Car makers often recommend a car should have its tires rotated every time the car has an oil change. Compare that to how frequently you have your tires rotated. Unless you’re in a very small group of car owners, it’s a safe wager to say your car’s tires haven’t been rotated even remotely that often.

It’s not uncommon to find someone who has never had their car’s tires rotated. And it’s probably safe to say that a majority of drivers assume rotating car tires is an annual kind of thing. Here is what Goodyear has to say about the matter: “Rotating your tires every 3,000-6,000 miles will help eliminate premature tire wear and could save you hundreds of dollars.”

What does rotating car tires involve?

Rotating car tires involves moving tires from one place to another on the car. This is done in accordance with a particular pattern. Patterns include crisscross rotation, front-to-back and back-to-front rotation and a variety of mixed alternatives.

For instance, the front tires may move to the rear while the rear tires are switched to the other sides of the car while they are moved to the front. Or this can happen in reverse – the front tires switching sides while moving to the rear while the rear tires are moved straight forward. Then, you can complicate the matter by adding the spare to the mix, assuming it’s a full-sized tire with a matching rim.

What pattern should you follow when rotating car tires?

An auto repair technician can help you determine the best pattern to use when rotating car tires. One consideration is the wear on the tires. They’ll also consider those rare instances when the tires are unidirectional. In those cases, you don’t want to switch the tires from one side to the other; you’ll simple move the front tires forward and the rear tires back.

It’s a good idea to take advantage of having the tires off the car for rotating by checking the brakes at the same time. You can also have the tires balanced while they’re rotated.