Extending tire life, swapping rears side to side?
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Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,997
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From: California
Extending tire life, swapping rears side to side?
This has probably popped up before, but I didn't see anything in a search. I'm still battling premature inner tire wear with my rear tires on my 2008 IS250. Being I can't rotate front to rear, I was considering having each rear taken off the rim and flipped so the worn side goes on the outside. In theory, this will extend tire life while the fresh edge gets the new abuse and the worn part stays protected. It all makes sense until I price out how much a shop will charge to have this done. It seems to run around $75, which isn't bad. But when I price out new tires (which I can't afford right now), I wonder how worth it it is to extend the life of these worn ones another 5-8k miles. Also wondering if there are any drivability issues having the worn edges on the outside compared to the insides (wet weather safety, noise, etc). Tires are Hankooks btw.
Has anyone done this? Do you think it's worth the effort and cost?
TIA
Has anyone done this? Do you think it's worth the effort and cost?
TIA
You can only do that if you have Directional Tires. If you have Asymmetrical Tires there is an inside and an outside. The side marked Outside must always be on the outside. Look at the sidewall markings on you tires to see what you have.
Some tires are directional which means that they have a correct direction of rotation, and some tires are asymmetrical which means they have different tread from inside to outside. (Goodyear and Goodrich have had tires in the past which were asymmetrical AND directional, that was nuts, and meant that you had specific tires for left and right!)
Directional tires have tread roughly shaped like and arrow and have a correct direction of rotation. This is like a tractor tire that has huge tread blocks forming a V pattern, and the purpose for it is the same as the tractor tire. When properly mounted, the tread on these types of tires disperses water but when mounted incorrectly, it will collect it. Or, mounted properly, this design will reduce hydroplaning, but when mounted backwards, it will cause it. So you really want your directional tires going the right way. If you have directional tires on your vehicle, they are simply marked by an arrow, and most of the time the word rotation, or direction of rotation, etc.
Asymmetrical tires have an inside and outside to their tread. Tire manufactures will often do this to optimize the traction and wear capabilities of the tire. An example would be a performance tire with an almost solid outside shoulder for cornering, a solid center rib for acceleration and braking, and a more open tread on the rest of the tire for better water dispersion. These tires are usually simply marked, inside, outside, this side out, or like our example; mount this side out.
Directional tires have tread roughly shaped like and arrow and have a correct direction of rotation. This is like a tractor tire that has huge tread blocks forming a V pattern, and the purpose for it is the same as the tractor tire. When properly mounted, the tread on these types of tires disperses water but when mounted incorrectly, it will collect it. Or, mounted properly, this design will reduce hydroplaning, but when mounted backwards, it will cause it. So you really want your directional tires going the right way. If you have directional tires on your vehicle, they are simply marked by an arrow, and most of the time the word rotation, or direction of rotation, etc.
Asymmetrical tires have an inside and outside to their tread. Tire manufactures will often do this to optimize the traction and wear capabilities of the tire. An example would be a performance tire with an almost solid outside shoulder for cornering, a solid center rib for acceleration and braking, and a more open tread on the rest of the tire for better water dispersion. These tires are usually simply marked, inside, outside, this side out, or like our example; mount this side out.
Exactly which Hankooks do you have? I know the Evo12s are popular and perhaps what you have; in which case, simply have the shop dismount the tires off the wheels and swap them from side-to-side.
This might be of help to you : https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ed-wheels.html
By the way, I usually can get Discount Tire to do mine for two wheel for <$35.
This might be of help to you : https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ed-wheels.html
By the way, I usually can get Discount Tire to do mine for two wheel for <$35.
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Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,997
Likes: 248
From: California
Exactly which Hankooks do you have? I know the Evo12s are popular and perhaps what you have; in which case, simply have the shop dismount the tires off the wheels and swap them from side-to-side.
This might be of help to you : https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ed-wheels.html
By the way, I usually can get Discount Tire to do mine for two wheel for <$35.
This might be of help to you : https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ed-wheels.html
By the way, I usually can get Discount Tire to do mine for two wheel for <$35.
Thanks for the informative link. When taking off the tire from the rim and putting it back on, doesn't that require rebalancing? For doing all that and the balancing, I would have guessed more than $35-40. America's Tire Company quoted me $80 for such job, but I think the guy just wanted to sell me new tires. Will go back and inquire about the swap for cheaper. Tires are symetrical, so no worries about that.
To help answer the questions, yes, rotating staggered and directional tires will help in the costs of tires. Very worth it and it's inexpensive vs just buying new tires. i'd say for tires that last for 20K miles, to rotate it at or around the third oil change.
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