Today, we’re diving into the world of tire maintenance. We’ll go over tire rotation, balancing, and alignment—the essential trio for helping keep your ride smooth and your tires happy.
Tire rotation is like playing musical chairs with your tires—you simply take the tires you have installed and change their order on your vehicle. Front tires usually wear out faster due to their role in steering and braking. By rotating them, you help ensure that all four tires age gracefully together.
For most Mopar vehicles, the recommended rotation pattern is front-to-rear. But if you’ve got a full-size spare like on a Jeep· Wrangler, for example, you can include that in the mix too. Check your owner’s manual or ask a service technician about the best pattern for your ride.
It’s recommended that every 6,000 miles to 8,000 miles you should rotate your tires to help even out wear and tear. Check your owner’s manual or ask a service technician about the manufacturers recommended tire rotation schedule.
Tire Balancing: The Art of Evenness
Ever felt your steering wheel shake at high speeds? That’s a sign your tires might be out of balance. Tire balancing involves adding small weights to the wheels to help ensure they spin evenly. This not only smoothens your ride but also helps prevent premature tire wear and potential damage to your suspension.
Balancing is usually done whenever you get new tires, or as recommended by the tire manufacturer (approx. every 5,000 to 6,000 miles). It’s a quick and easy process that helps benefit your vehicle in the long run.
Tire Alignment: The Straight and Narrow
Alignment is all about keeping your wheels pointing in the right direction. Hitting potholes, curbs, or even regular wear and tear can throw your alignment off, leading to uneven tire wear, decreased efficiency and even safety issues.
There are three types of tire alignment:
- Toe: This is about the angle at which your tires point inward or outward when viewed from above.
- Camber: This is the tilt of your tires when viewed from the front.
- Caster: This is the angle of your steering axis when viewed from the side.
Regularly checking and maintaining proper tire alignment helps prolong tire life and uphold your vehicle’s safety and security. It’s important to get your tire alignment checked whenever you notice your vehicle pulling to one side, and make sure follow the manufactures guidelines regarding tire alignment checks and mileage.
Why Bother?
Regular tire rotation, balancing, and alignment do more than help keep your ride smooth. These maintenance techniques also:
- Help extend tire life: Even wear helps your tires last longer.
- Aid in safety: Properly maintained tires can grip the road better.
- Improve efficiency: Less resistance helps improve performance.
All three of these tire maintenance services are essential to keeping your vehicle healthy.
Keep Those Wheels Turning
And there you have it—tire rotation, balancing, and alignment are necessary tire care practices every vehicle owner should maintain. Keep up with these simple maintenance tasks and your ride will thank you with smooth commutes and longer-lasting tires.
To schedule maintenance services with your local Mopar garage, visit mopar.com.
