Back to all

Rotation Explanation (Tire Rotation Patterns)

March 26, 2023

You may notice that when you get your vehicle's oil changed, your service adviser may recommend that you have your tires rotated at the same time.  The reasons are simple.  That will allow your tires to wear more evenly and reduce the noise your tires make as you drive down the road.

There are different ways of rotating tires. If your vehicle has non-directional tires and the same size wheels at each corner, here are the different rotation patterns.

For all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles, one is called the rearward cross pattern.  The rear tires are moved to the front and stay on the same side of the vehicle, and the front tires are moved to the rear on the side opposite of where they were on the front. 

For all-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles, use the X pattern.  The rear tires are moved to the front on the opposite side of the vehicle, and the fronts are moved to the rear on the opposite side of where they were on the front.

For front-wheel drive, there's the forward cross.  The front tires are moved to the rear wheels on the same side of the vehicle as they were on the front and the rear tires are moved to the opposite side of the vehicle than they were on the rear. 

If you have directional tires (they only can be mounted in one direction) and the same size directional wheels, the rear tires are moved to the front on the same side of the vehicle where they were, and the front tires are moved to the rear on the same side they were on the front.   And if you have tires with different sizes of non-directional tires and wheels on the front and rear, rotation will be from one side of the vehicle to the other. 

If you have a spare, it's put into the rotation using a forward cross or rearward cross. 

Yep, that's a lot to keep straight.  So, we suggest letting your service advisor recommend the right rotation pattern for you at the interval your vehicle's manufacturer specifies.

Mr. Lube
903 NW Second St
Bentonville, Arkansas 72712
479-271-2323
https://www.mrlubebentonville.msprotemp.com/

Need Service?

More articles from Mr. Lube & Wash

For Brakes' Sake (Brake Rotor Service in Bentonville)

April 14, 2024

Think of how much abuse your brakes take. Day in and day out, they stop your vehicle when it's going fast and when it's going slow. Maybe your vehicle has been vibrating when you brake, or maybe it seems like your stopping distance is a little bit longer than it used to be. Then it's time to get ... More

Keep Your Tires Well Rounded in Bentonville: Tire Rotation and Wheel Balancing at Mr. Lube

April 7, 2024

Taking care of our tires is part of vehicle care for Bentonville drivers. We know they have to be replaced when they wear out, but tires also require some preventive maintenance. This maintenance will improve and extend the life of the tires, so it's well worth the effort and expense for Bentonv... More

Differential Service at Mr. Lube

March 31, 2024

Here at AutoNetTV, we have national viewers, like your neighbors in Bentonville, who write to us with questions or feedback. One common question we're asked is: "What is a differential and what does it do?" You may have been told by your Mr. Lube service advisor that your differential needs serv... More