Can You Rotate Tires Too Often?
Caring for your car is a good way for it to last as long as possible. This applies especially to tires, considering how important they are for performance and safety. Manufacturers and tire shops recommend regular rotation intervals, so listening to the experts is a good idea.
We often think things are done better if we take matters into our own hands. That may be true, but it only applies to the experts. Having an opinion on something doesn’t mean it’s a good idea unless backed by experience or knowledge.
The same can be said about tire rotation. There are certain intervals that most of us are familiar with and stick to them. For the most part, they range from 5000 to 7500 miles, depending on multiple factors.
Regarding intervals, it’s ideal to be within that range to get the most out of the tires. Going over that is bad because you may reduce the lifespan. With that said, what about making more frequent rotations?
If you’ve been wondering this, then you’re in luck. Today’s guide will cover frequent tire rotation, and I’ll explain why you should or shouldn’t do it.
Why Should We Rotate Our Tires?
Tire rotation is the process of rotating the tires from one corner to another. The rotation pattern will depend on the type of tire, wheel setup, and many other factors.
The idea behind the rotation is to get as long a life from the tires as possible. With every car, regardless of how perfect you think it is, the tires don’t wear out evenly. Take a front wheel drive car, for example. The front tires do all the heavy lifting, and the rear ones are just dragging along. Without rotating them, the rear tires will outlast the front ones.
Another good example is tire camber. As straight as the tires seem, manufacturers set them up with a bit of negative camber. This is where the upper part of the wheel is pulled inward. It’s a minor angle, but it opens up the possibility of increased wear on the inner side of the tread.
Tire rotation exists to eliminate or at least reduce the uneven wear on the tires. In the example with the FWD car, by moving the rear tires to the front, they’ll get to do most of the work, leaving the other two to rest. It’s a story similar to inner wear. Rotating the tires from left to right ensures you won’t eat away only one side of the tire, leaving the other one intact.
By now, you have figured that regular rotation is a good idea to prolong the life of the tires. The second advantage is that having almost equal tread depth across all 4 corners means you won’t notice performance differences. Finally, this especially applies to all-wheel drive cars, is drivetrain strain. Tires with uneven wear apply more stress on the drivetrain, so not only are you risking reduced lifespan of the tires, but you’re opening the door for additional costs with the car.
How Often Should Tires Be Rotated?
There isn’t a specific rule about this, but most of us do it at around 5000 to 7500 miles. With that said, there are plenty of different scenarios, so there are tons of variations. I’m a perfect example of this.
Rotating my tires on my IS250 is a bit complicated, so I’ll take my Corolla as an example. I barely drive 5000 miles with it per year with a set of summer and winter tires. Whenever I went to have the other set installed, the tire shop would mark the tires, and they would get rotated for the next season.
Considering the distance I covered, you can probably guess that my rotation interval was far less than 5000 miles. This is why I never worry about checking the mileage and follow a specific pattern.
If I had all-season tires, then things would have been different. These are the tires you install and drive them until it’s time for a new set. In this situation, rotating your tires is crucial to ensure you get the most out of them.
As I mentioned, the interval is somewhere between 5000 and 7500 thousand. Most manufacturers recommend going for the 5000 mark, so it’s advisable to follow that recommendation. It’s not like going past that will cause catastrophic damage to the tires, but try to stay as close to it as possible.
Unlike an oil change, tire rotation isn’t a massive problem if it’s a bit more or less than what is recommended. With that said, what about doing it way too often?
Is It a Problem to Rotate the Tires Too Often?
It depends on the situation, so I will cover multiple aspects.
It is possible to make the rotation with the wheels still attached, depending on the car and tires. You can probably do it in your garage or in front of your building. Making this kind of rotation too rarely damages the tire or wheels, but the wheel nuts or bolts won’t be as happy.
Even though they are designed to be tough, tightening or losing them too often may start to eat away the thread. As a result, you’ll need to replace them, which isn’t something that costs a few dollars.
Some owners, like myself, aren’t as flexible, meaning that I cannot rotate my tires while fitted to the wheels. This means I’ll need to go to a tire shop for the procedure, which opens up a few additional potential problems.
The problem with the bolts is the same here, so that’s one part of the story. On the other hand, there’s the tire removal process. If you’ve seen how a tire changer works, you know that it’s not a gentle process.
First, the bead breaker squishes the tire from the sidewall to detach it from the bead. Next is the duckhead and hex bar, which are in charge of removing it. The hex bar goes below the tire from the inner side, pulls it over the wheel, where the duckhead takes over, and continues the process.
So far, it doesn’t seem like it’s something problematic, but there are plenty of variables in this case. As careful as the technician can be, it’s not impossible for a tire to go undamaged. In most cases, the beads get damaged from the hex bar, and I’ve been in that situation with my previous set of tires.
To be fair, this is a rare sight, but the more you rotate your tires, the bigger the chances are of that happening. I’ve seen these issues happening mostly with lower-budget tire shops. I’m not saying avoid them; I’m just saying that you should be careful where you have your tires rotated.
Finally, we come to the price. Tire rotation costs anywhere from $30 to $100, depending on the shop. There are cheaper, and there are more expensive, but this is a reasonable range. Considering the price, imagine rotating your tires every month at 1000 miles. It may total up to at least $360 per year. If you do it yourself, then it’s free, so you may not be too worried about this.
This is where things get interesting. People think they’ll get longer-lasting tires by reducing the rotation intervals, but that’s not the case. Regardless if you’re rotating the tires every 5000 or 500 miles, the lifespan of the tires will be roughly the same. There may be some minor differences, but the price and hassle make it impractical.
Conclusion
Tire rotation is essential and is an excellent way to get the most life out of your tires. Regardless of its importance, there are rotation intervals for a reason. Going outside of that interval creates problems, depending on which way you’re looking at.
Rotating the tires too often doesn’t cause any direct problems immediately, which is why some people ask the question. Doing it too often means you are risking damaging the threads on the bolts. If the tires need to be removed from the wheels for the rotation, there’s also a chance that they may end up damaged. You’re also doing all of this and paying a certain price, so it can also hurt your wallet.
Overall, rotating your tires too rarely does much harm, but there aren’t any benefits from it either. You are taking some risks with additional unnecessary damage without getting more life from your tires. This is why the 5000 to 7500-mile rule is a golden standard to keep your tires lasting as long as possible. Ideally, you’d want to follow the manufacturer’s specifications, but if you cannot find them, the technicians at any tire shop will gladly help you.