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How to rotate tires?

Paulocon

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How are we suppose to rotate tires?

Does the front two cross diagonal to the rear and the rears straight to the front?
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The Last Cowboy

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Just straight front to back. No need to swap sides, no need to rebalance unless there is a vibration. I do it at about 15-20k miles. Some will swear by a 5 wheel rotation and rebalance at every oil change. You will get quite a few opinions on this as itā€™s usually a lively topic.
 

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How often to rotate is a long debated question. Just know, the more frequent it's done, the more even the wear. Costco policy is that they want you to rotate at intervals no greater than 10,000 miles. That's probably a good baseliine.
 

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You described it perfectly. From 2021 Wrangler Owners Manual. Is there a reason you don't want to follow the OEM recommendations?
Jeep Wrangler JL How to rotate tires? TireRotation2021Wrangler.PNG
 

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jeepoch

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Paulo,

You purchased 5 wheels of rubber, why waste any of it? Rotating all 5, hence using all your available rubber, gives you 20% more overall tread wear over the same life cycle for that tire set.

At the end of life of any particular set, if you only rotated 4, what happens next? Does this then lock you into always buying the exact same tire brand just to match the unused spare? Do you throw the spare away if that particular brand is no longer available? Do you sell a single tire on Craig's List? Or just simply ignore it and never take that wheel off the tailgate regardless of the number of tires purchased over the life of the vehicle?

Also take into consideration the physics of using dissimilar tires on any 4WD, AWD (or even 2WD) vehicle. Tire circumference determines exactly how many turns the axles rotate over a given distance. The smaller the tire, the more rotations per unit distance. Tire diameter (and circumference) grows smaller over time as the tread wears. As long as all the wheels rotate the same per a given length there are no binding forces working against each other.

If however, any one of those tires have a significant change in circumference, no matter the reason, one side of the axle will rotate at a different rate than the other. This will cause the Differential to work at different speeds between both sides of the axle, causing mechanical grinding of it's gears (binding). Thus creating metal shavings and excessive gear wear within the Differential itself.

Noting that the Differential is a component designed to handle differences in speed on either side of the axle. This is how binding forces are handled when cornering through turns. However, the Diff is not intended to be cornering constantly while driving straight. The lower the amount of binding forces present, the longer the life of that Differential and less overall drag presented to the motor.

Additionally, if the tire diameters are different between the front and rear of the vehicle, then the Transfer Case takes the binding forces. It's gears will then be subject to grinding wear in addition to the affected Differential.

As long as you NEVER use the spare, especially near the end of your set's tread life, then no issue. But as soon as you need it, due to a flat, that new spare will now potentially have a significant circumference delta difference, especially if it was never used (rotated). This spare will then eat your gears as long as you're running with it.

That is exactly why those emergency smaller spares on most cars can only be safely run on a very limited number of miles. Their actual rubber will clearly last thousands of miles or more, but it tears up the drivetrain. The longer it's left on, the more damage it will do.

Having similar size, with similar worn tires is absolutely the very best thing you can do for your drivetrain's overall health. With no grinding, your Diff and TC fluids will perform much better with way less metal fragments and shavings.

By using all 5 tires, your spare will 'naturally' be closer to having a similar circumference to the others in the set. You can safely use it then anytime without worry of stressing out your Differentials or Transfer Case when needed.

Besides, your gear-head buddies who know and understand all this, will be very impressed to see a non brand new tire on your tailgate. If they compliment you, you'll absolutely know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they truly are a mechanically inclined expert and motor-head nerd.

Sure, at the end of the tire set's life you'll have to invest in the extra cost of buying 5 tires, however the extra milage gained by using the extra rubber, more than offsets that cost (20% more overall effective tread life). Besides, when you do have to buy your next set of tires, they will once again all be of the same type (and circumference).

It's nearly nothing to rotate all 5 at the same time. You have to raise your Jeep off the ground in all four corners regardless.

Lastly, the rotation pattern can literally be anything. Really. It only matters that you be consistent. Also, the more often you rotate the closer the tires will wear evenly between themselves. Thus ensuring they're spinning at the same rates per distance traveled, minimizing powertrain binding and tremendously (significantly) improving gas milage.

It's the little things that truly add up. Rotate all 5 and push all of the above out of your mind as things to ever worry about.

Or ignore it like most people do and wonder why their vehicles never last much past their warranty.

Jay
 
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Mikester86

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I've always used this pattern every 3k miles, especially with md terrain tires!!!. Why leave a brand new tire on the back to rot?
jeep tire rotation.png
Exactly what I do. I have Discount tire handle the rotations and balancing. I hand them a printout of this. And I have them rotated and balanced every 5,000 miles or so.
 

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Paulo,

You purchased 5 wheels of rubber, why waste any of it? Rotating all 5, hence using all your available rubber, gives you 20% more overall tread wear over the same life cycle for that tire set.

At the end of life of any particular set, if you only rotated 4, what happens next? Does this then lock you into always buying the exact same tire brand just to match the unused spare? Do you throw the spare away if that particular brand is no longer available? Do you sell a single tire on Craig's List? Or just simply ignore it and never take that wheel off the tailgate regardless of the number of tires purchased over the life of the vehicle?

Also take into consideration the physics of using dissimilar tires on any 4WD, AWD (or even 2WD) vehicle. Tire circumference determines exactly how many turns the axles rotate over a given distance. The smaller the tire, the more rotations per unit distance. Tire diameter (and circumference) grows smaller over time as the tread wears. As long as all the wheels rotate the same per a given length there are no binding forces working against each other.

If however, any one of those tires have a significant change in circumference, no matter the reason, one side of the axle will rotate at a different rate than the other. This will cause the Differential to work at different speeds between both sides of the axle, causing mechanical grinding of it's gears (binding). Thus creating metal shavings and excessive gear wear within the Differential itself.

Noting that the Differential is a component designed to handle differences in speed on either side of the axle. This is how binding forces are handled when cornering through turns. However, the Diff is not intended to be cornering constantly while driving straight. The lower the amount of binding forces present, the longer the life of that Differential and less overall drag presented to the motor.

Additionally, if the tire diameters are different between the front and rear of the vehicle, then the Transfer Case takes the binding forces. It's gears will then be subject to grinding wear in addition to the affected Differential.

As long as you NEVER use the spare, especially near the end of your set's tread life, then no issue. But as soon as you need it, due to a flat, that new spare will now potentially have a significant circumference delta difference, especially if it was never used (rotated). This spare will then eat your gears as long as you're running with it.

That is exactly why those emergency smaller spares on most cars can only be safely run on a very limited number of miles. Their actual rubber will clearly last thousands of miles or more, but it tears up the drivetrain. The longer it's left on, the more damage it will do.

Having similar size, with similar worn tires is absolutely the very best thing you can do for your drivetrain's overall health. With no grinding, your Diff and TC fluids will perform much better with way less metal fragments and shavings.

By using all 5 tires, your spare will 'naturally' be closer to having a similar circumference to the others in the set. You can safely use it then anytime without worry of stressing out your Differentials or Transfer Case when needed.

Besides, your gear-head buddies who know and understand all this, will be very impressed to see a non brand new tire on your tailgate. If they compliment you, you'll absolutely know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they truly are a mechanically inclined expert and motor-head nerd.

Sure, at the end of the tire set's life you'll have to invest in the extra cost of buying 5 tires, however the extra milage gained by using the extra rubber, more than offsets that cost (20% more overall effective tread life). Besides, when you do have to buy your next set of tires, they will once again all be of the same type (and circumference).

It's nearly nothing to rotate all 5 at the same time. You have to raise your Jeep off the ground in all four corners regardless.

Lastly, the rotation pattern can literally be anything. Really. It only matters that you be consistent. Also, the more often you rotate the closer the tires will wear evenly between themselves. Thus ensuring they're spinning at the same rates per distance traveled, minimizing powertrain binding and tremendously (significantly) improving gas milage.

It's the little things that truly add up. Rotate all 5 and push all of the above out of your mind as things to ever worry about.

Or ignore it like most people do and wonder why their vehicles never last much past their warranty.

Jay
I agree with about half of your novel. There is no grinding of gears that happens from tires of different size. That's the point of the differentials spider gears. If what you described was true, the same would happen anytime you weren't driving perfectly straight. Even with the lockers engaged, the tires scrub rather than grinding gears. Some of us have wheeled old beaters with welded difs, driving them on the street to and from trails for years. Hard on tires, but otherwise fine. I agree that rotations should be 5 tire on a wrangler, as the spare sits out in the sun and won't last forever anyway so we might as well use it up. We usually rotate every 5,000 miles, but only balance when a vibration develops. Some go overboard with routine maintenance, but it's their time and money and they definitely aren't hurting anything as opposed to those that don't do maintenance.
 

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I agree with about half of your novel. There is no grinding of gears that happens from tires of different size. That's the point of the differentials spider gears. If what you described was true, the same would happen anytime you weren't driving perfectly straight. Even with the lockers engaged, the tires scrub rather than grinding gears. Some of us have wheeled old beaters with welded difs, driving them on the street to and from trails for years. Hard on tires, but otherwise fine. I agree that rotations should be 5 tire on a wrangler, as the spare sits out in the sun and won't last forever anyway so we might as well use it up. We usually rotate every 5,000 miles, but only balance when a vibration develops. Some go overboard with routine maintenance, but it's their time and money and they definitely aren't hurting anything as opposed to those that don't do maintenance.
Zach,

Of course, you make fair points. I wholeheartedly agree that differentials are designed to take lots of abuse. However, it can still die a slow death from the small continuous abrasion and higher heat if the two wheels are constantly spinning at different rates. Constant friction is rarely ever a good thing on rotating mechanical linkages.

Furthermore, how much fuel is needlessly being wasted even with tire scrub? It's the little things that really grind on you [pun intended]. Rotating all 5 tires is so painless to accomplish, why would you event want to contemplate, let alone worry about, all this crap?

Jay
 

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Zach,

Of course, you make fair points. I wholeheartedly agree that differentials are designed to take lots of abuse. However, it can still die a slow death from the small continuous abrasion and higher heat if the two wheels are constantly spinning at different rates. Constant friction is rarely ever a good thing on rotating mechanical linkages.

Furthermore, how much fuel is needlessly being wasted even with tire scrub? It's the little things that really grind on you [pun intended]. Rotating all 5 tires is so painless to accomplish, why would you event want to contemplate, let alone worry about, all this crap?

Jay
With the FAD, our front spiders are constantly spinning as the drivers side shaft spins but the ring gear and drive shaft donā€™t regardless of tire size differences. I just donā€™t buy that spider gears are a wear item. I think youā€™d need millions of miles to wear them out. There are a lot of good reasons for a 5 tire rotation, but spider gear wear isnā€™t one of them in my opinion.
 

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So I meant to do a 5 tire rotation every 5k miles, but I lost track of mileage then had a long trip before I could rotate. So Iā€™m at 8k miles on 4 with a fresh spare on the back. What would you guys recommend to catch the spare up over the next couple of rotations?
 

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So I meant to do a 5 tire rotation every 5k miles, but I lost track of mileage then had a long trip before I could rotate. So Iā€™m at 8k miles on 4 with a fresh spare on the back. What would you guys recommend to catch the spare up over the next couple of rotations?
I'd just do a standard 5 tire rotation, by the 5th rotation when it gets back to being the spare you'll never be able to tell the difference.
 

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Jeep Wrangler JL How to rotate tires? 5-tire Rotation + Torque Specs

I chalk the destination on each tire. This makes it easier for the technician to understand what you want and for you to check to see if it was done correctly.
 

rmasonjr

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Sorry if this is a stupid question...
Do you have to do anything with the TPMS after rotation? Like, tell the TPMS where the tires are etc.?
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