Why You Should Rotate and Balance Your Tires

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What You Should Know About Tire Rotation and Balancing

Like maintaining proper tire pressure, regularly rotating and balancing your tires plays a crucial role in keeping your wheel-tire set in excellent condition. When all four of your tires are as equal in weight as possible, they will roll smoothly, assuring you that they will wear evenly. This can extend your tires’ lifespan, saving you lots of money.

Tire Rotation vs Tire Balancing

Rotating your tires isn’t the same as balancing them. Rotation involves moving tires from one position on your car to another. The front tires are usually moved to the rear and vice-versa, although you can also switch the left and right sides if you prefer.

Typically, tire rotation should be performed for every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, although there could be exceptions. Your car owner’s manual should be able to tell you the right time for rotating your tires.

Balancing, on the other hand, means making sure that the weight of the combined tires and wheels is evenly distributed. The best time to balance your tires is when they are being rotated not only because it’s convenient to do so but also because you might have an imbalanced tire on the rear which you won’t know until you move it to the front. However, you can also get it done under any of these circumstances:

• Have your tires balanced at least once every two years, or once each year if you normally drive on rough roads.

• You experience vibrations in the steering wheel, your seat, or the floorboard.

• You notice uneven tire wear.

• You repair a tire after getting a flat.

• You buy a new tire.

• A weight from the rim falls off.

Why Is It Important to Rotate and Balance Your Tires?

You’ll have an uncomfortable ride if your tires are out of balance as they can cause your car to shake. Your tires will also wear out unevenly, especially if you’re using the same car every day.

If you’re someone who likes to make quick turns on the road, or if you often carry a lot of weight in the back of your car, you need to get your tires checked at least once a month.

The most common signs of unbalanced tires are uneven and faster tread wear, poor fuel economy, and vibration in the steering wheel, floorboard, or car seat. It’s also imperative to note that tires and wheels aren’t precisely equal in terms of weight distribution, which means that some areas might be slightly heavier than others. Only half an ounce in weight difference can already lead to vibration while you’re driving.

Not many drivers realize this, but even tire wear is also important for balanced handling. For instance, when you fail to rotate tires on a front-wheel-drive vehicle, your front tires will eventually have significantly shallower treads than your rear tires. This could make it more difficult for you to navigate your car in an emergency, particularly if you’re on a slippery road.

Additionally, some vehicles that have no suspension may encounter unusual wear patterns on tires that are not rotated, shortening their lifespan. One of these patterns, tread cupping, which can cause high noise levels and vibrations, can be eliminated through tire rotation.

Excessive tread wear can also be the product of a poor balance job from the tire shop. Ignoring such an issue increases the chance of your uneven tire blowing out.

Aside from providing you with optimum ride quality, a well-balanced set of tires facilitates even tread wear, maximizes fuel economy, and gives you a safer, more stable, and satisfying driving experience.

You Can Transform Your Beater into a Cancer-Fighting Weapon

If you have an old car that you’re no longer interested in using, you can give it a well-deserved retirement by donating it to us at Breast Cancer Car Donations. When you do that, you’ll not only rid yourself of an unwanted car quickly, but you’ll also be doing a charitable deed meant to save lives.

We will put your donated vehicle up for auction, with the proceeds going straight to leading breast cancer nonprofit organizations that are in partnership with us. Like us, these IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofits work tirelessly to support women across the country who are suffering from breast cancer and who lack the means to get proper medical care.

Our charity partners use the funding they get from us to provide uninsured and indigent breast cancer patients with easy access to top medical facilities in the country as well as financial assistance to cover the costs of their treatments, doctor appointments, medications, and other essential health care services they need. Other beneficiaries get to receive free breast cancer screening and diagnosis, as well as prevention and education services.

You will also benefit immensely from your charitable contribution. It will entitle you to receive the maximum tax deduction in the next tax season. Moreover, we’ll provide you with our free pickup and towing service anywhere in the United States.

Best of all, you’ll get to experience the priceless satisfaction of doing a life-saving charitable act.

You can donate not just a car but just about any other type of vehicle whatever its age or condition.

For information on our quick and convenient donation process and other details about our vehicle donation program, feel free to check out our FAQs page. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 866-540-5069 or write to us here.

Know What It’s Like to Be a Hero Today!

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It only takes a simple vehicle donation to turn you into a hero for your less fortunate neighbors who are battling breast cancer. Call Breast Cancer Car Donations at 866-540-5069 or fill out our secure online donation form now!

Last Updated: August 15th, 2023