Tyre rotation moves your tyres from one position on the vehicle to another to ensure they wear evenly. Front tyres on front-wheel drive vehicles wear faster and differently than rear tyres due to steering and braking forces. Regular rotation extends the life of a full set of tyres and maintains consistent grip and handling.
When to Rotate
Most manufacturers recommend tyre rotation every 5,000 to 10,000 km. A good rule of thumb is to rotate tyres at every second oil change. If you notice uneven wear developing before the scheduled rotation, bring it forward. Check our alignment guide if uneven wear persists after rotation, as it may indicate an alignment issue.
Rotation Patterns
The correct rotation pattern depends on your vehicle’s drivetrain and whether your tyres are directional or staggered. For front-wheel drive vehicles with non-directional tyres, move the front tyres straight to the rear and cross the rear tyres to the front (left rear to right front, right rear to left front). For rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, reverse this: rear tyres move straight to the front, and front tyres cross to the rear. For directional tyres (with a rotation arrow on the sidewall), swap front to rear on the same side only. Staggered setups (different size front and rear) cannot be rotated front-to-back and should only be swapped side-to-side if they are non-directional.
How to Rotate
You need a jack, two or more jack stands, and a wheel brace or torque wrench. Loosen all wheel nuts slightly while the vehicle is on the ground. Raise one end of the vehicle, support it on jack stands, and remove those wheels. Then raise the other end and swap according to your rotation pattern. When reinstalling, hand-tighten the wheel nuts in a star pattern, then lower the vehicle and torque the nuts to the specification in your workshop manual (typically 90 to 130 Nm depending on the vehicle).
TPMS Consideration
If your vehicle has a direct TPMS system (with sensors in each wheel), some models require a TPMS relearn procedure after rotation so the system knows which sensor is at which position. Indirect TPMS systems (which use ABS wheel speed sensors rather than dedicated pressure sensors) typically just need a reset. Your workshop manual includes the TPMS relearn or reset procedure for your model.
Wheel nut torque values, TPMS procedures, and recommended rotation patterns are vehicle-specific. MechanicMate offers PDF workshop manuals for over 960 models at mechanicmate.net/shop.
