Dealership Tire Rotation

When the dealerships do a tire rotation on a 4x4 truck, do they just go front to back. back to front?

When I traded for a set of 18 Sport wheels one of them had a slight vibration with the tire shop I use checked them before putting tires on them.

I asked him if they would be OK and he said a drink in the cup holder might vibrate a little. I can only notice it if I put my head against the head rest at expressway speeds. Never thought much about it till I drove a 4Runner to Cincinnati and back. Felt zero vibration in the head rest.

There's a shop that has a mobile set up in a truck that's coming out tomorrow to true the wheel up. Told him that the tire dude put it on the rear passenger side, but I'd had a few rotations since then.

 

My dealer does back to front, front right to rear left and front left to rear right. I was curious too, so i marked my tires before i turned it in for service.

 

All shops vary, I typically do cross diagonal on all terrains, and simple front to rear on stock tires unless there's wear.

Cross to rear, rear to front is ideal for vibrations and wear.

 

Damn...that sucks. I guess he'll have to check till he finds the off wheel.

I'll call the dealership tomorrow and see if they will tell me how they do it.

Thanks,

 

You'd be surprised what you can get used to...

Whichever rim had the vibration without tires needs to be taken back for a refund/replacement unless you bought it with the understanding that it was out of round. BTW, dealerships tire balance machines actually check for out of round...all tire shops do actually. It's just a wheel on an arm that rids on the side by the lip of the rim and if it moves, out of round, it can measure how far the arm moves. Had an old honda with steelies I couldn't get tires for at a local shop, damned one lane black top roads and duallys running me into the ditch on hills XD

I see rim repair shops saying you can easily repair bent/cracked alloys but...that's their business so I dunno man, guess since there are so many they can do it. Be better to get a replacement from where you bought it because, unless it was sold as being bent, they SHOULD give you a replacement...at least a refund. Otherwise it is apparently cheaper to try the repair than to replace but a mobile repair? They have to get those suckers pretty hot to bend them back...I thought. It should be pretty obvious to an experienced rim repairer which one is out of round but if that's their business they should have a way to actually check and they should check them all if you aren't sure.

Usually you just do front to back and back to front...some dudes do an x pattern though, throw back from WAY long ago when tires were made differently, it's not necessary any more...it's really a toss up as to what they do. Company policy wise, as long as the fronts go to the rear and vice versa that's all that matters so it's tough to say

 

Traded a Taurus 85 revolver for the wheels.

The shop that mounted my new tires on them did check them, and found the one that was off a bit. If they hadn't told me I'd probably never noticed.

Found a few on ebay, but might end up with something worst than I have. Dealership parts department told me around $275 for one wheel.

 

Ah...well poo, hey if they give a guarantee on the repair I'd go for it then

ewe never buy parts from the dealer unless you get them free under warranty Like aisin makes most japanese makes dealership t-belt parts for instance...gates v-belts. Any hoo better prices at OEM or higher quality are possible...just don't use unknown brands for critical parts...and don't use DNJ, CHEAP chinese parts sold at OEM prices and under the lie of being made in the usa...ask every valve on my subi how I know.

but yeah repair would still be cheaper than going through a different seller, I mean if they make a business out of doing it they must be able to

 

The Owners Manual says to do Front to Back with no cross roatation.

 

If my dealership does this, it will be the best news I've heard tonight.

 

I believe you can request for them to do that. I don't think they would have any problems doing it.

Preferred method is to usually do rear to the front and front crossed to the rear for rear wheeled vehicles. For front wheel drive, it would be the opposite.

 

Just a side note..check your wheels before you leave the dealership after you've had your rotation. The clowns at my dealership chowdered almost every lug hole on all four of my brand new Black Rhyno wheels. Needless to say that was a very expensive rotation for them since they had to replace the whole set.

 

Just got off the phone with the dealership, they only do front to back...back to front.

 

Lifetime Rotate AND Balance every 5K at DT. I never let the dealer do it.

G.

 

Only in the US market for some unknown reason? Can we still blame Firestone and the Exploders?

I do cross rotations every other time. On the Taco is it way too easy. Jack the rear diff and toss jack stands under the axle at the outboard jack points. Then jack at the front crossmember jack point. And, done.

 

FWIW, you can do your own tire rotation. Just need a jack stand and a floor lift.

It'll take about 1 hour. Then you know it is done to your satisfaction.

 

Well shit...

Wheel dude just showed up. He was told I had cosmetic damage.

The part he uses to straighten wheels wore out and he won't get it till next week.

Damn impressive truck and set up. Looked like a Snap On tool truck. The inside looked like a shop. Asked him how he heated the wheels, and he said he has a Mapp gas system.