Why Do We Rotate Tires?

Among the numerous items on your car’s maintenance schedule, tire rotation is one of the most frequently occurring. You might not think much of it each time you schedule an appointment for a tire rotation, but this crucial service is recommended for a reason. What does rotating your tires do, exactly? In short, it ensures you have equal traction across all four of your tires when you’re driving in Matthews. Learn more about why we rotate tires with Hendrick Porsche, below!

Why Rotate Tires – the Effects of Your Drivetrain

As you make your way through Indian Trail each day, every speed-up, slow-down, and turn generates friction between your tires and the road. Your tire treads are going to wear out regardless of drivetrain, but the type of drivetrain your car employs will determine the rate at which the treadwear occurs.

• Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) Cars – FWD indicates that the front wheels receive the engine power. The front wheels are also responsible for accelerating, steering, and a large amount of braking force. Thus, the front tires are prone to wear out faster than the rear tires.
• Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) Cars – RWD indicates that the rear wheels receive the engine power. However, it’s the front wheels that remain responsible for steering and a significant amount of the braking force. Even so, the rear tires will show more wear than the front tires, but it will occur at a steadier rate.
• All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Cars – You guessed it – AWD vehicles distribute engine power across all four wheels. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all four tires will wear out at an equal rate. Many auto experts believe that on an AWD vehicle, the rear tires wear out faster than the front. There’s no need to worry much about this, as your technician will use a special rotation pattern designed for AWD cars.
• Intelligent AWD Systems – Some automakers offer Intelligent AWD systems that can direct specific amounts of engine power to each wheel individually, based on which wheels can use the power best. This can have a unique effect on treadwear.

How Often to Rotate Tires

You will want to rotate your tires every 5,000-8,000 miles, or every six months. Depending on your driving habits, however, you may need to have them rotated more often. For example, if you use your vehicle for commercial use and are constantly racking up miles in Pineville, you’ll probably need rotations more often than the average car owner. If you’re unsure of how often to rotate tires for your vehicle or your lifestyle, you can consult your owner’s manual or contact us and we will be happy to help you create a schedule.

What Could Happen if You Don’t Rotate Your Tires?

You’ve garnered more information regarding the question of “what does rotating your tires do?”, but what exactly could happen if you were to forego tire rotations? For starters, you’d have less traction during inclement road conditions, but that’s not the only danger of not rotating your tires:

• Poor traction, skidding, difficulty accelerating from a stop on wet roads
• The brake pads become susceptible to rapid wear
• You could get an unexpected flat tire or experience a dangerous blowout

Rotate Tires at Hendrick Porsche

Now that you know more about why we rotate tires and how often to rotate tires, it’s time to schedule your next service appointment! At our service center in Charlotte, we provide ongoing service specials that make crucial maintenance more affordable, so there’s never any reason to forego it!