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Tyre rotation is the practice of moving tyres from one position on the vehicle to another, to allow the tyres to wear more evenly over their lifespan.
At Kwik Fit we recommend you fit any new tyres to the rear axle and in matching pairs where possible, and rotate your tyres every 6,000 Miles, or 6 Months - where this complies with vehicle manufacturer recommendations.
More frequent rotations may be required if driver usage involves prolonged periods of high speeds and/or high loads, as well as rugged surfaces.
Why do we recommend:
Each tyre is under slightly different demand, and therefore wears slightly differently.
A drive axle will wear faster than a non-driven axle, taking more of the torque and friction.
Most of the braking force is applied to the front axle, which can also accelerate wear here.
New tyres may be susceptible to higher wear rate due to having a deeper tread depth. This extra depth of tread leads to higher heat generation, cause by greater tread block movement, which can affect the rolling resistance and wear characteristics.
If your car is an all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive model, even wear across the tyres is important to reduce stress on the drivetrain components.
Rotation patterns
Rearward Cross
Recommended for Rear wheel drive vehicles.
Rear tyres move to the front axle, remaining on the same side, and the front tyres move to the rear but opposite sides.
X-Pattern
Recommended for 4-wheel / all-wheel drive vehicles.
Tyres are moved diagonally across the vehicle, changing axle and side.
Forward Cross
Recommended for front wheel drive.
The front axle is moved directly to the back, the rear tyres then move to the front, and are swapped to opposing sides.
Side to side
For staggered fitments and different sized tyres.
As the pattern suggests, tyres are moved from one side of the axle to the other.
Front to back
For directional tyres.
Tyre is moved to the rear axle while the rear tyre is repositioned on the front axle.
Top tips for rotation
Alter pressures accordingly to manufacturer recommendations when moving across axles (front-to-back), not all vehicles have equal pressures.
Follow the vehicle manufacturers schedule where possible, as some producers may require more regular swaps, for example a Tesla service schedule.
On any 4x4 vehicle it is vital that you check with the vehicle manufacturer to ensure there are no issues regarding differing tread depths on axles. This is particularly important when fitting tyres in pairs only.
Wheel alignment goes hand-in-hand with rotations and pro-longing tyre life, take advantage of our free alignment check after every rotation.
Look at the tread pattern on your vehicle:
Asymmetric and directional tyres can only be fitted in one position, the 'outside' and 'rotation' markings will dictate this, front to rear swap only, no side to side. It is however possible to use tyre rotation providing directional tyres are turned on the rim to maintain correction rotation.
Your tyre size can be found on the sidewall of your current tyre and is a sequence of numbers and letters. The most common tyre size in the UK is 205/55R16 but there are many variations so it’s important to check your existing tyre first before searching for tyres.
Tip: Take a photo of your existing tyre sidewall to make it easier to identify your tyre size using the guide below.
The first three digits. This displays the width of the tyre in millimetres. A tyre marked 225 will measure 225mm across the tread from sidewall to sidewall.
Aspect Ratio
The fourth and fifth digits of the tyre code that immediately follow the tyre width. The aspect ratio or profile height of the tyre sidewall is expressed as a percentage of the tyre width. So an aspect ratio of 55 for example means that the profile height of the tyre is 55% of its width.
Rim Diameter
The next two digits represent the size of the wheel rim that the tyre can be fitted to. It is also the diameter of the tyre from bead to bead. So a tyre marked 16 will fit on a 16-inch wheel rim.
Speed Rating
The speed rating of a tyre is represented by a letter of the alphabet at the end of the tyre size code and indicates the maximum speed capability of the tyre. Tyres receive a speed rating based on a series of tests which measure the tyres capability to handle a set speed for a prolonged period of time.
Select your tyre speed rating to find out the maximum speed your tyres can maintain.
If you are unsure what speed rating you need, be sure to check your vehicle handbook. Choosing a lower speed rating than that recommended by your vehicle manufacturer could potentially invalidate your insurance.
Load Rating
The load index provides information on the maximum weight capability for the tyre. The load index is a numerical code that can be located just after the tyre size marking and before the speed rating.
Select your load index to find out the maximum load capability for your tyres.
Although not illegal, it is not advisable to have tyres with a lower speed rating or load index than the manufacturer recommended tyre specification for your vehicle, or to have a combination of different tyre construction types. Consult your vehicle handbook to confirm your vehicle’s tyre speed rating and load index as well as any additional requirements.
0800 75 76 77 You can reach our customer care team 6 days a week from 9:00am to 6:00pm on Monday and Thursday, 8:30am to 6:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Saturday, and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Bank Holidays.
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Select Tyre Size
Front Tyre Size
Rear Tyre Size
We endeavour to ensure we are displaying the correct tyres for your vehicle. However, we recommend all customers check the tyre size printed on the side wall of their tyres before proceeding with a tyre purchase as occasionally discrepancies do occur. By selecting the tyre sizes above and clicking 'Continue', you are indicating that you have checked your tyre sizes.
Please select your front and rear tyre size before clicking 'Continue'.
We have identified the tyre size(s) that may fit your {VEHICLE}. Please select your front tyre size and rear tyre size below before clicking 'Continue'.
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Please note: There is a slope that the vehicle must be driven up to reach the vehicle ramp at this centre. This may prevent us from being able to work on some high-performance vehicles, Tesla vehicles or vehicles that have been lowered. If your vehicle has low ground clearance, please contact the centre team on 01342 314 111 before booking.
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