicate the direction of rotation, and the installation of such tires on the rim is made in accordance with these requirements.

To swap directional tires, simply swap the front right and rear right tires, and the front left and rear left. Like this:

Swapping non-directional tires. The tread pattern on non-directional tires allows you to mount the tire as you like (either side), since it has no direction of rotation.

For rear wheel drive vehicles, move the front tires to opposite sides of the rear axle of the vehicle: the front left becomes the rear right and the front right becomes the rear left. The rear tires simply slide forward without changing sides. This is how it looks:

On front wheel drive vehicles, do the opposite. Move the rear tires to opposite sides of the front axle, and put the front tires on the rear axle without changing sides:

Some manuals for older cars recommend using a spare wheel to give one of the tires a break. But the problem is that the vast majority of spare tires today are not designed for long drives. They are often smaller, lighter in design and have a shallower tread depth. Their main purpose is to help you get to the auto repair shop, where you will be fitted with an original tire.

However, some vehicles are still equipped with adequate full spare tires. Typically, SUVs have these. If you have such a spare tire, it would be a good idea to put it into operation from time to time. Here's a diagram for such a permutation:

How to swap tires

1. Place the parking brake on the vehicle. Just for your own safety.
2. Loosen the nuts on all wheels. It is not necessary to remove them completely yet, but when the car is raised, it will be much easier to unscrew them.
3. Raise one wheel with a jack and place a stand under it. If you have one or two stands, then you first have to think about the sequence in which it will be better to lower and raise the car, and it will take more time. But, despite the additional effort, you still spend no more than 20 minutes on work. You can place your car on all four stands. It's not the safest thing you can do, but the job will certainly get done faster as you don't have to waste time moving the stands.
4. Remove the tires and rearrange them according to the diagram, depending on the type of tread. Tighten the nuts by hand and tighten.
5. Lower the car. Take a Phillips wheel wrench and tighten the nuts even tighter. It is best to tighten diagonally from one to the other (like drawing a five-pointed star). This guarantees an even tightening. Uneven tightening can deform the brake disc.

That's all. Remember to repeat this process from time to time.