Tire Rotation
One day, you may be riding on your daily commute when you notice your car starting to vibrate as you accelerate. Then, as you hit the brakes, you feel that it is pulling to one side. This may be a sign that your vehicle’s tires are suffering from uneven wear, and you need a tire rotation. Getting your tires rotated regularly is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to keep your vehicle providing optimal performance.
This is why our service department at Ruge’s Subaru always recommends to our customers to get their tires rotated whenever they stop in for an oil change, wheel alignment, or other repair or maintenance. Our service team is well-trained to help every make and model out there, whether you drive a sedan, sports car, BEV, SUV, or pickup truck. This is one of the quickest jobs we do on the vehicles that come to us. You are sure to notice the difference a tire rotation makes as soon as you head out back on the road.
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Why Regular Tire Rotations Are Important
No matter what vehicle you drive, you will find that your tires do not wear evenly. This is especially so if your vehicle features front-wheel or rear-wheel drive. If this is the case, the front or rear wheels will do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to accelerating, steering, and braking. As a result, those tires will become more worn than the other pair.
This can even be so with all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicles. In an all-wheel drive, torque is sent to each wheel at differing levels, while in a four-wheel drive, a transfer case sends different amounts of horsepower to each wheel as needed. This can also result in uneven wear. Once they become worn, you will notice that your vehicle takes longer to accelerate, needs more distance to brake, and will begin to have issues with handling, often pulling to one or the other side.
A tire rotation is an incredibly easy task for our service team members. The right front tire is switched with the left rear one, and the left front tire is swapped with the right rear one. There are two reasons for this. First, the front and rear wheels are worn unevenly because of the type of drivetrain on your vehicle. Second, right turns and left turns put different strains on your tires to complete. By switching the tires in this way, we are able to prolong the life of your tires by getting them to wear more evenly.
The result is that you may be able to use your tires for a longer time than if you don’t get them rotated. This is crucial here, where our seasons bring more than their fair share of snow, sleet, ice, and rain. Driving on unevenly worn tires will hamper your traction, increasing the risk of an accident on inclement days.
How Often Should You Get Your Tires Rotated
One of the most important of your vehicle’s tires is the tread. These are the grooves that help channel water and ice away so the tires can maintain contact with the road surface. If the tread is too worn, you run the risk of hydroplaning, a skid caused by water breaking that grip. In order to avoid this, you should get your tires rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.
The difference in these numbers has to do with some factors. First, if your tires are older, you should get them rotated more frequently. At some point, the tread becomes too worn to provide adequate traction. When this happens, you will need to replace all four of your tires. Getting older tires rotated more frequently will extend the amount of time you can get out of your current set.
A second factor is your driving style. If you ride the brake, drive fast, or make sharp turns, you will put more wear and tear on your tires. Things like fast acceleration, hard braking, and drifting reduce the life of your tires by increasing the wear on the treads. If you have these driving habits, you should also consider getting your tires rotated more frequently.
Finally, personal usage will also dictate the frequency of tire rotations. If you use your vehicle primarily on the weekends, you may only need to get your tires rotated less frequently. But, if you are a daily driver or commuter, you should consider erring on the side of more frequent tire rotations. The same goes for folks who use their vehicles for towing and hauling, especially ones who drive pickup trucks. The extra weight caused by these activities puts more wear on your tire’s treads as well.
Signs That Your Tires Need Rotating
If you aren’t already in the habit of getting your tires rotated on a routine basis, then you will see several warning signs that let you know you need a tire rotation. For example, if your car starts to vibrate as you accelerate or pass certain speeds, this could be a sign of unevenly worn tires. This shimmying of your vehicle is caused by the uneven tires not holding the road properly. Failing to address this can reduce your vehicle’s fuel economy and make it more difficult to handle. This shaking may also be felt when you step on the brakes.
Unevenly worn tires can also make braking more difficult. This is because the wear on the treads makes your vehicle’s brakes have to work harder. If you notice you need more distance to brake, this may also be a sign that you need to get your vehicle’s tires rotated.
Finally, tire loss in one tire may also be a sign that your tires need rotation. If your tires are getting unevenly worn, the one that has the most wear will lose air more quickly than the others. Most modern vehicles come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system. If you notice that you are always having to put air in one tire more frequently than the others, then you may be overdue for a tire rotation.
Other Maintenance Service We Offer
Ruge’s Subaru is a full-service dealership. This means that our team can help you and other motorists with all of your vehicle needs. This is certainly the case with our service center. For example, one area of routine maintenance that you should never neglect is oil changes. Our team will take care of changing the oil and oil filter and replacing it with the exact type needed for your vehicle. We can do this with other fluid levels on your vehicle, including transmission fluid, brake fluid, engine coolant or antifreeze, power steering fluid, differential fluid, and windshield washer fluid. When you come in for a tire rotation, our team will check all of these to ensure your vehicle is running properly.
We can also help you charge or replace your battery. Over time, your vehicle’s battery may start to lose charge or die altogether. When this happens, your battery will need to be replaced. We carry a full lineup of car batteries, so you should be able to find one with us. The same goes for tires. If you get a flat, we can repair it unless it is too deep or in the tire wall, which will necessitate a replacement. Bringing your car to use will help address these other maintenance issues.
Finally, our team can help with other routine and major repairs. For example, if you need a wheel alignment, a replacement of the cabin air filter, or repairs to your brakes, our team can help you with this regardless of whether you drive a Subaru or a vehicle from a different brand.
Come to Ruge’s Subaru for All Your Service Needs
Find out why your fellow drivers come to Ruge’s Subaru. We are a family-owned and operated dealership. In addition to offering drivers like you the full lineup of new Subaru vehicles as well as the finest inventory of used models, we also provide top-notch service. Our state-of-the-art service and parts department is here to help you with everything you need for your vehicle.
When you have a problem or just need routine maintenance, come to our service department. Our technicians will help diagnose the problem and provide you with the right repair for your vehicle. For example, if you are having issues with handling, it might mean you need a simple tire rotation or a wheel alignment. Our team members will find the cause of your problem and address it.
What’s more, we offer frequent parts and service specials. This allows you to schedule your service for a time when you can save some money with one of our coupons. This way, we will help you keep your current vehicle on the road for many years of great driving. Come to Ruge’s Subaru today, and let us help you get the most life out of your tires with a regularly scheduled tire rotation!