Rotate Tyres or New?

[4ftersh0ck]

Hey guys,

I just had an interesting thought:-

It is recommended to rotate and align tyres every 10,000 odd kilometres. Now the last 2 times I have gone to TWT I have paid around R450 for this. Both my wife and I have 15 inch wheels and a new set of tyres (fitted and balanced) comes in at around R2,500.

So, at 5 rotations and alignment the price is roughly the same as new tyres.

I have 2 children and it is difficult for me to get away to do this on our cars during the week and the last thing I feel like doing on a Saturday morning is spending time away from my family.

What do you guys think, is it a better (less complicated) option to just be done with it, no rotation....4 new tyres every 50,000kms

Thoughts?

 

[Hamster]

I rotate my tyres when I get my car serviced once a year/every 15000km.

Did it for 70000 on my Elantra over almost 5 years and never replaced a tyre until the car was sold.

 

[raeesdawood]

Hey guys,

I just had an interesting thought:-

It is recommended to rotate and align tyres every 10,000 odd kilometres. Now the last 2 times I have gone to TWT I have paid around R450 for this. Both my wife and I have 15 inch wheels and a new set of tyres (fitted and balanced) comes in at around R2,500.

So, at 5 rotations and alignment the price is roughly the same as new tyres.

I have 2 children and it is difficult for me to get away to do this on our cars during the week and the last thing I feel like doing on a Saturday morning is spending time away from my family.

What do you guys think, is it a better (less complicated) option to just be done with it, no rotation....4 new tyres every 50,000kms

Thoughts?

Supa quick the glen is open on sundays in jhb

 

[RogueTr00per]

Palm Tyres in Maitland (CPT) do tyre rotation for free (if you buy the tyres from them). Not sure if only the first rotation for free or subsequent ones too but it sounds like TWT are a rip off...

In any event, if you dont rotate at all, front tyres will wear out way before (maybe twice as fast) the rear ones. So, maybe you could get away with just replacing 2 at a time as they go kaput?

Also, I suppose if you aren't going to rotate tyres, definitely get them inspected at regular intervals (every 10,000km?) in case a problem develops.

 

[chickenbeef]

Yep, that's a rip off especially if it's R450 for rotation only (No balancing and alignment).

I usually scout websites like Hyperli and Daddys Deals for alignment, balancing and rotation deals. They're usually around R150 - R250.

 

[4ftersh0ck]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Just to clarify, the R450 is for rotation, balancing and alignment.

Maybe doing it at service intervals is a better option. I was just thinking it will be easier to save the money for new tyres and alignment each time.

StrontiumDog, that is a good option, maybe just the 2 tyres at a time. The only thing with that is whenever I go and get new tyres there is usually a problem getting stock of the tyres I already have and I don't really want to mix tyre brands.

 

[pinball wizard]

Can some one explain the logic behind this tyre rotation story?

 

[Zuner]

Can some one explain the logic behind this tyre rotation story?

Front tyres wear out faster, so rotating them with the rears allows all 4 tyres to wear down evenly. Thus replacing the full set at the same time. Sometimes if one side had worn out badly due to alignment issue they can rotate left and right to allow even wearing again (if the tyres aren't directional otherwise it he's to be removed from the rim too)

 

[bullfrog]

I believe its so they wear out more evenly and last longer. The fact that you also balance and align the tyres may however be a bigger contributor.

Ive heard claims that you shouldn't rotate cause the different forces may delaminate the tyres more quickly. Also heard different variations of this saying you must only do front to back and not across.

Edit: zuner is probably on the money here and this claim probably comes from left,right rotation without removing tyres from the rim.

Personally i dont rotate tyres and rather replace them 2 at a time. Ive never had issues with different brands on the front vs back.

I wouldn't personally put different tyres on the the left vs right though. Dont want a situation where the left has different performing characteristics to the right. This just seems like a recipe for the car to be pulled to one side in hard acceleration or braking.

My set up might not work for everyone and is only noticable at the edge of performance. Given my cars balance i find having a better, softer tyre at the front helps with understeering a bit.

 

[Lord Farquart]

Front tyres wear out faster, so rotating them with the rears allows all 4 tyres to wear down evenly. Thus replacing the full set at the same time. Sometimes if one side had worn out badly due to alignment issue they can rotate left and right to allow even wearing again (if the tyres aren't directional otherwise it he's to be removed from the rim too)

Even if not directional, do not rotate left/right. The tyre wore out in a forward direction, and now you make it run reverse. Apart from the noise (I know, I did it once) the scuffing will wear the tyre out even faster. It is like going against the grain, which was caused by the direction of rotation.

 

[kripstoe]

Front tyres wear out faster...

On a FWD car.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Can some one explain the logic behind this tyre rotation story?

Depending on the drivetrain (FWD, RWD, 4WD) as well as the particular configuration of toe and camber etc the tyres don’t wear in a perfectly flat matter as you might expect.

The driving wheels also wear much faster as they either pull or push the car.

So you rotate them to even this out otherwise you’ll be replacing tyres much more often.

 

[Eti1]

Depending on the drivetrain (FWD, RWD, 4WD) as well as the particular configuration of toe and camber etc the tyres don’t wear in a perfectly flat matter as you might expect.

The driving wheels also wear much faster as they either pull or push the car.

So you rotate them to even this out otherwise you’ll be replacing tyres much more often.

My service book has a diagram of how the tyres should be rotated. Is that the perfect way, or would a tyre guy be able to advise on the day?

 

[SauRoNZA]

On a FWD car.

Yes and no.

On any car all the weight is carried by the front tyres under braking as well as all steering operations.

So a FWD car has the addition of putting power through there as well, but even on a 4WD car where you would expect it to be quite equal the fronts will still wear faster.

It’s more balanced on a RWD car, but ignoring burnouts and such the fronts should still wear ever so slightly more or even out to the rears.

That being said, no two cars are identical and weight distribution also plays a massive role.

The engine generally being in front also throws it out compared to a mid or rear engines car.

So a Mid engined RWD will wear similar to a front engines FWD, but still have a lot of front wear due to braking and steering.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Even if not directional, do not rotate left/right. The tyre wore out in a forward direction, and now you make it run reverse. Apart from the noise (I know, I did it once) the scuffing will wear the tyre out even faster. It is like going against the grain, which was caused by the direction of rotation.

Uhm...that’s why it comes off the rim so that the direction isn’t a changed when going left to right.

Some cars, usually those with independent rear suspension where the rear tyres have a higher toe in (or camber I mix them up) you want to swop the rears to the front Left to Right and being the fronts back L L, R R.

You will generally have a shorter rotation cycle for those cars because of this.

 

[SauRoNZA]

My service book has a diagram of how the tyres should be rotated. Is that the perfect way, or would a tyre guy be able to advise on the day?

Follow the book.

Different cars have very different setups and that’s why the book will tell you exactly as I explained above.

What works for one car isn’t necessarily right for another.

Don’t expect the tyre guy to know every car’s setup either.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Just to clarify, the R450 is for rotation, balancing and alignment.

Maybe doing it at service intervals is a better option. I was just thinking it will be easier to save the money for new tyres and alignment each time.

StrontiumDog, that is a good option, maybe just the 2 tyres at a time. The only thing with that is whenever I go and get new tyres there is usually a problem getting stock of the tyres I already have and I don't really want to mix tyre brands.

As was explained your overall mileage will be less as you’ll be replacing tyres more often and therefore will actually cost you more.

R450 does seem a bit rough.

Hi-Q have given me vouchers every time I fit new tyres which has made the very next rotation and alignment free.

I seem to recall it was R280 or so if you pay for it.

 

[pinball wizard]

Depending on the drivetrain (FWD, RWD, 4WD) as well as the particular configuration of toe and camber etc the tyres don’t wear in a perfectly flat matter as you might expect.

The driving wheels also wear much faster as they either pull or push the car.

So you rotate them to even this out otherwise you’ll be replacing tyres much more often.

I don't get it still. How will replacing all four tyres be better for me and my pocket than simply replacing (in my case) front tyres only? I mean on my wifes car, it's light, fwd, and never loaded, so the rears last years longer than the front, so why must I wear all of them out instead of just replacing the fronts when they wear?

I mean I'll do balancing, and check pressure across the life of the tyres, and unless she driving through every pothole in creation, alignment at each tyre change only.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I don't get it still. How will replacing all four tyres be better for me and my pocket than simply replacing (in my case) front tyres only? I mean on my wifes car, it's light, fwd, and never loaded, so the rears last years longer than the front, so why must I wear all of them out instead of just replacing the fronts when they wear?

I mean I'll do balancing, and check pressure across the life of the tyres, and unless she driving through every pothole in creation, alignment at each tyre change only.

Who said you should do that?

You should only need to replace two at a time in the perfect world if you rotate them regularly enough.

If you never rotate them then you aren’t spreading the wear and will replace those fronts more often.

You should go through at least four rotations before you need replacement of any tires.

If you don’t rotate you’ll replacing tyres where you would have had the second rotation.

The entire point of rotation is not to replace tyres that often. And certainly not all four.

Ultimately through rotation you get more mileage per tyre.

Ask those okes who have different sized fronts and rears and can’t rotate how they cry about replacing tyres.

 

[pinball wizard]

Who said you should do that?

You should only need to replace two at a time in the perfect world if you rotate them regularly enough.

If you never rotate them then you aren’t spreading the wear and will replace those fronts more often.

You should go through at least four rotations before you need replacement of any tires.

If you don’t rotate you’ll replacing tyres where you would have had the second rotation.

The entire point of rotation is not to replace tyres that often. And certainly my all four.

That math is confusing me. I need google.