Basic tire rotation question / help

JLeosnow · November 27, 2004

We rotate the BFG All Terrain TA KO's on our 2001 1500 Suburban(4X4) meticulously by the recommended schedule(tire dealer provides lifetime bal. & rotate) of every 6000-8000 miles and have had very good tire wear results over the last 50,000 miles but recently accidentally rotated them too soon We rotated them at 3000 miles instead of waiting the normal 6000-8000 miles(lost track at the time). My question is:

How long should we wait to rotate them again.... Do we rotate again in 3000 miles and then go back to our normal 6000-9000 schedule or do we run them the normal 6000-9000 miles, perform the rotation, and then perform another rotation 3000 miles later and then be back on our normal 6000-9000 rotate schedule?

Thanks,

-John

mcreyaufmiller · November 27, 2004

John,

It is okay that you rotated early. I get great tire wear and only rotate every 10k or so. Just go back to your normal schedule. Everything should be fine.

Mike

gnutruk · November 28, 2004

At the schedule you're rotating your tires you're already in the top 1 percent of conscientiousness. I doubt if even the tire store owner is as consistent as you, and he has paid help he can just tell to go do it! I wouldn't be surprised if you got 90,000 miles on your set. That figure isn't especially likely, but not impossible, either.

If you rotate on short milage schedules it doesn't really add any significant longevity. Rotating regularly anywhere less than about 5,000 is simply unnecessary. 6,000 - 8,000 like you're doing is nearly ideal, but even 9,000 - 10,000 is still ok.

As I'm sure you know, there is lots more to tire life than rotation. Correct air pressure is the obvious no-brainer, but proper alignment is every bit as important. If you really wanted to go the whole nine yards, consider signing up with that tire shop of yours for a periodic alignment check. Maybe, what?, every 15,000 or so? You could also ask your store to re-balance the tires on the wheels, since tires do change a little bit as they age, and re-balancing can be helpful. Wheels do sometimes throw weights, too, and sometimes the change in the feel of the steering/suspension system after losing a weight is sort of subtle. You could negotiate a periodic alignment-and-balance-check package. Store owners LOVE those sorts of regular maintainence programs, since it gets their loyal customers back in the shop, and consequently there's an opportunity to sell them more stuff.

(( Side comment: How to make friends at your local tire shop. Leave six pack of beer on passenger seat. Tape note on steering wheel saying the beer is for the tech who does the alignment. You will get the most careful and accurate alignment in your entire region of the country that day. CHEAP insurance, and leaves a good feeling all around. ))

On my rotation schedule, which is at every other oil change (7,000 - 8,000 miles), I make sure to lube the front end zerks (I do my own rotations, since I'm a fanatic about properly re-torqueing the lug nuts when re-installing the wheels). On my 02 4x4 there are 11 lube points. With the tire already off for the rotation it's easier to get at the three zerks located right at the wheel. Having the front end up on jack stands is also a good time to check for any looseness in the front suspension components, too. Visual inspection of the boots, wipe off any excess grease, general tidying up, check fluid level in the front transfer case, etc.

gnutruk

JLeosnow · November 28, 2004

gnutruk,

Thanks for your input. I gathered from your reply that rotating on short mileage schedules is un-neccesary(which I know and understand) and that's what I feel happened this time by "oopsing" and having them done @ 3000 miles. So what do you think I should do next.....

1) Rotate after another 3000 miles?

2) Go 6000-9000 miles, rotate, and then perform another rotate after 3000 miles and then go back to the 6000-9000 schedule?

3) Let it go 6000-9000 miles and continue the 6000-9000 rotation from there?

Thanks again,

-John

gnutruk · November 29, 2004

Yeah, I inderstand your concern is that the tire wear "interval-pattern" (for want of a better term) will be uneaven hereafter. But that small degree of "off-sequence" wear is too minor to actually have any appreciable, long-term effect. So, though this doesn't help you to directly make a decision, whatever you do (or don't do) from this point will be ok. Simply assuming the rotation schedule had never been disrupted in the first place would be fine.

Perhaps you might as well do whatever will give you some peace of mind. For me, if it were my truck, peace of mind would translate into not putting yet another project on my work list. Already too many things to do and not enough time. You might also consider that taking even ONE fast corner which causes the tires to squeal, even just slightly, does more wear than you could possibly get by having gotten off your tire rotation schedule. Same with "patching out" from a standing start. So maybe that will help to put things in perspective.

gnutruk

budhayes3 · November 29, 2004

I agree with gnutruck, go with whatever gives you piece of mind. I usually rotate my tires about every 6k, or every other oil change.

Taaaaaaahoe? · November 29, 2004

Next question is...

What rotation pattern do you use? Front to back, X, include the spare? Whats the best one..

Does it matter if its a 2wd or 4wd...

I always have done the front to back, no crossing..

I hear you don't want tires rotating other directions after time..

I dono?

MIKE

budhayes3 · November 29, 2004

I just do front to back, and leave the spare alone. Criss-crossing radials can often lead to a pulling condition. I've had factory engineers tell me that the worst case scenario of criss-crossing is belt separation. There's many different theories and opinions about this, I just go with what worked for me when I was tech.

JLeosnow · November 30, 2004

Yeah, I inderstand your concern is that the tire wear "interval-pattern" (for want of a better term) will be uneaven hereafter. But that small degree of "off-sequence" wear is too minor to actually have any appreciable, long-term effect. So, though this doesn't help you to directly make a decision, whatever you do (or don't do) from this point will be ok. Simply assuming the rotation schedule had never been disrupted in the first place would be fine.

Perhaps you might as well do whatever will give you some peace of mind. For me, if it were my truck, peace of mind would translate into not putting yet another project on my work list. Already too many things to do and not enough time. You might also consider that taking even ONE fast corner which causes the tires to squeal, even just slightly, does more wear than you could possibly get by having gotten off your tire rotation schedule. Same with "patching out" from a standing start. So maybe that will help to put things in perspective.

gnutruk

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gnutruk,

Thanks for your input. I guess we will just let it be and go back to the 6000-9000 balance and rotations from the last pre-mature rotation.