Most Ford vehicles need to have their tires rotated every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. This interval varies by model, so be sure to check your owner's manual. You might be wondering why switching your tires around is so important. In answer to that, here are four good reasons to visit your local Ford dealer for tire rotation two or three times a year.
4 Benefits of Getting a Tire Rotation for Your Ford
Stay Safer on the Road
The tires of any car are put under an unequal amount of pressure. The uneven weight distribution or power of a front or rear-wheel drive ensures that one or two tires are wearing down faster. This uneven wear occurs in the tread depth of each tire.
Tread depth is the primary thing that keeps your tires from losing traction on sharp curves of the road. It's unwise to let just one or two tires wear down to a much farther degree than the others. All it takes is a single tire losing traction to cause a skid. Regular rotation greatly mitigates this risk.
Keep Proper Wheel Alignment
Various factors can cause ever-so-slight misalignment in your wheels. It might be an underlying issue with your suspension or steering or resulting from a pothole impact. Also, a worn ball joint, faulty strut, or worn down tie rod might cause camber issues: a slightly tilting wheel.
When left undetected, these problems lead tire treads to wear excessively on the inside or outside. This will further exacerbate the misalignment or camber issue, which eventually poses a safety risk to the driver and also forces you to replace your tires more frequently. Each time you go in for rotation, your technician will detect and repair any such problems.
Save Cash on New Tires
As tires are almost always bought in sets of four, replacing your tires isn't an insignificant cost. Tires typically last for 40,000 to 60,000 miles. And periodical rotation helps your tires survive closer to the 60,000-mile mark.
Over the entire lifespan of your Ford, this might mean just four or five sets of tires rather than six or seven. That could easily be an extra one or two thousand dollars, or even more, in your pocket.
Keep Your Warranty Valid
Last but not least, it's always worth maintaining a valid warranty. If you have a tire warranty, you can rest assured that your tires will be replaced at no cost in the case of premature failure.
But all tire warranties stipulate regular rotation as a condition for validity. So check how often both your warranty and car owner manual recommend rotation and stick to the suggested schedule.
How a Ford Dealer Rotates Your Tires
When you go in for rotation, the whole process usually takes about an hour. The technician will raise your car and inspect the tires, wheels, and axles. Any underlying problems found can be fixed at this point.
They'll then swap the tires around using one of three patterns: the rearward cross, the forward cross, or the diagonal cross. The choice of the pattern depends on your vehicle's make and model.
Have your tires inspected, rotated, or replaced today at Ken Ganley Ford West. We're the region's one-stop shop for all things Ford.
