To rotate or not to rotate. That is the question.

Hippie · Post by **Hippie** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:43 am

Does anyone here rotate their tires? I heard it's better for the wheel bearings to not rotate and that the tires last just as long.
I've heard the opposite, too.
Rob

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spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:55 am

I rotate tires on all my cars and they do wear more evenly that way (at least from what I have seen). Of course a camber or alignment issue will accelerate the wear. Plus, bearings are cheaper then tires...and my tires are pretty new so that wallet sting is still present in my memory

Randy in Maine · Post by **Randy in Maine** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 3:48 pm

Every other oil change.

Hippie · Post by **Hippie** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 4:54 pm

OK thanks.
I forgot to ask -straight front to back or criss-cross?
Rob

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static · Post by **static** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 5:36 pm

Straight front to back if you are using radials.

If you are not driving on radials, we will send Colin over to your house to spank you.

Hippie · Post by **Hippie** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:42 pm

static wrote:Straight front to back if you are using radials.

If you are not driving on radials, we will send Colin over to your house to spank you.

LOL. They be radials.
Rob

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VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:55 am

I put new tires on in Oct. 2000, might be a good idea to rotate my tires- thanks for the reminder. I was able to score a Continental Spare in good condition, however.

steve74baywin · Post by **steve74baywin** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:53 am

I rotate front to back, back to front around every 10,000 - 15,000 miles.

jberger · Post by **jberger** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:28 pm

static wrote:Straight front to back if you are using radials.

If you are not driving on radials, we will send Colin over to your house to spank you.

I always thought it was the opposite... only front to back with Bias tires as the cords get used to running the same direction. Radial tires are at home turning in either direction, and should for long life. I personally run them until I notice some wear pattern then rotate and adjust air pressure accordingly.

Towel Rail · Post by **Towel Rail** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:09 pm

jberger wrote:
static wrote:Straight front to back if you are using radials.

If you are not driving on radials, we will send Colin over to your house to spank you.
I always thought it was the opposite... only front to back with Bias tires as the cords get used to running the same direction. Radial tires are at home turning in either direction, and should for long life. I personally run them until I notice some wear pattern then rotate and adjust air pressure accordingly.

Nope, you've got it backward. Bias-ply tires tend to have non-directional tread (performs as well in either direction) and that's why you can mount them in any position. Lots of modern radial tires have special tread patterns to channel water, and they only work well in one direction. Hence, "rotate" them back-to-front, keeping the tread pointing in the same direction. When in doubt, check the VW manuals. ;)

- Scott

jberger · Post by **jberger** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:47 pm

Towel Rail wrote:
jberger wrote:
static wrote:Straight front to back if you are using radials.

If you are not driving on radials, we will send Colin over to your house to spank you.
I always thought it was the opposite... only front to back with Bias tires as the cords get used to running the same direction. Radial tires are at home turning in either direction, and should for long life. I personally run them until I notice some wear pattern then rotate and adjust air pressure accordingly.
Nope, you've got it backward. Bias-ply tires tend to have non-directional tread (performs as well in either direction) and that's why you can mount them in any position. Lots of modern radial tires have special tread patterns to channel water, and they only work well in one direction. Hence, "rotate" them back-to-front, keeping the tread pointing in the same direction. When in doubt, check the VW manuals. ;)

- Scott

I have never owned mono directional tires. With directional tires I agree with you but with non-directional patterns (which I would think almost all Bus owners have) there should be no harm in cross pollinating. Indeed it minimizes tread ramping.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:51 pm

jberger wrote: With directional tires I agree with you but with non-directional patterns (which I would think almost all Bus owners have) there should be no harm in cross pollinating. Indeed it minimizes tread ramping.

Tread ramping? Weird wear is usually an indication of issues that need addressing.
Cheap radials hate cross-rotation, they will shift belts. Your average radial prefers front-to-back only.
Colin

VWGirl · Post by **VWGirl** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:27 am

There are MANY different ways to rotate your tires... This depends on tire types and whether your vehicle is FWD, RWD or 4WD and whether you are doing a 4 tire or 5 tire rotation. basically they are all modified X patterns... this means the wheels that you are rotating to the drive axle you are also moving to the opposite side of the vehicle

if you have a mix of radial and bias ply tires you need to leave the same types on the same axle. so you would not have a bias ply on the left side and a radial on the right side. (why you would have a mix i dont know, but thats how it is!)

if you have directional tires then you would of course move the tires front to back leaving them in the same direction.

If you have any doubts on your tire rotation refer to your owners manual or to your tire manufacturer... I have yet to see a tire manufacturer that does not recommend cross rotating a non directional radial tire. perhaps there is one out there and that specific tire should not be rotated. I also worked at a shop that sold tires and we always cross rotated them... not once did we have one come back for seperation due to cross rotation.

Sorry to disagree with you guys... but if the vehicle and tire manufacturer agree... it can't be all bad... i mean it's not like Ford telling you to underinflate your tires so it will blow up and flip over your SUV... they both agree on the same patterns... but maybe they just want to warranty out tires? i doubt it.

jberger · Post by **jberger** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:32 am

Amskeptic wrote:
jberger wrote: With directional tires I agree with you but with non-directional patterns (which I would think almost all Bus owners have) there should be no harm in cross pollinating. Indeed it minimizes tread ramping.
Tread ramping? Weird wear is usually an indication of issues that need addressing.
Cheap radials hate cross-rotation, they will shift belts. Your average radial prefers front-to-back only.
Colin

Most larger open block tread designs will wear on the back side of the tread block over time.... pretty normal for those types.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:28 am

VWGirl, I will defer to your experience, but share that I have had a rash of belt shifts and separations with the Dunlops the Winstons and Firestones in the million or so miles of tires I have eaten up. Most tire store experience (did time there in my youth) cannot record the longitudinal history of a tire quite like owning a few sets.
The Winstons developed a vibration that was subtle, but I could feel it when I did a cross rotation to correct tread "ramping"(see jberger: ramping, tread blocks. entry IAC Glossary 32,789b). The Firestones came apart when I changed rotational direction (they were recalled . . . anyone remember the Firestone 500 fiasco?)
The Michelins have been the best tires I have owned for staying round throughout their life.
Colin

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To rotate or not to rotate. That is the question.

To rotate or not to rotate. That is the question.