[gregger]

Hi all,

I'm getting ready to rotate my (new last fall) Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires. I'm loving these tires...very smooth riding, good grip, and "Three Peak" Snowflake rated.

The tread design is assymetrical but non-directional and so the tire can be rotated to any position on the vehicle so long as it remains mounted on the wheel (ie., "outside to the outside").

The Soul service manual recommends cross-rotation of tires (per the illustration, fronts go to back "same side," and backs go to fronts diagonally).

As you can see in the "Warning," the manual states that assymetric tread pattern tires should not change sides, but be rotated front-back only.

Why is that? The advice runs counter to the tire industry's advice that it's fine to cross-rotate non-directional, assymetric tires.

Who do you think "wins" here...the tire company or the car company?

Or does it really matter? (Lazy me would be fine to rotate front/back only; easier, takes less time, more time for beer )

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

 

[SailDesign]

In my experience, tyres that have seen use tend to have the tread blocks worn more on one end (fore-and-aft) than the other due to generally higher braking wear than acceleration wear.

If they are switched to rotate the other way, than the blocks will make more noise - considerably more noise, and handling will suffer as well until the blocks are worn at both ends.

Hence, only end-for-end them, keeping them on the same side.

You'll thank me later.

 

[TosenR]

...

Why is that? The advice runs counter to the tire industry's advice that it's fine to cross-rotate non-directional, assymetric tires.

Who do you think "wins" here...the tire company or the car company?

I personally think the tire company "wins" here as they are the one providing (and hopefully willing to stand by) the warranty on the tires. If they say to cross rotate every x number of miles then that's what I'd aim for.

Or does it really matter? (Lazy me would be fine to rotate front/back only; easier, takes less time, more time for beer )

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

I once had directional tires and said I'd never again get directional tires. Admittedly I'm not a tire expert. I don't much see the point of rotating tires front-to-back-&-back-to-front when on the very next rotation each tire will be right back where it started.

If the fronts tend to wear more than the rears then yes rotating will "pause" that particular wear pattern but only pause it.

Also will the front-left wear pattern match/equal the front-right wear pattern - in mostly city driving I'm thinking not.

So as the miles rack up the relative disparity of wear for each tire with each of its sibling tires gets worse and worse.

And so to me (again no expert) without 4 tire cross rotation there is no way to keep the relative wear of all the tires in the same ballpark. So again I would do what the tire manufacturer says.

Even though my current all season tires have plenty of life left I'm thinking this fall I may switch to all weather to get better cold weather / winter performance. Not willing to go the route of two separate sets of tires - summer & winter.

 

[Mike2kias]

Tire industry says you can do cross rotation with asymmetrical tires. 'CAN' means it is your option.
I rotate front to back with every oil change and swap out all 4 when one gets to the wear bar of if they look just a little too worn for winter.

 

[gregger]

Even though my current all season tires have plenty of life left I'm thinking this fall I may switch to all weather to get better cold weather / winter performance. Not willing to go the route of two separate sets of tires - summer & winter.

Thanks for all the great input. Re: all seasons, I can recommend the Vredesteins for above average winter performance. I've had them on a BMW for over a year and also the Soul since last fall and they live up to their outstanding reviews at Tire Rack.

 

[MonsterSoul]

Recommend you switch tires front to back every 10 - 15 burnouts.

 

[GeoSoul]

If the tire has an arrow indicating the rotation direction, you should stay with that (which means not crossing them to the other side). I haven't cross rotated tires in decades. Do your tires have direction arrows?

 

[MonsterSoul]

Do your tires have direction arrows?

How many car tires have those nowadays? I have 2 Nexens and 2 Sailuns on my car, no arrows.
I'm certain the Pirellis on my bike have arrows. Also you never rotate front to back.

Going further off track, has anyone tried MC tires on a car? Makes less than zero sense I think, but some people put car tires on bikes. Also less than zero sense imo. Anyway, adding an odd thought here instead of starting a new useless thread.
This message approved by Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

 

[TosenR]

If the tire has an arrow indicating the rotation direction, you should stay with that (which means not crossing them to the other side)...

Years ago I had some directional tires purchased from Sam's Club. Went in for a free rotation, but I didn't want the standard same-side-front-to-back rotation.

I asked if they would unmount the tires and re-mount so could go on the other side of the car. The tech said they couldn't do that. I said I would pay for them to do it (it is afterall extra work). She said corporate wouldn't allow them to do it.

 

[MonsterSoul]

She said corporate wouldn't allow them to do it.

Where's the down thumb?
Or the fickle finger?
Last time they would see me.