How to Rotate Tires of Different Sizes
Rotating the tires on your car or truck is an important aspect of routine maintenance. By alternating the corners of the vehicle where the wheels and tires are located, tire wear is equalized between the tires. This in turn means longer lasting tires. On most cars, the tires are rotated front to back and from side to side. However, on a vehicle that has different sized tires on the front and rear (commonly referred to as staggered tires), the process is a little different because the rear tires cannot be installed on the front and vice-versa.
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Instructions
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Park the vehicle on a flat, level surface and engage the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts that hold the front wheels. Raise the front of the car with a floor jack and lower it onto a pair of jack stands.
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Finish removing the two front wheels. Install the wheel and tire that was on the right front onto the left front of the vehicle. Install the wheel and tire that was on the left side of the vehicle onto the right front side.
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Lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern with a torque wrench to the manufacturer's recommended settings.
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Loosen the lug nuts that hold the rear wheels. Raise the vehicle with the floor jack and lower it onto a pair of jack stands. Finish removing the wheels. Install the wheel and tire that was on the right rear onto the left rear of the vehicle. Install the wheel and tire that was on the left rear side of the vehicle onto the right rear side.
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Lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern with a torque wrench to the manufacturer's recommended settings.
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References
- Photo Credit Yellow supercar image by Christopher Dodge from Fotolia.com
