Tires and rotation

[fchnjyh]

I keep getting mixed signals from Ford service and tire dealers with regards to placement and rotation so thought I'd poll to see what you guys thought.


Should new/better tires go on the front or rear of your truck (pulling a fifth wheel)?


When rotating, should you cross back to front and pull fronts straight back, or just go front to back?


Thanks for weighing in!

[freetime58]

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...act=mrc&uact=8

A and/or B

[Danno]

Originally Posted by fchnjyh

I keep getting mixed signals from Ford service and tire dealers with regards to placement and rotation so thought I'd poll to see what you guys thought.


Should new/better tires go on the front or rear of your truck (pulling a fifth wheel)?


When rotating, should you cross back to front and pull fronts straight back, or just go front to back?


Thanks for weighing in!

So let's ask total strangers on a chat forum. SMH
Your owner's manual will have all that info. It's in the glovebox.

[CAG]

Or a reputable tire company can help.

I had a lot of snarky responses ready for some of the question that come up here but I do understand that some are only looking for some advice. Problem is, you can get a lot of bad advice in this kind of situation.

[AKRUEBBE]

Try taking a dually to a tire store for rotation advice. It will be all over the place. What complicates things is if you have aluminum wheels because the inside rear wheels are steel which means just not rotating, but dismounting and remounting the tires. Not cheap!

[Lake Huron]

Originally Posted by AKRUEBBE

Try taking a dually to a tire store for rotation advice. It will be all over the place. What complicates things is if you have aluminum wheels because the inside rear wheels are steel which means just not rotating, but dismounting and remounting the tires. Not cheap!

No it is not! The morons at the dealer rotated my Alcoa's on my silverado dually and totally f*#"&d them up. The ruined a $3200 set of wheels by rotating them without dismount/remount. Duallys, about all you can do is rotate side to side. SRW trucks I'd just rotate front to back. If you do a lot of towing and you're finding the rears and feathering the tread lugs across the tire, then I'd cross the fronts to the back and take the rears straight up.

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

No it is not! The morons at the dealer rotated my Alcoa's on my silverado dually and totally f*#"&d them up. The ruined a $3200 set of wheels by rotating them without dismount/remount. Duallys, about all you can do is rotate side to side. SRW trucks I'd just rotate front to back. If you do a lot of towing and you're finding the rears and feathering the tread lugs across the tire, then I'd cross the fronts to the back and take the rears straight up.

I just had all six of my crappy Nexen Roadian (RAM OEM) tires replaced and look at what they did to my front rims. This is the second time this has happened. The first time was at a RAM dealer when I needed to get a tire pressure sensor replaced. Of course my rims were replaced at no cost

[billcf7]

Originally Posted by AKRUEBBE

I just had all six of my crappy Nexen Roadian (RAM OEM) tires replaced and look at what they did to my front rims. This is the second time this has happened. The first time was at a RAM dealer when I needed to get a tire pressure sensor replaced. Of course my rims were replaced at no cost

The problem with tire rotations is it is normally a first year apprentice at a dealer or tire shop that gets that job

[Seann45]

Tire rotation depends on what the tire manufacture says... some types of tires have to stay on the same side, some can have 4 corner rotation.. check with the tire manufacture.

[GraftonGuns]

fch, I would just look at your owners manual and see what the requirements are for tire rotation. Don't pay attention to the rude comments on this or any other forum. The other thing that is equally or more important is tire pressure!! Check it frequently and go by the recommendation on the door pillar of your vehicle for proper psi. Get a GOOD tire pressure gauge not an El Cheapo.

[Lins]

Originally Posted by fchnjyh

I keep getting mixed signals from Ford service and tire dealers with regards to placement and rotation so thought I'd poll to see what you guys thought.


Should new/better tires go on the front or rear of your truck (pulling a fifth wheel)?


When rotating, should you cross back to front and pull fronts straight back, or just go front to back?


Thanks for weighing in!

Originally Posted by freetime58

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...act=mrc&uact=8

A and/or B

Since your truck is SRW, your manual likely recommends A. I've always got great tire wear following A or C - the exception being winter tires for the wife's VW - they're directional so they only go front to back and vice versa. I've never seen a B style tire rotation before.

As for which position the newer tires should be in, I would just pick one and keep following rotations. Obviously all new tires is ideal but not always possible.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by GraftonGuns

Get a GOOD tire pressure gauge not an El Cheapo.

Any recommendations

[GraftonGuns]

fch, Tow vehicle (truck) you should go by the owners manual as to tire rotation. New tires should go on the drive wheels (truck rear).

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by KWDAILYD

Any recommendations

I use a TireTek analog and a Michelin Digital. Always read with both and they always read the same.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by AKRUEBBE

I use a TireTek analog and a Michelin Digital. Always read with both and they always read the same.

Thanks

[Marmot]

Originally Posted by fchnjyh

I keep getting mixed signals from Ford service and tire dealers with regards to placement and rotation so thought I'd poll to see what you guys thought.


Should new/better tires go on the front or rear of your truck (pulling a fifth wheel)?


When rotating, should you cross back to front and pull fronts straight back, or just go front to back?


Thanks for weighing in!

Radial tires always stay on the same side, so rotate them front to back. New tires always go on the back if you are only buying two. Any tire manufacturer can verify this.

[Cshenberger]

If your truck is 4wheel drive I always put new tires up front. Otherwise the wear in them puts the transfer case in a bind since they are driving faster than the front.

But I use the fronts cross to back and back straight forward

[spark of insanity]

When I get an oil change I go to Discount Tire and let them rotate the tires for free. Saves me a lot of headaches in the end. I take the trailer to Camping World in April for a tire and what ever else so I have no issues while towing and heading to the RV park.

[Leon]

Drive wheels in your case rear wheels wear the most so to rotate tires you must DRIVE STRAIGHT and CRISS CROSS THE FRONTS . SO you just take rear wheels to front of vehicle .in a front wheel drive vehicle Drive Straight rule applies cross cross the rear wheels New tires probably should go on rear

[eow]

Originally Posted by fchnjyh

Should new/better tires go on the front or rear of your truck (pulling a fifth wheel)?

Prior to towing our FW, I would place the better tires on the front. But with the FW, the rear wear faster than the front, so I now do the opposite. Better on the rear.

I also rotate front to back, not side to side to keep the rotation direction the same.