Hey guys, quick question about tire rotation....

I know americas tire does it for free, but they take an extremely long time when doing free service cause they put effort towards the money making deals (which I totally understand)

I was contemplating just rotating my tires myself on our family truck (02 yukon 4x4)

Am I supposed to just rotate them front to back (same side?)

Or am I supposed to rotate them front to back crossing the sides? (Sorry for the lack of explaining)

Like, am I supposed to put the Right front tire on the left back now? and vice versa for the other side? Or straight front to back?

Thank you!

 

Also, am I supposed to do a balancing when I do this too?

 

All you need to do is switch front back same side. IIRC, most modern tires develop directionality even if they aren't directional once they are used.

Rebalancing is not necessary if the wheel has not come out of balance.

 

Thanks Raj!

Maybe I should balance them though,.... Not sure

I have noticed that my steering wheel shakes a little at times from speeds 20-50... But I was always under the impression that if balancing is needed it would become evident at 60+ mph..

Either way, thanks dude!

 

That could be balancing, and other's would know better than me. I'd start a thread on that subject in the tire and wheel forum. Shimmying at speed could be bad tires period, it could also be bad engine mounts etc.

I have a 2002 explorer I daily drive and i just get the tires rotated with each oil change.

 

thanks dude,...

Maybe ill just give in and wait it out at Americas Tire co this wknd then

 

Yeah, the shaking has me a little worried as were gonna go to Laughlin for a family reunion next wknd...

Going thru that long of a drive in the dessert with the kid worries me with the shaking, but then again Im a paranoid guy!

 

This is the "right" way per Tire Rack tire rotation

This is the way I've always done it on a RWD vehicle, you may still want to take it in to get the shimy checked out though.

 

My take on getting the tires rotated:
If the tires are all wearing pretty evenly, I don't bother rotating them. On fwd cars, obviously the front wheels wear faster due to ~65/35 weight distribution as well as the fronts driving the car, but I don't rotate until there's obviously more wear on the fronts than the rears (i.e., difference detectable by roughly measuring tread depth with a fingertip).

A Yukon 4x4 should wear fronts and rears somewhat more evenly. My approach would be to get them rotated only if you can detect wear differences between the tires. If they're all wearing pretty evenly across the tread, and at approximately the same rate, why bother?

 

The shaking can be due to either:

1. Unbalanced wheels or

2. Warped rotors (felt when braking)