The Importance of Tyre Rotation and How Often You Should Rotate Your Car's Tyres

Every young adult male who grew up with the privilege of being able to “steal” or borrow the (or one of the) cars at home inevitably comes across the dynamic of suddenly having to be more responsible with the way they handle their car since they’re now paying for its acquisition and upkeep. Suddenly you realise the headaches you might have caused your parents when you returned the car with the reserve fuel tank light on after borrowing it with a near full tank, in addition to the special bond you form with your baby having you realise when she just doesn’t feel right, driving on the road.

Incidentally, this not-so-smooth feeling is one of the indicators for the possible need to have your baby’s tyres rotated, which is a very important practice in any case, beyond the obvious need for it when the ride is not so smooth. Otherwise, as far as the importance of tyre rotation goes, it’s simply a matter of safety and a matter of prolonging their overall lifespan, which can account for some major savings in the overall operational costs.

Tyre rotation is specifically important because:

• It can preserve or restore the all-important balance to the handling of your car and it also helps in the maintenance of traction. This is particularly important when taking into account our local weather conditions, with dewy mornings that get harsher during the winter months, as well as the wet roads we get during the increasingly unpredictable rainy season in summer.
• In some instances, it’s required from the tyre manufacturers of the vehicle owner to have the tyres rotated as part of the conditions of the warranty covering the tyres. Mostly this is part of the deal to have the tyres rotated free of charge if bought from an accredited dealer or directly from the tyre manufacturer outlet.
• As already mentioned, it also evens out the wear-pattern of the treads, but a different dynamic comes into focus depending on the type of vehicle you own. For instance, in a front-wheel-drive the front tyres wear a lot faster than the rear-wheel tyres, which might account for the need to rotate your tyres more frequently.

Accredited tyre centres will have trained professionals who can advise you on the best way to have your rotations done, but each vehicle comes with its manufacturer instructions for recommended tyre rotation as well.

As far as the frequency of rotation goes, if you’re not experiencing any obvious issues with balance, handling, and performance, which warrant tyre rotation as a possible solution, then a good practice is rotating your tyres every 9,500 to 12,500 kilometres, give or take.