How to Rotate Volkswagen Rabbit Tires
Rotating your tires is an important part of vehicle maintenance. Tires last longer and perform better when they wear evenly. A Volkswagen Rabbit is a front-wheel-drive car, which causes the front tires to wear heavier than the rear tires. Though older model Rabbits may have a donut in the trunk, the newer ones have a full-size spare, which also needs to be incorporated into the rotation pattern. It sounds complicated, but it really is rather simple.
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Instructions
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1
Remove all four hubcaps and use a tire iron to loosen each nut on each tire of your Volkswagen Rabbit. Hubcaps usually come off with a good yank on one rim. Lay them next to the wheels they came from like bowls.
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2
Jack up the front of the car and slide jack stands underneath the frame to support it. Remove the jack and repeat this process in the rear of the car.
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3
Turn the nuts on one tire counter-clockwise and pull them off of the bolt studs. Set the nuts in the hubcap next to that tire, so you know which wheel hub they came from.
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4
Pull the tire off and lay it on the ground next to the hubcap. Repeat this step for each tire mounted on the car. Pop the trunk and remove the full-size spare. Lay it on the ground by the trunk.
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5
Move the full-size spare tire to the passenger-side rear wheel hub. Move the right rear tire to the front driver-side wheel hub. Move the front driver-side tire to the rear driver-side wheel hub. Move the rear driver-side tire to the front passenger side wheel hub. Pick up the front passenger-side tire, put it in the space in the trunk and close the trunk.
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6
Mount the new driver-side front tire on the stud bolts in the wheel hub. Hand-tighten the five nuts and torque each nut to 90 ft. lbs. in a star pattern with the torque wrench. Repeat this on each of the tires at their new wheel hubs. Older rabbits may have a four-bolt pattern, which you torque in a cross pattern. They also may require you to torque to different settings. Refer to your repair manual.
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7
Set the jack under the rear of the car and raise it off the jack stands. Pull the jack stands out and lower the rear of the car. Repeat this process on the front of the car.
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Tips & Warnings
Older Volkswagen Rabbits may not have a full-size spare. If yours does not, move each front tire to the rear wheel hub on the same side and each rear tire to the front wheel hub on the opposite side. Do not incorporate a donut into the rotation.
