Tyre rotation means swapping the tyres between positions so they wear more evenly, which can extend the life of the whole set. Front and rear tyres wear at different rates, on a front-wheel-drive car the fronts do the steering, most of the braking and all the driving, so they wear faster.
Why rotate?
Without rotation, you can end up with two worn fronts and two near-new rears (or vice versa), forcing you to buy in mismatched pairs more often. Rotating evens out the wear so the set reaches replacement together, which is usually cheaper overall.
How often?
A common interval is every 5,000–8,000 miles, but check your handbook, some manufacturers advise differently and some advise against it. It's convenient to do at a service or seasonal tyre swap.
Watch the exceptions
- Directional tyres can only move front-to-back on the same side (look for an arrow on the sidewall).
- Different front/rear sizes (common on performance cars) can't be rotated front-to-rear.
- Run-flats and asymmetric tyres have their own rules, check the markings.
Rotation isn't a cure for bad wear
If tyres are wearing unevenly, fix the cause, usually alignment or pressures, otherwise you're just spreading the problem around.
We can rotate, check and replace tyres at your home or work across London and Birmingham. Book a visit.
