Rotating your tires saves you money and saves you stress. If you regularly rotate your tires as part of your ongoing vehicle maintenance, it ensures that the wear on your tires is distributed evenly. Having even wear makes for a longer lifespan for the tires on your car, which will save you money in the long run by not having to buy tires as frequently.
What Causes Uneven Wear?
Even if you have the highest quality tires that are balanced properly, you will still find yourself with uneven wear. There are a few reasons for this. One of the biggest reasons for this is uneven weight distribution. This can’t really be helped – think about what the heaviest part of your car is. The engine. The engine is located at one end of the car, which will naturally cause uneven weight distribution in the car. Another factor that causes uneven wear is turning. Tires don’t wear in the same way when you turn your vehicle. The front tires will take on most of the force of steering, which will cause wear mostly to the front two tires.
How the power is distributed to tires is another big factor in how tires wear unevenly. Vehicles with front-wheel or rear-wheel drive see more damage than all-wheel drive vehicles. While Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD offers power directly to all tires, that doesn’t exclude your Subaru from these problems. You will still need to incorporate rotating your tires into your regular vehicle maintenance.
When Should I Rotate My Tires?
For specifics on when you should rotate your tires, which may vary based on your vehicle or your manufacturer, is to check your owner’s manual. The manufacturer will likely have a recommended schedule for you to follow.
A good rule of thumb is to get your tires rotated when you get your oil changed. This is assuming you follow the appropriate oil change schedule for your vehicle. While there is no specific number that is universal across all cars unless you are driving fewer than 7,500kms you should consider rotating your tires every six months.
Can I Do This Myself?
If you have a knowledge of cars, rotating your tires is fairly simple. Check your owner’s manual, which will have information on how to rotate your tires. If you’re unsure, book an appointment with our Service department.