I read in the xB manual that tires should be rotated like the first drawing in the pics.

But I always do mine like the 3rd (front wheel drive) pattern.

Just wondering why.

TIA

 

What's odd, it that I noticed that the manual and the big factory (dealer) manual list 2 different ways. One is the first pic and one is the third pic.

I personally (on OE tires) used the third pic. I just put new tires on my wifes (2 box family) that are directional (Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS) so I will use the first pic on it from now on. I dunno why there is the disagreement though. Perhaps you could try posting the question in the tire section @ Bob is the Oil Guy for more info. There are actually some tire engineers that troll the boards and I imagine they would know.

 

Depends on the type of tires you have mounted.

If the tires are unidirectional, the rotation should only be rotated front to back (first pic) on the same side of the vehicle to preserve the rotational direction of the tires.

 

I have all ways done mine like the first pic shows on all my FWD cars.

 

yeah.. the problem is that.. the inside of the tire will always stay in the inside.. and all my tires are bald in the inside.. so i need them to take off the first two wheels.. take of the tire from the rims.. swap it and put it back.. so the bald part will be on the outside.. and do the same with the back.... this is the only sulotion for me.. anything else is POINTLESS...

 

Here is what i was taught by some tire techs from Michellin and BFG.

Old school tires ( biased ply ) tires you could rotate in an cross pattern and it was actually done this way. Rear to Front. Drivers front to passenger rear and vise versa for the passenger front. This was done to insure complete wear across the entire surface of the tire.

Now, moved to todays tires. The belts that are inside the tire will actually sit a certain way on each side of the car. The tire will actually learn or memorize which side the car they are on. Also which direction the tire moves. Meaning that the passenger side moves clockwise. Now if you toss them on the other side the tire is actually moving in the opposite direction ( counterclockwise ). This can cause belt shifting or tire failure.

The was i was taught was front to back and no criss-crossing the sides. Figure 1 i believe. Personally i do this every season change when i install my winter wheels. When i install the other set i move them front to back upon installation.

How true this information is i can only say that like i mentioned i was taughted this while selling tires back in highschool by Michellin and BFG techs.

 

My directional Pzeros get the first pic rotation. My stock tires get switched to whatever spot cause I don't lable what spot they came off everytime I switch them for the 18s.

 

Given what CBSIMONSEZ mentioned, thats some enlightening info!
I also do #1. I'll check with the dealership next time to see what they say.
#1 keeps the tires spinning the same direction(steel belt senerio), yet alternates the tire load from heavey(front), or not as heavey(rear) .... for well balancing.

 

you are absolutely correct. shifting the drive forces on the internal tire belts will cause the tire reinforcement to actually become your worst enemy and will shred the tire from the inside out. stick to option one of the list mentioned above regardless of what type of drive the vehicle is, otherwise you'll snap the belts and screw your self pretty bad.

 

uhm.... so i should do what i just did????

all my tires are bald on the inside.. well... i cant really afford new tires.. so i went to the shop and told them to take off the tires of the wheels and swap the tires so all the bald part will be on the outside.. so now im riding the good part of the tires again. ( which is now on the inside)




regular tire rotation would be pointless.. wherever i put the wheels the inside of the tire would stay on the inside.. only sulotion was to swap the tires.. so the bald part is on the outside but i dont care because im riding the inside of my tires. so i hop i dont need to change tires for another 2 months.

 

Ummm, why not correct all your camber issues so your tires will wear properly then? Gotta be cheaper than constantly buying new tires.

 

Exactly. In the long run you will spend more money fixing the problem by just rotating the tires incorrectly. Fix the camber.

 

i did.. 3 times in 10k miles.. even if i would get my allignment done every month my tires would be bad somewhere.....


the 3 alignment cost me half a set wheel


i have 17's.... not that big drop ( hotchkis ) 1.7 and 1.9 drop

and it looks like the alignment goes off extremely easy/fast

 

I'd be getting another alignment place or replacing the bad parts that are causing the alignment to go south. That is not normal at all!
Maybe it's the roads where you live. I'd move if it was that bad.

 

move if it thats bad :D:D:D:D:D
yeah right.

i took it to toyota twice and once to a regular shop where they do alignment.

 

you either have a faulty chamber kit OR your stock chamber alignment is off OR your toe alignment is off. take it to Firestone or Leschwab where they have the proper equipment and don't work on a "how many cars can i get done in an hour" basis.

 

If you are taking your car in for an allignment every 3K miles cause you have abnormal wear on your tires .. you have serious issues. I have had my box for 4 1/2 years and guess how many times i have had an allignment ... NONE. I have had 3 sets of springs on the car and at least 4 sets of wheels/tires and i dont have any wear issues. Oh yeah, did i mention im here in the Northeast where potholes can swallow small children?

Did you buy your Scion used? I cant help but to think your car was in an accident and you werent told.

 

and i've literally gone rally sporting my xB during this last winter... no joke... no problems here and still running everything from the factory. LOTS of icy spin outs too

 

accident? and because of that the tires wearing the same way on all four corners? dont think so.

WHEREVER i take it they always say: oh its lowered we cant do it. take it to a special shop......................... yeah? guess what it doesnt exist :D ...

i dont know what is the problem with my car. i know lowered scions and they dont have this problem... next time i will tell tham to check tha car out because of this... and yeah.. my tires get eaten up in 10-12 k miles........ this is my second set of tires eaten up in the same 10-12k range /same way

 

are your wheels wider and deeper into the wheel well over stock? EI higher offset and wider cross section? if so, that with a lowered job will make the chamber settings all wrong and will have to be re-aligned. i don't care what any of those shops say, you have a chamber problem and if you were local to me, i'd do it FOR you because shops saying they can't do anything like that is a load of bull. Firestone for one WILL re-align it for you, this i know for sure because of several buddies of mine who work there in my area. if the alignment is different from what their system says it's supose to be, they will align it for you. it just takes longer.