This Is Why You Need a Tire Rotation Schedule
Hydroplaning is like a random horror movie scenario that can occur during many kinds of driving conditions. Basically, the tire treads on your car begin gliding uncontrollably on layers of water or oil on top of a street or road. The car’s wheels lose all tactile contact and friction with the driving surface. Contrary to popular belief, there does not need to be a sizable amount of water covering a driving surface for hydroplaning to occur.
A thin layer of water, oil, or black ice is just enough to cause a hydroplaning incident. This happened to me once as I drove down a highway. I felt like I was driving my car on a car-sized Slip-N-Slide.
The back wheels of my car began fishtailing and sliding from side to side for a few heart-seizing and terrifying moments. It had rained earlier in the day.
I had reduced my speed as much as possible. And yet, it still occurred. I reached my destination and then got home without further incident. After coming home, I knelt to have a look at the tread on my tires. It was an enlightening moment that made me feel like a moron. I saw significant and widely uneven tread wear on my tires.
The front tire treads were worn down more than the back tires. Also, the outside edges of my front tires were really worn. The front tires lean over when making turns. Also, on front-wheel drive vehicles, the front tires bear the weight of the engine, transmission, and most of the stress in turns.
I had missed my tire rotation schedule by months.
In truth, I just hadn’t thought about it in a while. As a result, I lost steering and handling for a few seconds in a minor hydroplaning incident.
Tire Rotation
Tire rotation is one of those terms that people may hear in passing or on TV, but still not really know what it means. It is a basic car maintenance procedure. Tire rotation involves, “rotating,” the position of your tires from one position to another. So, you would physically transfer the positions of the back tires to the front tires. Additionally, you would then transfer the tires from side to side.
It’s important to rotate tires regularly to keep tire tread from wearing out unevenly and quickly. Also, the tire rotation process varies according to wheel configuration. For instance, there are different ways to rotate tires on front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel-drive vehicles. If your car’s tires stagger, where the rear tires are wider than the front tires, you’ll simply swap them from one side to another.
Experts recommend rotating your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, or at least once a year. There is really no set rule, as the need for tire rotation is mostly dependent on how often you drive and the driving conditions. If you regularly drive on off-road and in rough conditions, then you may need to get your tires rotated twice a year.
Keep to Schedule
The average cost of tire rotation is about $66, or as high as $120. You might want to pay and watch a mechanic do it once before attempting it on your own. Refer to your owner’s manual and keep to your tire rotation schedule. You may want to get your tires rotated every time you change your oil, so as not to forget— for your own safety and to save some money. Depending on the model of the car you drive, a new set of tires can cost anywhere from $50 to $1,400 per tire. Regular tire rotations will keep you from having to invest in new tires sooner than needed. Also, keep in mind that many tire manufacturers will void a warranty if you don’t rotate your tires regularly.
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.