What is Tire Rotation?

You’ve likely heard that you should routinely rotate your tires to maintain your vehicle’s performance. What is tire rotation, and what benefits does it add to your trips around Middletown? Tires should get rotated every six months or 5,000 miles to 8,000 miles. Rotating the positioning of your tires can improve your traction and safety during everyday commutes and weekend adventures. Learn more about the importance of tire rotation and what tire rotations do for your Ford at Tom's Ford.

Hazlet drivers commonly ask, “What exactly does rotating tires mean?” Simply put, tire rotation means you’re switching the position of where each tire gets placed on your car. However, it’s not as simple as swapping the tires from front to back. Depending on the rotation pattern of your drivetrain, the tires will also change sides for a balanced ride. Here’s what rotating tires mean for your drivetrain:

Rotating Tires Based on Drivetrain

• Front-wheel drive vehicle: FWD vehicles direct engine power to the front wheels and have more force placed on them when braking. Since most of the power goes to the front wheels, they tend to wear out faster than the rear ones.
• Rear-wheel drive vehicle: While RWD vehicles direct engine power to the rear wheels, the front tires still play a role in steering and braking. However, you’ll still see the rear tires wear down faster than the front tires.
• All-wheel drive vehicle: The engines in AWD vehicles distribute power evenly to all four wheels. Some technicians have noticed that rear tires wear out faster than the front tires on AWD vehicles.
• Intelligent all-wheel drive systems: Some vehicles equipped with an advanced AWD system find their tire life is longer. The AWD system directs power to individual wheels while cornering for increased stability around Keyport.

If you follow your scheduled maintenance routine, you’ve likely completed the tire services needed to ensure your safety on Red Bank roads. However, you may not know why this service is important. 

• Helps with Road Traction: The importance of tire rotations is easily seen when you’re traveling on wet, icy, or otherwise hazardous roads. As your tires wear down and lose tread depth, you lose traction with the road. That reduced traction can lead to slippage and loss of control when needed. Routine rotations help keep your tires at the same tread depth to extend their life.
• Protects Against Blowouts: As your tires wear out, your chance of a tire blowout increases. A blowout can lead to you losing control of your vehicle, creating a dangerous situation on the road.
• Smoother Ride Quality: While maintaining your tires is important for your overall safety, it can also help your ride quality around Hazlet. You’ll notice your performance suffers when one tire has more wear than the others. If you’ve recently taken home a new Tom's Ford, you’ll want to keep up with tire rotations to maintain your smooth performance. 
• Maintains Efficiency: Even tire wear helps your vehicle operate as it should. When wear is even across all four tires, it can help reduce drag and prevent engine strain, improving your fuel economy. Explore other tips that help you drive around Middletown efficiently. 

Now that you know what tire rotation is, visit our team in the Tom's Ford service center. Our factory-trained experts use genuine OEM parts for high-quality and lasting repairs. Learn more about the TPMS system and find the tires for your vehicle.