Before we delve into the issue, let us understand tyre rotation. Tyre rotation is a significant chapter of car maintenance. It involves changing the position of the tyres of your car to ensure that all four tyres wear uniformly. Generally, as and when tyres are rotated, the front ones are moved back, while the rear tyres are brought to the front. This is carried out in a specific pattern based on whether the vehicle is a front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. The pattern also depends on the types or the nature of tyres used in the car. Periodic rotation of tyres increases the longevity of the tyres and betters the overall improvement of the vehicle.
Now, the question here is what happens when you ignore this concept? What is the effect of ignoring this crucial task? Let us explore.
It Leads To Uneven Wear And Tear of the Tyres
One of the most obvious consequences of not rotating the tyres of your vehicle is that they start undergoing wear and tear. That’s because different tyres of your vehicle are subjected to varying extents of stress. For example, if your car is front-wheel drive, the front tyres will carry more weight and will naturally suffer more and faster wear and tear than their rear counterparts. That is because the front tyres of a front-wheel drive are responsible for steering your vehicle. Thus, if you do not rotate the tyres of your car periodically, the ones that suffer more wear and tear will affect the performance of your car.
How can you detect uneven wear & tear?
- Cupping: scalloped, uneven patterns on the surface of the tyres
- Bald spots on the tyre surface: Certain areas losing the treads
- Certain areas suffer excessive tear: Certain areas suffer more wear & tear than others, indicating misalignment or inaccurate inflation.
Poor Handling of the Car
When you have uneven tyres in your vehicle, it not only affects the health of your tyres but also affects the overall handling of the vehicle. If one or two tyres suffer(s) more wear and tear than the others, it will throw your vehicle out of balance. This will cause your vehicle to vibrate severely and cause reduced traction. More importantly, you will have less control over your vehicle when driving, more so while you are driving on wet, slippery roads or during rain. Your car will pull over to one side, left or right, depending on the tyre that has worn out more, and you will find it difficult to drive straight and smoothly.
Reduced Mileage and Fuel Efficiency
When you have uneven tyres, it will cause more rolling resistance. That means the engine of your car will have to work harder to keep your car moving, retaining the intended speed. Naturally, it will considerably reduce fuel efficiency. If your car has misaligned and worn-out tyres, it will demand more fuel to retain the intended speed, spiking up your fuel cost.
It Will Reduce the Longevity of the Tyres
Tyres, more so the ones from the best makes, never come at cut-slash prices. They are pretty expensive. So when you ignore tyre rotation, the life of the tyres is significantly reduced, raising the need to get new tyres more frequently, drilling a hole in your wallet. The damages that not rotating tyres cause include cracking of the sidewall and separation of the tread, which affect your safety and security during drives. So the tyres must be replaced, leading to unnecessary expenses.
The Probability of Tyre Failure Rises Significantly
When you do not rotate the tyres, their uneven wear and tear can lead to structural weakness. As a result of this, the probability increases significantly. When that happens at high speed, it can be dangerous and even fatal, caused by total loss of control over your vehicle. Thus, keeping the tyres of your car evenly worn is one of the most important safety steps you need to take.
It Will Cause Poor Braking Performance
When you have all four tyres of your car evenly worn out, all of them will provide identical traction levels. When one tyre wears out more than the others, it will severely affect the braking performance of your car. It will increase the time it takes for your car to come to a complete halt. It will prove to be extremely dangerous in emergency situations, for obvious reasons.
Misalignment Problems
Another problem that you face when you do not rotate the tyres, is a misalignment issue. Misaligned tyres wear unevenly, and when you have an unevenly worn-out tyre, they will lead you to more serious issues like steering problems, faulty suspension systems, and the like.
Uneven Tyre Pressure
When you do not rotate the tyres periodically, they suffer from uneven tyre pressure. As they wear down unevenly due to lack of rotation, the pressure of the tyres may not be uniform and balanced across all four of them. This will invariably lead to underinflation of some tyres and overinflation of others, affecting safe driving, and fuel efficiency.
It Will Affect the Suspension System
As and when the tyres of your car wear out unevenly, it will exert some extra strain on your vehicle’s suspension system. The responsibility of the suspension system is to absorb shocks and maintain stability. When all the tyres do not rotate evenly, the suspension system will try to compensate for the uneven wear. Over time, it will lead to the suspension system being subjected to extra strain, which will, in turn, lead to more deterioration of the system.
Besides all these direct impacts, neglecting the rotation of tyres will result in a decreased resale price of your car.
The Final Words
Rotating the tyres of your car is a simple, inexpensive chore that can save you a lot of trouble later. You run the danger of experiencing uneven wear, poor handling, decreased fuel efficiency, and tyre failure if you don’t rotate the tyres regularly. You can prolong the life of the tyres, enhance the performance of your car, and protect your safety while driving by rotating them regularly. To ensure your car continues to perform smoothly for many years to come, including tyre rotation in your routine maintenance regimen.