What is the Proper Tire Rotation Pattern for You?

Every vehicle requires a routine set of maintenance to keep it running smoothly. Your tires are an important piece of safety equipment, and rotating your tires is crucial. Every 6,000 miles or roughly every six months you will need to perform this routine maintenance. If you’re not doing a rotation it can decrease the lifespan of your tires and cause unnecessary risk. Learn more with us at Sid Dillon Nissan, and then take the first step to many of your DIY projects from the comfort of your own home.

How to Rotate Your Tires

Rotating your tires shifts them from front to back and back to front. The goal is to spread the distribution of wear and tear as you cruise around Omaha. Properly rotating your tires on your own is actually quite simple, but it is important to note the pattern that is adequate for the kind of car you drive. What is the proper tire rotation pattern? Well, it’s dependent on if you have FWD, RWD, or even directional tires. Sid Dillon Nissan is here to explain the steps you need to take.

So, What Tire Rotation Pattern Should You Use?

There are a few different patterns to choose from, some are suitable for cars with FWD and others for cars with RWD. It’s important to know which option is the best suited for your vehicle. These options are:

• Forward Cross: The forward cross is the most common and optimal choice if your car has front-wheel drive. With this pattern, you will want to bring your front tires backward and your back tires forward. The front tires will stay on their respective sides when you move them back, but the back tires will move right to left and left to right. So, the cross occurs with the wheels that move forward, hence the name. 
• X-Pattern: Similar to the forward cross, the X-pattern involves switching the tires right to left and vice versa. In this case, both the front and back tires will switch sides. Your front left tire will end up in the back right and your front right tire will move to the back left. Then, your back left will move to the front right, and the back right tire will be the front left. This is a pattern suited for a front-wheel drive vehicle.
• Rearward Cross: This is the option that helps manage tire wear-down best for rear- and four-wheel drive vehicles. In its essence, it’s the opposite of the forward cross. In the case you’re driving a RWD or AWD vehicle you’ll want to move your back wheels forward, and your front tires backward. As you move your front tires backward you’ll switch right to left and left to right. As with the forward cross, the set that is taking the majority of the force doesn’t need to switch sides.

What About Directional vs. Non-Directional Tires?

If your tires are directional that means the tread has a one-way pattern, and it is specifically designed for the right or left side of the vehicle. On the sidewall of your tire, there will be either an arrow or a triangle marking that will signal which side of the vehicle you are supposed to put that tire on and in which direction the wheel will be turning. What tire pattern should you use if you have directional tires? What if you have non-directional tires? Here are the directions to follow in either situation:

• Directional Tires: In this case, your option is somewhat limited, but no worries. All you need to do is put the front right tire in the place of the rear right tire and the front left tire in the rear left position. This works for FWD, RWD, and AWD vehicles.
• Non-Directional Tires: If you have non-directional tires, you can follow the patterns above (Forward Cross, X-Pattern, or Rearward cross). The tires can go in any direction and placement, but it’s still best to follow the patterns discussed in distributing wear and tear.

Learn More With Us At Sid Dillon Nissan in Lincoln!

You can easily change the tires on your new or used vehicle and drive around Beatrice and Kearny knowing you are maintaining your vehicle and safety. However, if you’re still in need of assistance or you are looking to schedule an appointment for service, then you can contact our team to get any help that you need. If you have any questions feel free to stop by or give us a call to find out more about our service tips and tricks.

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