Logic for or against the tire-rotation pattern X > H > X > H

What do you think about the 4-tire rotation pattern below? X > H > X > H year 1 X > H > X > H year 2 etsetera

Basic assumptions: Assume the alignment is within spec. Assume the fronts consistently wear differently than do the rears. Assume that F->B differential wear is symmetric per axle. Assume the spare is a donut and therefore out of the picture. Assume a rotation every change of seasons (about 4K miles roughly). Assume bidirectional tread. Assume whitewalls on one side (otherwise I could flip them on the rim). Assume USA crowns, which is to say almost no crown most of the time.

How does the logic of this X > H > X > H rotation pattern look to you?

Assume tires go on in year 1, front to back, numbered:

1 2 | 3 4

The first X-pattern rotation in Spring of year 1 gets us:

4 3 | 2 1

The H pattern in Summer of year 1 gets us to:

2 1 | 4 3

The X pattern of Fall of year 1 gets us to:

3 4 | 1 2

And then, finally, the Winter H pattern of year 1 gets us back to:

1 2 | 3 4

At the end of the year, with this X > H > X > H pattern I devised, I think the tires would have been on every combination but always as a set per axle because my fronts wear differently than do my rears.

If I flip them on the rim, does that help in giving me rotation options?

Reply to
Roy Tremblay
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Total waste of time.

Drive the car until the tires wear out, then buy new ones.

Reply to
Dan Espen

I wish that wheels were reversible. No matter what pattern you use the outside edge is always the outside edge and gets the most wear.

Reply to
The Real Bev

Years ago the recommended patern was the X type where each tire was at each position at the end of all the swapping. Even the spare tire was recommended, which would not be a bad idea was it not for the minispare as tires sort of dry rot even if not on the road.

When radial tires came out,it was recommended to keep the tires on the same side so they always turned the same direction. Just bought a new

2017 Toyato and the recommended rotation is to keep the tires on the same side.

Sure wold be a pain to take them off the rim and reverse them. Probably would put the letering on the wrong side,and if white wall or raised letters, they would be facing the inside of the car instead of the outside.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

Pert of me believes the motive for swapping sides was to increase business for the garages since the entire car would need to be lifted to remove all tires as opposed to one side each for front and back, which most garage mechanics can accomplish.

Reply to
Meanie

Far too much thought into it. I've rotated front to back and nothing more. If the car has proper alignment, the tires wear fairly even all around with proper rotation. Without rotation, the front's usually wear sooner due to the turning.

Reply to
Meanie

Lets hope this is not another assume this and assume that diatibe -

The tire companies say rotation direction makes no difference if it is not a directional tire, but many years of experience have convinced me I will never knowingly reverse the rotation of my tires. I move them front to back every time I do my seasonal tire change.

With directional tires it's a total non issue - there is an arrow saying which way it MUST rotate.

I'll expand a bit - I have never had a tire that was not reversed suffer a belt failure or tread separation. Every tread separation or carcass failure I have seen in the last 40? years was either reversed on rotation or subjected to extreme shock loads or overhweating from running overloaded and underinflated.

Reply to
clare

I drive RWD cars, and I found the front and rear wore out at the same time (unless there was an alignment problem).

Reply to
pedro1492

I've already replied to this -- I'm trying to reply to articles which have been cross posted. Please ignore.

Reply to
The Real Bev

My guess is that tire rotation is mostly a device used by tire companies to get people to come into their shops on a regular basis. I've never done it nor am I likely to ever start. I don't have enough time and money to just toss it into the wind.

Reply to
dsi1

+1 I never in my life rotated a tire, or had them rotated. For a while I bought my tires used for 5-20 bucks a pop. Now I buy 4 quality new tires when the old ones wear out.
Reply to
Vic Smith

I intend to cross them to the other side. the old shop had it's alignment m achine rust to pieces, and I won't find another shop until I get a good rec comendation, which does'nt happen, so I've 2 bad starboard tires, and I'll be putting one on the other side after I get the alignment and buy 2 new.

Reply to
synthius2002

Rotating tires and re-balancing increases their life and places like Discount Tires do not charge for the service.

Not doing so is "tossing money into the wind". But tire companies love you. :-)

Andy

Reply to
Andy

No charge, that's great! Now if they can rotate the tires in 60 seconds or less, I'd go for it. Ideally, you want your tires to be rotated every night while you're sleeping. I believe that would be the best way to go. :)

Reply to
dsi1

I've always been happy with Discount Tires/America's Tires/whatever else they call themselves. And I bought cheap ones. OTOH, the "top-of-the-line" tires that the Cadillac dealer put on my mom's Caddy developed (1) huge bubbles in the tread (both fronts), which they refused to replace under warranty and sent us to the Bridgestone dealer, who informed us that they had been obsolete when she bought them but were still under warranty; (2) same dealer, different car: blown-out sidewall. Too old to be under any kind of warranty (even though the tread looked virgin) so I just had DT/AT replace the fronts.

The fact that the dealer was a crook (now out of business YAYYY!) probably has no bearing on tire quality/longevity.

Reply to
The Real Bev

The one thing I think I know about tire rotation is do it promptly on schedule or not at all. It's especially important on all wheel drive like Subies.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

Yet this thread goes on and on about you've got to do this, and that. Seems like people like their rituals.

Same with the "winterizing" the lawn mower. I just stop using it in the fall. In the spring it starts right up. I've got at least 50 years of not rotating my tires and not winterizing the lawn mower under my belt. No ill effects noticed so far.

Reply to
Dan Espen

Same here. I don't even run it out of gas. Same with the weedwhacker. I think doing the rituals offend or confuse the machines, making them act up.

Reply to
Vic Smith

They don't like being ignored either. I don't whack weeds very often and was shocked to find that THAT LITTLE THING was the carb and needed to be cleaned. I couldn't put it back together again although I have cleaned MC carbs successfully. Enough. Nothing but electric whackers and mowers from then on.

Reply to
The Real Bev

My tires rotate whenever I drive. I've checked. I had someone else drive the car in a parking lot in circles and sure enough, the tires rotate.

Reply to
micky

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