Have you ever purchased a new set of tires, only to find that they didn’t last as long as they should have? If so, it could be because your tires weren’t rotated and balanced on a regular schedule.
Much like a pair of shoes, the tires on your vehicle wear down over time due to friction between your tires and the road. Tires are one of the most expensive maintenance tasks drivers will have to get done over the life of their vehicle, and when it comes to helping ensure your tires last as long as possible, you can’t beat rotating and balancing them. Inexpensive and straightforward, a tire rotation and balance is something you can have done at your local service center in one short appointment. Here are five tips to help you determine when and why to rotate and balance your tires.
Two different procedures, done at the same time.
Rotate, and balance is a phrase that describes two different procedures that increase the lifespan and efficiency of your tires. Unbalanced tires wear unevenly, and if they aren’t rotated, your front tires will wear more quickly due to increased friction with the road when turning. When your tires are rotated, the wheels are removed and replaced from front to back, right to the left. When balanced, a mechanic uses a particular machine to check to see if the tire and wheel’s weight is balanced. If it is not, he will attach small lead weights to the wheel’s rim to fix it.
Regular rotations and balancing help increase road safety.
One of the most important reasons to rotate your tires is safety. Typically, the tread wears away quicker on the front tires than on the back tires. The less tread you have on the front tires, the easier it is to lose control of your vehicle in wet or icy conditions. Rotating the back tires to the front and vice versa keeps more tread on the front for a more extended period of time.
Easy way to make tires last.
The fourth reason this maintenance practice is so important is that it is efficient. If you did not rotate and balance your tires, you would have to replace your front tires much more often than your rear tires. Regularly rotating them allows all four tires to become worn at the same rate, so you aren’t buying front tires twice as often as rear ones.
It is an inexpensive maintenance task.
While it is possible to rotate your own tires, most drivers take their vehicles to a mechanic or tire shop to have this maintenance task completed. A rotate and balance costs under $100, and some shops would offer it for free if you purchased your tires there.