Why Do We Rotate Tires?

If you’re a diligent driver in Pensacola, you bring your vehicle into our service center for routine tire rotations. But while you might already know how often to rotate tires, have you ever wondered why we rotate tires? What does rotating your tires do? To keep it short, tire rotations extend the life of your tires and help you get more out of your investment in a new set. There are several different drivetrain types, and each one affects the rate at which your tires wear out. Tire rotations are designed to make all four tires wear out at a similar rate, so you don’t have to replace one or two tires sooner than the rest. If you’re looking for more information, like how often you should change your oil, contact us today!

How Does Drivetrain Affect Tire Wear?

Every time you accelerate, brake, turn, or take a curve in Fort Walton, there is friction generated between your tires and the road below. Depending on your vehicle’s drivetrain type, this friction will cause the tire treads to wear out at different speeds.

• Front-wheel drive vehicle: With FWD, engine power is sent to the front wheels, which are also responsible for steering, starting, and much of the stopping force. Bearing all this in mind, the front tires are going to wear out faster than the rear tires.
• Rear-wheel drive vehicle: With RWD, engine power is sent to the rear wheels. However, the front wheels remain responsible for steering and braking. Still, the rear tires will show more wear than the front tires, just at a slower rate.
• All-wheel drive vehicle: With AWD, engine power is directed to all four wheels. The distribution is usually somewhat equal, so the tires should wear out somewhat evenly. Even so, some experts claim that the rear tires on an AWD vehicle are the ones that wear out the fastest. 
• Intelligent all-wheel drive systems: Luxury vehicles are often equipped with Intelligent all-wheel drive, which can send varying levels of engine power to each wheel based on which wheels can best utilize it at any given time. Of course, this can have an unpredictable effect on tire wear, so it’s very important to rotate tires often when you have an Intelligent AWD system.

How Often to Rotate Tires

Unsure of how often to rotate tires? Most drivers will only need to rotate their tires every 5,000–8,000 miles. This interval may vary depending on your driving habits and your vehicle’s specifications—you can check your owner’s manual for an exact figure. You can also contact us and a friendly service advisor will be happy to help you create an optimal rotation schedule for your vehicle.

What If You Don’t Rotate Your Tires? 

Now that you have a better understanding of what rotating your tires does, what could happen if you don’t rotate your tires? You could face several issues on the road, such as:

• Decreased traction on wet roads
• Deterioration of brake pads
• Flat tires and blowouts

Schedule Your Next Rotation at Allen Turner Genesis

Overdue for a tire rotation? Schedule your next service visit at Allen Turner Genesis to keep up with your luxury vehicle’s care and maintenance. We provide convenient service offers to help make routine maintenance more affordable, and our experts are always available to provide more service tips you can trust!