Two tire rotation questions

[Valpo Jeep]

I have always done the cross to the front method with a 4 tire rotation but with the new to me Wrangler I will probably do a 5 tire rotation.

My local Chevy dealer will do a front to back rotation and not cross the vehicle even with a non directional tire. On my old Cruze I took it in for service for the first 45,000 miles with them rotating like that. I still got 80k miles from that set. Next set of tires was all cross rotating and still got 80k miles.

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[Pinky Tuscadero]

I disagree with a few other posters:

The 5 tire rotation with the single jack and no jack stands is correct for a Jeep as shown a few times on this thread - thanks to those guys
I'll get some fallout from this but......
Why the F would you put an entire vehicle up on 4 jack stands just to rotate the tires ?

 

[Zandcwhite]

I have always done the cross to the front method with a 4 tire rotation but with the new to me Wrangler I will probably do a 5 tire rotation.

My local Chevy dealer will do a front to back rotation and not cross the vehicle even with a non directional tire. On my old Cruze I took it in for service for the first 45,000 miles with them rotating like that. I still got 80k miles from that set. Next set of tires was all cross rotating and still got 80k miles.

If the alignment is perfect, logically the cross isn’t necessary. Due to the limited adjustability of a solid axle vehicle, the terrible road quality, and the abuse many of our Jeeps take off road, the odds of your alignment being perfect side to side for the life of the tires are astronomical. The crossing wether doing 4 or 5 tire rotations insures that the tires wear evenly between the slightly misaligned sides.

 

[slim_pickens]

I disagree with a few other posters:

The 5 tire rotation with the single jack and no jack stands is correct for a Jeep as shown a few times on this thread - thanks to those guys
I'll get some fallout from this but......
Why the F would you put an entire vehicle up on 4 jack stands just to rotate the tires ?

Not that I have ever done it, but I think the argument folks make for this is that they see the overall rotation process as faster than jacking up one corner at a time.

Having done only my first rotation this week with the one-corner-at-a-time method & a jack, I definitely can't say from experience which is faster. But the idea of putting my Jeep up on 4 jack stands makes me think twice even if it is a little faster.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I use Jack Stands, commercial ones, rated at 10 tons each. I just read one post that I will assume the fellow used his OEM car jack...the number of people who have been injured and or killed using OEM jacks is not funny. Of course, you could always use your HI Lift, now there is a safe jack ??

I worked as a professional mechanic for a total of 12 years, its how I put myself thru College the later made side money. My 2 specialties? Corvettes and Jeeps never owned a sedan in my life. I build them, race them, off-road them and fix them when they are broke.

I rotate 4 tires because that is how it's been done since cars came about. That said the tire Mfg will say to do a 5-tire rotation and will get 20% more miles out of your tires. True? Yes theoretically. Let's say your tires are good for 100,000 mi, then you would rotate all 5 every 20,000 mi.

I for one, do not drive my tires their max life or even close. When I was off-roading the rocks I bought new tires every year at the same time I replace the bolts in my bead locks and clean them up.

I follow this regimen because it's the safest approach and I know the Tire Companies just want to sell me another 5th tire when in fact its only a spare to me.

This is how I do it, its how I have done life long and its how I learned from folks a lot smarter than me.





Here is a client's Jeep I was building, Dynatrac axles and gear change improved suspension and bracing (he is a sand jumper) a lot of welding and Fab on this. This was a big job when it was all over. At my shop, I interview you and I need know your objectives and long-term goal for your build. Then I ask you for a parts list by mfg. I will install components that I faith in. I am not a dealer for anything other than Dynatrac Axles, because they are the best. Other than that I don't rep for any anyone other than Miller welders. That is why I sell all my parts at my cost.

Take NOTE of the Jack Stands and how and where they are placed. The 2 in the rear have the back legs in that concrete groove. The 2 fronts are sitting on wooden blocks. WHY. The Jack stands will move, the concrete holds them in place and the wooden block will indent from the weight of the jeep and it give the jack stands a grip so they don't slide.

Safety is paramount!

 

[58Willys]

Besides the ease and simplicity of a 5 tire rotation, consider this. If you only do 4 tire rotation and your tires are 50% worn say, then you puncture a side wall; your spare is a larger diameter than your other four tires. Not ideal with certain systems., esp Select-Trac.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Besides the ease and simplicity of a 5 tire rotation, consider this. If you only do 4 tire rotation and your tires are 50% worn say, then you puncture a side wall; your spare is a larger diameter than your other four tires. Not ideal with certain systems., esp Select-Trac.

Are you saying all the tires were the same size starting out? And now the 50% worn tires are smaller than the spare?

If so, then the size difference is meaningless. Your tire new was most likely 18 or 19 32nds of an inch in tread depth. So a 50% wear factor would put you at 9 or 9.5 32nds of an inch. Do you think that would affect Select-Trac?

FACT: Tires do not wear evenly because roads while "crowned" are not all crowned the same. Asphalt roads are higher crowned vs Concrete vs ridged concrete *which allows rain water to rolls off faster.

Then the issue of psi. Most gages measure to either 1 lb psi or .5 lb psi and that is +/- so right off the bat your tire(S x 4) are not equal or even close.

My 35 GY Duratracs just came in and when I get them installed, now I have 35x12.50x17. Far more tire than my OEM 33s. But the door jam says psi should be 37(?) or what ever it says. But now I need to make an adjustment for the new tire. How do I do that (not asking). I will do it using the Contact patch method, which i more accurate than anything else. It will tell me what psi to run... Note when I put BFG 3's KM2s on my Jeep I ran 16 psi in town and 18 psi on the highway. Certainly a long way off of the door jam data plate.

 

[6.2Blazer]

I disagree with a few other posters:

The 5 tire rotation with the single jack and no jack stands is correct for a Jeep as shown a few times on this thread - thanks to those guys
I'll get some fallout from this but......
Why the F would you put an entire vehicle up on 4 jack stands just to rotate the tires ?

In regards to 4 jack stands to completely support a vehicle off the ground, it's really not that hard or time consuming. Keep in mind that the internet safety police will tell you that a jack stand should always be used anyway. On a Wrangler it's very easy to jack it up and put on jack stands....as stated before you can lift both rear tires off the ground at the same time and put jack stands on the back, and then two sessions on the front. If you are doing just a 4 tire rotation you would have to leave at least one tire at a time on stands (assuming you just have 1 jack), and if you were cross-rotating there is the concern of lifting opposite corners which could cause some issues if you are not paying attention. I can probably do a 4 tire rotation on a Wrangler faster using the 4 jack stand method versus jacking up each corner separately, and it being "safer". For a 5 tire rotation I bet using 4 jack stands wouldn't take much longer at all.

In regards to some comments from other users about the 4 versus 5 tire rotation, it's personal preference but I do recommend the 5 tire rotation assuming the vehicle actually has 5 matching tires and wheels (as I stated before that is NOT common on most vehicles).
- You get 20% more life (in regards to vehicle mileage) on the set of tires
- Assuming you buy a new set of tires before the old ones are completely shot, you can still keep one of the original ones as a spare and only buy 4 new ones. Even if it's down to near the wear bars I would still use it as a spare.
- Besides for just mileage wear tires are only recommended to be used for a certain period of time due to weathering even if the tread is good. On a Wrangler the spare tire is exposed to the sun (UV light) which will cause issues. Point being even if the spare never saw the ground you would need it replaced after so many years anyway, especially sitting on the rear tire carrier exposed to the sun.
- A spare tire by itself is not worth much money if you are thinking of selling it down the road. Go look at people selling a set of 4 tires with 75% wear and a "new" 5th spare tire.....the overall set is not worth much more than just buying a set of worn 4 tires.

 

[Old Jeeper]

In regards to 4 jack stands to completely support a vehicle off the ground, it's really not that hard or time consuming. Keep in mind that the internet safety police will tell you that a jack stand should always be used anyway. On a Wrangler it's very easy to jack it up and put on jack stands....as stated before you can lift both rear tires off the ground at the same time and put jack stands on the back, and then two sessions on the front. If you are doing just a 4 tire rotation you would have to leave at least one tire at a time on stands (assuming you just have 1 jack), and if you were cross-rotating there is the concern of lifting opposite corners which could cause some issues if you are not paying attention. I can probably do a 4 tire rotation on a Wrangler faster using the 4 jack stand method versus jacking up each corner separately, and it being "safer". For a 5 tire rotation I bet using 4 jack stands wouldn't take much longer at all.

In regards to some comments from other users about the 4 versus 5 tire rotation, it's personal preference but I do recommend the 5 tire rotation assuming the vehicle actually has 5 matching tires and wheels (as I stated before that is NOT common on most vehicles).
- You get 20% more life (in regards to vehicle mileage) on the set of tires
- Assuming you buy a new set of tires before the old ones are completely shot, you can still keep one of the original ones as a spare and only buy 4 new ones. Even if it's down to near the wear bars I would still use it as a spare.
- Besides for just mileage wear tires are only recommended to be used for a certain period of time due to weathering even if the tread is good. On a Wrangler the spare tire is exposed to the sun (UV light) which will cause issues. Point being even if the spare never saw the ground you would need it replaced after so many years anyway, especially sitting on the rear tire carrier exposed to the sun.
- A spare tire by itself is not worth much money if you are thinking of selling it down the road. Go look at people selling a set of 4 tires with 75% wear and a "new" 5th spare tire.....the overall set is not worth much more than just buying a set of worn 4 tires.

I personally, do not drive tires that will ever hit the wear bars. About ½ wear and its new tires and unless I am replacing with the same exact tire I buy 4, but if I am replacing that 4 with a different tire I buy.

Now lets talk JEEP. Over the 10 years I had my Rubicon Jeep, almost 100k miles I bought BFG/GY tires, 8 sets of tires, 5 of which were 4 tires and 3 were 5 tires. ALL tires on the ground and spare. are the same.

Most ires are 8-9 32nds/inch of tread depth, when I get down to 4/5 32nds, they are gone, even if the spare has never touched the ground it goes...there is a reason why I can sell my ires and leave them at tire store.

 

[Cux211]

Why do far more jacking than necessary? Start with the location the spare moves to. Swap that tire 1st. Move to the location that tire moves to and so on. You never need to lift more than 1 corner of the Jeep. Less work, less risk, and less time. I don’t see any benefit to putting all 4 corners up in the air, but maybe that’s just me?

I disagree what you’re saying is more work, with my Hd trucks 8000# I jack the whole front up put my 2 stands in at once then jack the rear end at the center leaving the jack at the rear. Whole truck is off the ground with 2 jack placements

 

[Zandcwhite]

I disagree what you’re saying is more work, with my Hd trucks 8000# I jack the whole front up put my 2 stands in at once then jack the rear end at the center leaving the jack at the rear. Whole truck is off the ground with 2 jack placements

Which is actually 3 placements minimum, unless you drive it off the jack stands in the front? Not to mention the fact that you still have to get out and put away the jack stands and you're now working on your rig with no tires on it balanced on a tripod that has wheels on 1 leg? My way has 3 tires on the ground at all times, not that I'm the safety guy here but I know which one is more stable for certain.

 

[Cux211]

Which is actually 3 placements minimum, unless you drive it off the jack stands in the front? Not to mention the fact that you still have to get out and put away the jack stands and you're now working on your rig with no tires on it balanced on a tripod that has wheels on 1 leg? My way has 3 tires on the ground at all times, not that I'm the safety guy here but I know which one is more stable for certain.

I gotcha, I don’t pull all wheels at once I pull the 2 I’m working on plus the wheels are only off the ground about an inch. Thing is too when I’m doing this it’s not on something as light as a Jeep so it’s pretty darn stable there where a few times I had to beet the tire with a sledge to get the rim to pop truck never budged, but as this will be the first time I have to mess with a 5 wheel rotation I’ll give your way a try it’s only one more jack up plus My jack is a 7k or 8k jack should lift a corner of a Jeep with barely trying

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay I’m sick but I love the long discussions on subjects like this. Me, I have always been a 4 wheel rotator until my Jeep. Now I have a 5th wheel/tire begging to used in the rotation and thus let’s use it. Chance I could go another tire selection so why not? I will have better tread longer this way as well.

In my mind, for those that don’t have the shop equipment, the 5 tire rotation is pretty much a DIY given. For those that do… why would you not want to use your easy to access spare? Otherwise it is simply an expensive insurance policy that you rarely cash in on. My three cents adjusted for inflation.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I disagree what you’re saying is more work, with my Hd trucks 8000# I jack the whole front up put my 2 stands in at once then jack the rear end at the center leaving the jack at the rear. Whole truck is off the ground with 2 jack placements

X2

 

[QwikKotaTx]

actually,...

I realized I missed the joke but how many full size spares on vehicles have matching rims to the main 4? All of mine have been a steel rim that does not match.

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