Logic for or against the tire-rotation pattern X > H > X > H

In the past i always bought tires in pairs, never four at a time. It was about cash flow, not what axle had more wear. I also learned that FWD cars have front tires wearing faster and if you don't rotate, the rear tires can cup and even though they have a lot of tread, they make a lot of noise.

I do realize that I'm the only one you've ever heard of who is proposing this X > H > X > H pattern such that, in the end, two things are accomplished Each tire sits on each of the four corners in the span of a year Each axle set remains as an axle set at all times

Therefore I appreciate your experience, as we all have had experiences which have shaped our understanding of the frailties (and strengths) of vehicle systems.

For example decades ago a neighbor knocked on my door and asked me to come outside and look at the front rotor of his new girlfriend's car he was working on in his driveway. He had the front driver side wheel off and I still didn't even *recognize* the rotor! It was just the fins and nothing else! This was a lesson that I personally learned which is that brakes work (sort of ok) even when there's metal on metal. Excepting the heat generation, the friction coefficient of steel on steel is "E" which isn't all that bad in brake pads themselves (well, it's not good, but there are brake pads with the same coefficient of friction as steel on steel).

My experience with tires is similar, in that they withstand a hellofa lot of abuse, most of the time. I've driven with multiple patches, mysterious bulbous protrusions in the sidewall, treads worn to the metal belts, screws protruding for fear of removing them and losing what air was left, sidewalls cut to the cord, different tread patters, different wheels, etsetera.

Of course, it only takes one blowout at speed to kill you, but I've been fortunate in having maybe a score of flats in about a million miles of driving where none caused me to lose control of the vehicle.

I've only had one catastrophic blowout, where to this day I don't know what caused it. The tire had a hole in it the size of a bullet, and the inside of the alloy wheel was dented as if a bullet sliced tangentially past it, but there was nothing in the carcass as I was there looking when the shop removed it from the wheel.

So I repeat that it's better to be safe than to be sorry but in my experience, tires (like brakes) are almost as reliable as anything can possibly be in life.

Moving forward, I will keep in mind your fair warning that changing the direction of non-directional radials "can" influence the belts to separate, but I'll also keep in mind that many people have said that's only for the older radials (but I haven't read a single reliable report so it's all individual experience at this point).

I'm more worried, at the moment, that I don't understand why most tire-rotation patters for RWD cars suggest the "modified X", and not a full-blown X, with the driving wheels being moved forward on the same side while the steered wheels are moved aft in an X pattern.

Apparently you haven't been paying attention.

The one thing I think I know about tire rotation is do it promptly on schedule or not at all. It's especially important on all wheel drive like Subies.

Yet this thread goes on and on about you've got to do this, and that. Seems like people like their rituals.

Same with the "winterizing" the lawn mower. I just stop using it in the fall. In the spring it starts right up. I've got at least 50 years of not rotating my tires and not winterizing the lawn mower under my belt. No ill effects noticed so far.

Another good reason to "rotate"

Too mentally broke to pay attention.

The rear tires on my Regal had 50,000 mils and could have easily gone another 10+ but I could not stand the noise any more. I've rotated since.

les roughly).

them on the rim).

t of the time.

ern look to you?

n I devised, I think

ays as a set per axle

rotation options?

and nothing

irly even all

's usually wear

also the issue

ce installed.

Better drive

best tires on

, we all forgot

didn't change

es. They will

best tires on

r wheel drive.

the new tires

y worn tires

er more easily

a parking spot,

n the road it's

just read that

is the safest

ires to the rear?

n a little faster

ires is so that they wear approximately evenly.

Clare, you just keep attacking me, for no reason. I didn't say a damn thing about you or anything you said in this thread. What I said fully agreed wi th what you're saying. You claim to have me blocked, yet you keep taking th ese cheap shots at me, for no reason. WTF is your problem? Going senile? Go f*ck yourself.

And what bad happens if you go say 50% or 100% past schedule and then rotate them?

I ruined a set when I did it. They were worn in a specific pattern and the change was too much apparently. Anyhow, that's what the tire shop guy said.

Same here. I don't even run it out of gas. Same with the weedwhacker. I think doing the rituals offend or confuse the machines, making them act up.

They don't like being ignored either. I don't whack weeds very often and was shocked to find that THAT LITTLE THING was the carb and needed to be cleaned. I couldn't put it back together again although I have cleaned MC carbs successfully. Enough. Nothing but electric whackers and mowers from then on.

straight or left to right rotation?

I don't remember.

I can see side to side doing it - - -

yeah, I think tire rotation is not just for overall wear between different tires of the tread but because if you don't rotate them, EACH TIRE wears unevenly and gets scalloping or cupping and runs noisy.

Rotating is supposed to even out the wear within EACH tire.

trader_4 posted for all of us...

BINGO BINGO BINGO