How to Rotate Tires on a Mercury Villager

The Mercury Villager was one of the first luxury mini-vans to hit the highways. It is a high vehicle, though not as heavy as many trucks because it is built on a car's frame. However, the Villager still presents an unwieldy body to jack up for a tire rotation. Use a hydraulic lift if one is available. Otherwise, follow these steps to rotate the tires on four jack stands.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Four jacks
• Lug nut wrench

1. Loosen the lug nuts on each tire with a lug nut wrench.

2. Stick a block of wood behind the back tires to keep the mini-van from rolling while you jack up the front of the car. Tire rotation is best done on a flat surface as well.

3. Place two jacks under the front of the vehicle, one on each side and jack up the car, leaving just enough room to take off the tires. Lift the rear up on the other two jack stands.

4. Use an "X" pattern each time you rotate the tires. Move the passenger side rear tire to the front, and passenger side front to driver side rear. Switch driver side rear tire to the front and driver side front to passenger side rear.

5. Tighten the lug nuts by hand so the tires will stay on.

6. Lower the rear first and replace the wood behind the tires. Lower the front end and then go around and tighten each lug nut with the lug nut wrench to its tightest fit.

Tips & Warnings

• Be aware that some owners of the Mercury Villager have complained about vibration during driving after they changed/rotated the tires. Talk to your mechanic or the dealership to diagnose any possible problems.
• Do not allow anyone to go under the vehicle while it's jacked up.
• Never use bumper jacks to raise a mini-van.
• When you rotate tires yourself, you will not get the benefit of balancing that is done in a service station.

Resources

• Buy your tools for tire rotation and repair online.