4×4 Tire Rotation – [How to Rotate The Tire of a 4WD Truck?]
Regular tire rotation is the key to maintaining uniform tread wear, optimized performance, and overall safety of a 4×4 or 4WD truck on the road.
A compatible tire rotation pattern ensures top-notch traction, enhanced fuel average, and negligible cabin noise, whereas an incompatible tire rotation pattern will not only ruin the set of expensive tires but also compromise the overall safety of the vehicle on the road.
We have compiled a bunch of compatible 4×4 or 4WD tire rotation patterns along with easy-to-follow steps.
How to Rotate Tire of a 4×4?
REQUIRED TOOLS:
PROCESS:
STEP NO 1: Park the truck on a flat surface and set the parking or hand brake to ensure the vehicle shouldn’t roll. If your truck has a manual transmission, put it in gear or “Park” for automatic transmissions.
STEP NO 2: Place Tire Wedges/wheel Chocks on the opposite end of the truck that you’re lifting.
STEP NO 3: Slightly lose the lug nuts with an appropriate wrench, remember we don’t have to completely remove the nuts at this point, a few counterclockwise turns will be enough.
STEP NO 4: Lift one side of the Truck off the ground by using a jack. Consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual if you are struggling to find a proper jacking point.
STEP NO 5: Once the truck is lifted, secure it with at least two jack stands and double-check the jack stands before lowering the jack.
Caution: if you are going to raise the whole side of the car make sure to place two jack stands underneath, however for a single corner one will be enough.
STEP NO 6: Completely unscrew the tires and carefully Remove them.
STEP NO 7: Select an appropriate tire rotation pattern as per the tire tread types (directional or non-directional), we highly recommend going through the owner’s manual for the recommended patterns as per the type and anatomy of the vehicle.
NOTE: If you own a 4WD with a full-size spare tire, make sure to take advantage of the moment and include it in the tire rotation. The inclusion of the spare tire will ensure that all tires have equal chances of wearing down, resulting super smooth ride even on the spare tire.
STEP NO 8: Choose an appropriate 4×4 rotation pattern from here and rotate the tires.
STEP NO 9: After completion of the tire rotation process, Place the lug nuts back and tighten them correctly, star or crisscross are the recommended patterns for tightening the lug nuts.
STEP NO 10: Raise the vehicle off the jack stand and carefully remove them, now lower the car slowly and remove the jack. Apply some torque on the lug nuts and put the body weight behind the wrench to get a snug fit.
STEP NO 12: Monitor the tire pressure with a tire gauge and adjust it as per the owner’s manual.
Record the Rotation
I mostly use chalk or a tire crayon to mark each tire with its current position (front left, front right, rear left, rear right) to track down the tire wearing patterns and identify issues like misalignment, suspension, or tire pressure irregularities.
Recommended Read: How to rotate the tires of an all wheel drive?
4×4 or 4WD Tire Rotation Patterns
Selection of an appropriate tire rotation pattern is crucial to not only maintaining even tire wear but also the suspension, traction, and overall performance of the vehicle on the road.
Since all 4×4 trucks are not created for similar purposes we can’t assign a universal tire rotation pattern for all. Different rotation patterns should be adopted as per the requirements.
Below are some of the most commonly used tire rotation patterns for a 4×4(4WD).
1. Tire Rotation Patterns for a 4×4 with Directional Tires:
Front-to-rear is the simplest yet effective tire rotation pattern for a 4WD with a set of directional tires.
Front to Rear Pattern:
Front to Rear is also known as the frontward or forward rotation pattern, commonly used for front or rear-wheel drive 4×4 trucks with directional tires.
Practical Steps:
- Swap the Front tires with the rears; remember the tires should be on the same side of the vehicle for instance, the front right and left replace the rear right and left and vice versa.
2. Tire Rotation Patterns for a 4×4 with Non-directional Tires:
Rearward cross and X-pattern are the most commonly used tire rotation for a 4×4 truck with a set of non-directional tires.
Rearward Cross:
Practical Steps
- Move both rear tires forward. I.e rear right goes to the front right and the rear left goes to the front left.
- Now, shift the front tires to the back in a cross or X pattern. I.e front right goes to the rear left and the front left goes to the rear right.
X-Pattern:
Practical Steps
- Swap the tires in an X- pattern. I.e Front right swapped with the rear left and the front left with the rear right.
3. Tire Rotation Patterns for a 4×4 with Staggered Tires:
Staggered tires refer to a tire setup on a vehicle where the front and rear tires have different sizes or widths. Hence we only have the option to swap them side to side below are the practical steps to do that.
Side to Side:
Practical Steps
- Swap the front right with the front left and the rear right with the rear left.
4. Tire Rotation Patterns for a 4WD or 4×4 With a Spare Tire:
If your 4×4 has a full-size spare tire (not compact or donut), we highly recommend adopting the below tire rotation pattern to ensure the spare doesn’t go to waste.
Rearward Cross 5-Tire Rotation Pattern:
Practical steps:
- Replace the spare tire with the rear right and move the rear right to the front right.
- Replace the rear left with the front right.
- Finally, replace the rear left with the front left and keep the front left in spare.
Recommended Read: How to rotate the tires of a front wheel drive?
How Often Should You Rotate Your Tires on a 4×4 Truck?
For exact figures we highly recommend skimming the user manual, however as a general thumb rule, tire rotation of a 4WD or 4×4 should be performed between 5,000 to 7,500 depending on the following factors.
- Tire quality and type
- Driving style
- Driving conditions.
- Weight distribution of the vehicle.
- How much weight you are carrying?
As per my experience, the front tires of a 4WD wear out faster because of engine weight and transmission.
Recommended Read: How to rotate the tires of a rear wheel drive?
Conclusion
Like other vehicles tire rotation of a 4×4 truck should be done timely to not only ensure the longevity of the newly purchased tires but also traction and overall performance of the vehicle.
Selection of a compatible tire rotation pattern is also crucial, a wrong tire rotation pattern may lead to uneven tire wear, compromised handling, reduced traction, and potentially unsafe driving conditions.
We recommend skimming the owner’s manual first before starting the rotation process if you are still confused, please let us know, and we will be more than happy to assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What Is the Best Pattern for 4×4 Tire Rotations?
It depends on the type of tires your vehicle has, for directional tires front to rear is the recommended one, however for non-directional tires rearward cross and X patterns work like a charm.
Similarly, if you own a 4×4 truck with staggered tires, you will have only the option to rotate them side to side.
Are 4×4 Tires Directional?
It depends on the specific tire model, design, and purpose of the vehicle. 4WD trucks that are specifically designed for both off-road and on-road are mostly equipped with non-directional tires.
On the other hand directional tires are designed to enhance water evacuation, reduce hydroplaning, and provide better traction in wet conditions.
Directional tires have a tread pattern that is engineered to rotate in one direction for optimal performance. These tires typically have an arrow or a similar indicator on the sidewall indicating the intended direction of rotation.
What Signs Indicate That My 4×4 Tires Need Rotation?
We recommend tire rotation after 5000 to 7500 depending on the driving style, driving conditions, tires quaintly, vehicle weight, etc.
Typically, uneven tread wear, increased road noise, and poor traction are the most common signs that the vehicle needs a proper tire inspection.