Tire Rotation

Why would the owner's manual say to rotate each side front-to-back?

 

This might make sense if the RE92s were asymmetrical, but they're not. Wear under braking is far greater than acceleration. Rolling one direction will lead to feathering. I don't want the sawblade look.

 

What harm could a normal rotation possibly do? (other than make the crappy tires last longer)

None. Do it however you like it. I like the "X" rotation if I have the car up on four jackstands for brake work.

it depends on the way the tire is designed. some are directional where as others are not.

 

directional tires can only be rotated front to rear on the same side. other wise you will have tires that the tread is rolling the wrong way. not 100% sure if the re92's are directional or not but i think they are.

it depends on the way the tire is designed. some are directional where as others are not.

 

directional tires can only be rotated front to rear on the same side. other wise you will have tires that the tread is rolling the wrong way. not 100% sure if the re92's are directional or not but i think they are.

 

RE92s are most definitely not directional.

 

In fact, even with directional tires, the main reasons are (1) water dissipation, and (2) less importantly, looks.

 

In fact, guys used to run the old BFG R1s "backwards" with no ill effects.

I've heard that once the tire 'gets used' to the direction it rotates, it's better to keep it that way. Othewise, something might happen to the steel cords inside. I don't know if that's another urban legend, but I've had only directional tires in the last 4 or 5 years, so it was not an issue for me.

I've heard that once the tire 'gets used' to the direction it rotates, it's better to keep it that way. Othewise, something might happen to the steel cords inside. I don't know if that's another urban legend, but I've had only directional tires in the last 4 or 5 years, so it was not an issue for me.

 

That's a 30-year-old recommendation for the original, crappy, radial tires that the US tire mfrs were just starting to make. That has ceased to be an issue for at least 25 years, anyway. Every owners manual since the '80s that I recall will show side-to-side and/or "X" rotations.

 

Having been driving a FWD daily driver for the last 15 years before the LGT, frequent rotation was the only way to get any even wear and decent tire life.

Here's Bridgestone's take on it:

 

http://www.tiresafety.com/maint/maint_content.asp

 

Andy

for RE92s, rotate however you like.. but you will get more wear from the front/back than side/side... brake bias on the GT is tremendous up in the front.. (the stock front spring rates and HUGE brakes are a dead give-away).

Ok, by rotation, are we talking about rotating the TIRES to the different wheels, or the wheels to different locations, with the same wheel attached to it?

I say this because I think they are already mounted and balanced (I don't really know what that means...is it mounted and balanced to a specific spot on the car? IE- left front, or right front)?

Basically "mounting" tires means just putting them onto the wheels. And for balancing, basically a tire and wheel aren't perfectly symmetrically round. So there will be some places where the wheels may be lighter or thicker/heavier. Spin this at a high revolution, and you eventually end up with wobbling. Balancing puts tiny weights (usually on the inside of your rim well) to balance it out.

 

A much better definition here