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I understand the methods for rotating tires but I'm about to deviate from the norm and only switch two of my tires with one another.
Just bought an 08' gx and using my tire tread gauge all tires are wearing evenly across their tread. My front tires are at 7/32(+) and 6/32(+), my rear tires are at 7/32 and 7/32(-). I'm planning to only rotate my 6/32(+) front tire with my 7/32(-) tire and check again in a few thousand miles.
Is rotating based on tread depth smart or is there a reason that the standard rotational patterns are all I can find on google?
(+) and (-) indicate slight variations off of a reading, the gauge is not accurate beyond 32nds of an inch.
Follow on discussion:
I'm about to tow a middle weight trailer with about 250-400lbs tongue weight a couple thousand miles. With the trailer attached and no weight distributing hitch I'd imagine that rear tires may wear more than fronts during that time. I don't plan on factoring that in to my tire rotation plan but I'm curious about what others think WRT towing.
The other reason to rotate (including the rear tires in the rotation) is that the tread wears differently on the front tires, since they're called upon to turn the truck as well as go forward.
Since, as you say, the tread depth gauge is only accurate to 1/32nd, having one tire off by that amount doesn't mean anything.
I would just rotate them in the usual rear-cross pattern.
Of course that is assuming that the tread is not directional.
Assuming the tires are not directional, I'd do a regular "rearward cross" tire rotation as suggested. Sounds like they are wearing evenly to this point, that's the right way to do things, as they do wear differently depending on where on the truck they are mounted, and that's how you KEEP everything wearing evenly.
That happened to my sister with her Cadillac SRX. Fronts & rears were different sizes and had directional tread. No rotation was possible, and since it was AWD, when she had one tire wear due to an alignment problem, it meant she had to buy all four new tires. Other annoying things like that about the vehicle means that she now drives a Sequoia.
07-17-15, 06:19 PM
Tire rotation discussion
