How to Do a Tire Rotation

Whether you make the decision to do your own tire rotation or bring your Toyota vehicle to our Toyota service center near Point Marion, PA, tire rotation is an essential maintenance step you shouldn’t miss. Regular tire rotations provide better traction on the roads and extend the life of your tires. Want to know how to do a tire rotation at home? Follow our handy guide on how to rotate tires at home, and feel free to contact our service center if you need additional assistance or if you want to learn how to save fuel while you drive.

Is a Tire Rotation Necessary?

Because everyone’s driving habits are different, all tires will not wear evenly. Due to the impact experienced while turning, the outside edges of the front tires will show more wear while the rear wheels wear more evenly. This means that if you are leaving your tires in place, they will wear down at different rates, causing them to get replaced much sooner.

How Often to Rotate Your Tires

Front and rear wheel drive vehicles typically need a tire rotation performed every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. All-wheel drive vehicles need more frequent changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. This is because these tires are actively engaged, which results in faster wear. When it comes to routine maintenance like tire rotations, it’s best to refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual for recommendations.

Tire Position

• FWD Tires: Move the front tires to the back of the car in the same left/right positions. When you need to move the rear tires to the front, switch the right and left tire.

• RWD Tires: The opposite is true with RWD vehicles. The rear tires can be moved to the front of the car in the same left/right positions, but when it’s time to move the front tires to the rear, switch the left and right tire.

How to Rotate Tires at Home

If you are going to rotate your own tires at home, you will need a car jack, lug nut wrench, and a set of car jacks. After getting these items and you have the necessary tools, follow the steps below:

1. Engage the parking brake for safety measures.
2. Loosen the lug nuts on all four wheels, but do not take them off completely. This will make unscrewing them when the tire is elevated easier.
3. Lift up one wheel with a car jack and place the jack stand underneath it.
4. Remove each tire one by one.
5. Take this time to make sure your tires are filled to the optimal tire pressure. Then you can rotate them according to the appropriate pattern for your type of tires. Place the tire back onto the wheel mount and screw the lug nuts on by hand as far as you can.
6. Lower the car from the jack stands and use the lug wrench to finish tightening the nuts. It’s recommended that you work the lug nuts diagonally from one to another in a star pattern to ensure each one tightens evenly. If they’re not tightened evenly, the brake rotor could warp.

Get Additional Help at University Toyota!

If you’re not ready to take on the challenge of rotating your tires at home, the factory-trained and certified technicians working in our service center are ready to perform this service for you. We also offer a variety of service specials for additional savings and other car maintenance tips like how to jump start your car! Schedule your service appointment today!