Tire rotation confusion....

[BlueMoose]

I've ordered my first Jeep and y'all have inspired me to learn to do as much of my own maintenance as I can. We have a very good local dealer so I asked some questions.

I was surprised...they do NOT do 5 tire rotations unless requested by the customer.

The service manger will get back to me on the pattern they use for the requested 5 tire rotations but said it is now known to be a bad thing to cross tires when rotating. My husband backed this up (he grew up wrenching on his own vehicles and it usually correct regarding maint). They say the rubber stretches during that first 5k miles and forcing it to then turn a different direction is bad.

I plan to keep this vehicle as long as I can keep it running. And 35" tires aren't cheap. So I want to treat them right.

My problem:

Everyone I've read here talks about using the 5 tire cross on their own vehicles.
Youtube (take your pick) talks about 5 tire cross (Including ChreeperJeeperTV)
The 2023 Jeep Wrangler downloadable manual says 5 tire cross.
Every reference I can find online says 5 tire cross, to include KBB, BF Goodrich, Art of Manliness, etc.

Where are they getting their information from? How can I verify?

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[gsbrockman]

Run from that dealership.......as they are totally clueless about tires.

Cross rotating tires 40 years ago may have created some problems, but not in today’s times.

As you already know....the owners manual plainly states that crossing them is the better pattern.

 

[rkwfxd]

You said you were going to do your own maint. 5 tire rotation should be part of that. Use a torque wrench on the lug nuts.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Rubber stretches over the first 5k eh? Interesting theory. I would like to hear the dealership's thoughts on flat earth as well.

 

[Lohkay]

Personally, I check thread depth on each tire at three locations: inner, middle and outer. Based on those values, I determine if I have an alignment issue and rotate accordingly: most used goes as spare, then back wheels and front last.

Jeeps wear tires evenly since there is no camber and toe is minimal.

 

[Nitehawk92]

The world cannot be flat. If it was, Cats would have knocked everything off by now...

 

[Dan M.]

5 tire rotation is the way to go. There is a good chance you will want to at some point change your wheels or tires. If/when you do that you will have a full size spare with 0 miles that you will likely throw out or sell for close to nothing. Using the 5th wheel will extend the life of all your tires.

 

[garyji]

Here's the five I do at every 5K

G.

 

[Ang1Sgt]

I just did this to my JL yesterday. As the vehicle is used and NEW to me I wanted to get into it and see what was up with it. Gary, above posted the normal 5 tire rotation and it is the one I followed. Being up in years (66) I printed a copy so that I could keep track of every tire. I was doing an oil change also and doing a full clean and inspection of each wheel and tire.

Oh….Print a copy and make notes on it while you are performing the rotation. As I was doing other things, I made sure that I put an “X” on the page after each swap and proper Torque. In that way I could keep track of everything.

Depending on the tire you have, it is actually GOOD to do a 5 tire rotation. The reason the Spare goes to the passenger rear is that is normally the tire that will spin first. Also, a 5 tire rotation will even the wear and you should get more even wear and about 20% more life out of the tires.

On my JK (2013) Had had the Firestone Destination MT’s on there. They did well for me and I did 5 tires every 5-6000 miles. I am happy this Willys has the newer Destination MT/2’s. Reminds me of my old Jeep that I missed so much!

 

[kah.mun.rah]

To make it easy to remember which tire goes where, I just rotate all 5 clockwise every oil change. @Discount Tire what are your thoughts on rotation patterns?

 

[wolf]

I’ve done 4 tire rotation for all my Jeeps over many years.
if you do five they get to sell you five tires.
if you rotate four when it comes time to buy tires you buy four, but put your spare on as one of the four and a newly purchased one as spare. Now for the guys that have all kinds of disposable income and change wheels and tires when they want it really doesn’t matter. That’s ok do your thing. Capitalism at work. It’s what makes the world go around.

 

[BDinTX]

The five tire rotation is a variant of the rear cross which is what Bridgestone recommends for RWD and 4WD.

https://www.bridgestonetire.com/learn/maintenance/tire-rotation/#

Edit: reading further they actually specify 5 tire in our case.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

I’ve done 4 tire rotation for all my Jeeps over many years.
if you do five they get to sell you five tires.
if you rotate four when it comes time to buy tires you buy four, but put your spare on as one of the four and a newly purchased one as spare. Now for the guys that have all kinds of disposable income and change wheels and tires when they want it really doesn’t matter. That’s ok do your thing. Capitalism at work. It’s what makes the world go around.

That's assuming you're sticking with the same brand and size. Also, by rotating all of them in, I get even wear AND I don't need to replace them as quick as I would if I had only done 4.

 

[Ang1Sgt]

I’ve done 4 tire rotation for all my Jeeps over many years.
if you do five they get to sell you five tires.
if you rotate four when it comes time to buy tires you buy four, but put your spare on as one of the four and a newly purchased one as spare. Now for the guys that have all kinds of disposable income and change wheels and tires when they want it really doesn’t matter. That’s ok do your thing. Capitalism at work. It’s what makes the world go around.

Rick, part of the issue is some Jeeps have issues if there are irregular tire sizes when it comes to shifting in and out of certain 4WD modes. I have even seen issues with my brothers Cherokee wher it would NOT go into 4WD due to a tire mis-match and Air Pressure issues. Needless to say my brother had no clue.

I’m a fixed income retiree, so my needs are to get as much as I can out of what I have. It also keeps me active in the garage maintaining my Jeep. It sure was a work out yesterday when I went through mine and did the rotation for the first time. It’s been well over 7 years since I’ve done one of these and with my disabilities as such it was a work out. My joints are feeling it today! LOL!

 

[Mocopo]

To make it easy to remember which tire goes where, I just rotate all 5 clockwise every oil change. @Discount Tire what are your thoughts on rotation patterns?

This is all I do also. Clockwise, all of them. Easy to just work you way around the vehicle in a circle.

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