Time To Rotate My Tires, But Which Rotation Pattern To Do?

Guys, I've checked tire websites for proper rotation swap... front to back or criss-crossed. I read that directional tires cannot be criss-crossed.

How do I know I have directional tires and what pattern do you go with if non-directional?

Tires are the stock ones (Sport TRD).

Thanks for any tips

 

Front to back and back to front,no need to cross rotate...

 

Rear right goes to front right. Rear left to front left. Front right to rear left. Front left to rear right. Tires will say if they're directional. If they are keep the 2 sides the same. Driver side front goes to driver side rear. Same for passenger.

Cross rotating will give a more even wear on the tire.

 

Your stock tires are non-directional. It is incredibly uncommon for SUV/Truck tires to be directional, so anything you purchase is likely going to be non-directional. Tires marked "Rotation" with an arrow pointing one way or another are directional. The tread will also look like an arrow, like this:



With that said, the ideal rotation pattern is to bring the rears straight forward, and cross the fronts to the rear (for rear and 4WD). This ensures each tire hits every corner of the vehicle throughout the life of the tires.

 

http://www.michelinman.com/tires-101/tire-care/tire-maintenance/tire-rotation.page

 

I just went out to the garage and looked, they're 17" Bridgestone Duellers.

I noticed no rotation arrow/indication on the sidewalls and the tread pattern doesn't appear directional like the picture.

It's 12*F in the garage . I just turned the heat on, so I'll get out there in an hour and do the swap. Since they're non-directional, I'll diagonally cross the tires.

Thanks for the replies guys, you all rock.

 

The owner's manual for my '14 says to rotate tires front to rear and I haven't known a tire shop since bias ply tires that recommended cross-rotation (and that's a long time).

 

^^^^ This

 

i agree

 

I always do it front to back / back to front. I never cross sides. Rotate every 5,000 Miles.

 

I checked the book (imagine that ) like I should have. It says to go front to back.

I still like the idea or cross pattern for even wear, even if it makes a small difference.

 

Go by the book..

 

When i worked at the stealership, the standard was front to back. Normally never had any issues. This included SUV's both 2 and 4wd.

 

Wasn't there something about a tire's belts or plys getting used to rolling in one direction and it's not good to rotate from one side to another? Or is that no longer (or never was) valid?

 

Done it this way with all of my vehicles, except for the ones with directional tires, and have had excellent tire wear. Also it looks like the Michelin site suggests a cross rotation except for the directional.

 

Never was valid. Just a myth that you'd break a belt.
If anything, that might have been the case with bias, but the myth was always about radials.

Cross-rotation has fallen out of favor because:
A) - More and more vehicles are equipped with directional tread
B) - Unless you always go to the same shop, the kid doing your rotation has no idea whether the last rotation crossed back to front or front to back.

It's an issue of "staying on script"... keeping the kids doing rotations from having to actually check to see if the tires are directional.

 

^^Aye.

Front to back is the easiest, and most idiot-proof method. Crossing the rears to the front or fronts to the rears is the industry standard, assuming it's done every time. This is especially effective on higher torque 2 wheel drive vehicles. Folks that keep the tires on one side wonder why their tires cup/wear more on the power wheel side than the other.

 

Cross rotate is the way to go. Especially if you have mud tires. The wear is much more even.

 

Rear to front and cross fronts to rear will keep them smoother if there is any scalloping. This way they are in a different position for 4 rotations. Max life.