Front tyres typically wear faster than rear tyres on front-wheel-drive vehicles — which make up the majority of cars on Cardiff roads — because they handle both steering and driving forces simultaneously. Without rotation, the front pair can wear out in as few as 15,000 to 20,000 miles whilst the rears still have significant tread remaining, meaning you replace two tyres unnecessarily frequently whilst the other two are still serviceable.
Regular tyre rotation — typically every 6,000 to 10,000 miles or at every other oil change — evens out the wear across all four tyres, extending the overall lifespan of the set and ensuring all four tyres always have comparable tread depth. This is not only more economical but safer, since having tyres of significantly different tread depths can cause handling imbalances, particularly under braking.
Rotation patterns vary depending on whether the vehicle is front, rear or all-wheel drive, and whether directional or non-directional tyres are fitted. Some high-performance vehicles have different-sized front and rear tyres, which prevents rotation entirely. If you are unsure about the correct rotation pattern for your vehicle, the team at Royal Mobile Tyres Cardiff can advise during any mobile tyre service visit.