There is a lot you can do to improve the safety of your ride and reduce the costs of driving in Texas. As it turns out, one of the most effective options is also among the cheapest and easiest forms of maintenance you can do: tire rotation.
Tire rotation is fast and simple, and is even offered as a free service by the best tire shops. It’s even something you could do yourself if you’ve got the tools and an hour free.
What Is Tire Rotation?
Simply put, tire rotation means removing the wheels on your car and moving them to different positions.
Why do this? Because tires never wear down evenly, if they’re kept on the same hub for years. For example, the drive wheels will wear down more quickly than non-drive wheels. Also, the wheels underneath the engine typically wear faster, since they’re bearing more weight. Other mechanical problems can also factor in here, such as misaligned tires wearing out more quickly than ones that are properly aligned.
No matter the exact cause, the solution is simple: periodically move the tires around, so they wear down more evenly.
The Benefits Of Tire Rotations In Texas
Periodic tire rotations bring plenty of benefits:
- Longer tire life. When you rotate your tires, it extends the lifespan of your tires by months, or potentially even years. When you consider how expensive a new set of tires can be, this can easily save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the vehicle.
- Better road safety. Worn tires are less reliable. The tread may lose its grip, or particularly worn areas on the sidewall will be vulnerable to bursting or being punctured. So periodic rotation keeps you safer.
- Improved fuel economy. Worn tires also tend to use more fuel, since the engine is going to have to work harder to keep them spinning properly. The savings from tire rotations won’t be huge, but the savings will still be there and every little bit helps.
Types Of Tire Rotations
There are several basic variations, depending on your vehicle and its drive train. For example:
- X-Pattern: This is probably the most common form of rotation, where the wheels are exchanged in an X. Front-right becomes rear-left, rear-right becomes front-left, and so on.
- Forward Cross: The front wheels move back and switch sides, while the back wheels are simply moved forward. This is typical for front-wheel drive cars. A reversed “rearward cross” can also be done, for rear-wheel drives.
- Front-to-Rear: Front and back tires are swapped, without changing sides. This is necessary if the wheels’ treads are orientated to only allow rotation in one direction.
- Side-to-Side: The sides are swapped, without changing the front/rear position. This is often performed on all-wheel-drive vehicles.
In short, if you aren’t getting a tire rotation in Texas at least once a year, you’re wearing down your tires needlessly and possibly even endangering yourself. Visit a local tire shop for a cheap and easy tire rotation, and enjoy the benefits.
