Why Tire Rotation is Important for your Vehicle
The tires on your vehicle have a limited lifespan, but there are things you can do to get more life out of the tires. Tire rotation is important but doing it right and at the right time is necessary.
If you are not sure how the tire rotation on your vehicle should work, take your vehicle in and see if you need to have the rotation done. Neglecting the tire rotation can result in some serious tire safety issues that you could avoid.
Abnormal Tire Wear
One of the most common things that can happen to a set of tires that are not rotated properly is abnormal wear. If the vehicle has any worn parts in the suspension, it may cause one tire to wear differently than the others, and the result may be a tire that needs replacing prematurely.
Proper rotation can reduce this effect because the tires all take a turn in the position that is causing the different wear patterns. Of course, if you find one tire has a heavy amount of wear that is different from the other tires, you should have a service technician inspect the suspension and replace any worn parts.
Tires that are heavily worn can vibrate and shake as you drive and can make it very difficult to handle the car, even under the best road conditions.
Poor Traction
A tire that is worn badly will have less traction that one that is in good condition, and the drive axle causes the tires under power to wear faster. The traction loss could make a real difference in poor weather or in an emergency situation where evasive driving maneuvers are the only option.
Rotating the tires around the vehicle is one way to ensure that you keep the tires in the best condition and have the traction that you need when you need it most.
Poor Braking
The front tires on your vehicle have a hard job. Every time you hit the brakes, the weight of the car transfers to the front tires and if the tires are worn badly, they may not be able to hold the road.
If you are turning and braking at the same time, it is even harder for the tires to find grip because the weight transfer may be to the front and one side, which puts most of the stress on one tire.
When you are braking, the front brakes handle nearly 75 percent of the job because of that weight transfer, so taking the tires with the least wear from the back and moving them to the front can greatly improve the way the car stops.
Tire Failure or Blowouts
A tire that has uneven wear can eventually scrub enough rubber off the tire to expose the steel or nylon cords of the tire. Once the cords begin to show, you no longer have a tire that is safe to use. A blow out becomes a bigger concern as the tire continues to wear. If the tire does rupture at highway speeds, it can be extremely difficult to keep the vehicle under control.
Sometimes the tire will start to leak slowly but if you see cords showing through the rubber or if you feel your tire has wear that is extreme, take the vehicle to your local Driver’s Edge and have them take a look at the car for you.
Driver’s Edge is here to handle all your vehicle repair and maintenance needs. We can rotate the tires on your vehicle, investigate any issues you may be having, and take care of any routine maintenance. Give us a call to set up your appointment.
