How to rotate winter tires

Do you need to rotate winter tires?

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One of the questions we’re often asked is, “Do I need to rotate my winter tires?”

The short answer is yes. Next to checking your tire pressure, proper rotation of your winter tires is the second-most important maintenance step for any vehicle.

Moving your winter tires around from one position on your vehicle to another ensures their longevity and allows for optimal performance.

Why do we rotate winter tires?

The reason why we rotate winter tires is to promote even wear and extend their life as well as improve performance. Tires with good tread depth and even wear offer better:

Balance handling
Steering response
Traction on icy, slippery roads
Snow cornering
Braking performance

Why should front tires be rotated with rear tires?

Front tires on most vehicles experience more stress, wear, weight, alignment, and cornering force issues. Swapping your front tires to the back at regular intervals allows your tires the chance to wear at the same rate.

Do you need to rotate winter tires on all-wheel drive (AWD) and rear-wheel drive vehicles?

Yes. The same rules for rotating winter, summer, and all-weather tires apply to all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles and rear-wheel drive vehicles.

The front tires on AWD vehicles are more likely to wear out faster in the front than in the back. The sensors that monitor AWD vehicles sometimes work in overdrive, especially when you have severely worn tires on the back. Rotating all four winter tires puts less stress on the components and sensors of your AWD system.

Rear-wheel drive vehicles exert more force on the back tires than the front, so it’s important to

rotate your rear tires to the front from left to right to ensure even wear.

How often should you rotate your winter tires?

Similar to their warmer-weather counterparts, winter tires should be rotated approximately every 8,000 to 10,000 kilometres, or to the tire manufacturer’s recommended time.

Ask your Kal Tire Service Team to rotate your tires when they are changed over for the winter season, and at other regular intervals.

Rotations are also a good chance for your service team to catch any alignment issues due damage from:

Potholes
Snow-hidden curbs
Accidents
Worn parts

Some slight misalignments won’t be felt at the steering wheel. However, they can show up as uneven wear on tires. Going in for regular tire rotations helps to gauge alignment issues early on, and prevent suspension problems in the future.

What are the rotation patterns used for different types of vehicles and tires?

Depending on your vehicle’s drive system, and your tires, rotations follow a handful of patterns based on several factors, including whether your tires are:

Directional
Asymmetrical
Non-Directional

Directional tread-pattern tires, identified by an arrow on the sidewall, are designed to roll only in one direction. Directional tires should only be rotated from front to back or back to front and on the same side of the vehicle to make sure they are pointing in the right direction.

Asymmetrical tires, where the inner and outer halves of the tire have different tread patterns, should be rotated from front to back on the same side of the car, but not from one side to the

Rear-wheel vehicles that use non-directional tires should be rotated using the cross or X pattern, from back to front and to opposite sides.

Learn more by reading what the difference is between Directional, Asymmetrical, and Symmetrical Tire Patterns.

Visit the tire experts at Kal Tire

when it’s time to rotate your winter tires.

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How and Why to Rotate Your Tires

Tire rotation, that is routinely repositioning your vehicle’s tires in specific patterns from front to back or side to side, is an important element of tire upkeep and safety. Additionally, rotating your tires may also be required to keep your tires covered under warranty. For a quick visual summary of tire rotation, check out our Tread Life episode about tire rotation. Read on for more information about what tire rotation is, why tire rotation patterns matter, and the correct pattern for your vehicle’s needs.

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WHAT IS TIRE ROTATION?

Tire rotation means periodically changing the position of each of the tires on your vehicle. You should rotate your tires as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, or every 5,000 miles. For many of you, that will mean when you get your vehicle’s oil changed.

Regularly rotating your tires also gives you a good opportunity to visually inspect them for damage, check their air pressure, have them rebalanced if you’re noticing any vibration, and check their tread depth.

WHY IS TIRE ROTATION IMPORTANT?

There are several reasons why tire rotation is an important element of your standard tire care. First, by routinely rotating your tires, wear is spread evenly across all four tires, and their tread life is maximized. That’s because each specific position on your vehicle requires a different give from each tire—(for example, tires on the front of a front-wheel drive vehicle will take a larger proportion of the torque and friction that’s needed for turning, accelerating and braking)—and can lead to more, or less, wear on the tire. It is especially important to rotate new tires by 5,000 miles because deep, fresh tire tread is more susceptible to uneven wear.

Secondly, even tread wear keeps the tread depth on your tires uniform, which can help keep traction and handling consistent across all four tires. This will improve cornering and braking performance and keep your vehicle safer for driving overall.

Finally, if your vehicle has all-wheel-drive, evenly worn tires lower the stresses on the drivetrain, reducing wear on expensive drive components.