Want to rotate tires with one jack? If yes, then you have come to the right place. As we all know, when it comes to driving, tires play an essential role in controlling vehicles. The article will help provide you with all the relevant information to understand how to rotate tires with one jack.
Many experts and mechanics suggest rotating the tires after a certain period. It will prolong the life of your tires and also enhance safety. One should take care of the vehicle tires to keep them in excellent shape so that the tires can grasp the road during motion.
The continuous Wear-down of tires is especially the constant friction between the tires and the ground. One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your tires in good condition is to rotate them regularly. If you know, you can easily do this task by yourself. No problem if you are unaware this article is for you.
You should also know in what time sequence you should rotate the vehicle’s tires. Let’s discuss all the necessary information.
Why Rotate Tires?
To keep tires well and extend their lives, it becomes essential to rotate them. As we all know, there is friction between the tires and the ground. Also, the vehicle’s weight is not distributed correctly on all the tires. The front tires carry more weight as compared to the rear ones.
That’s why your front tires wear faster compared to the rear ones. Your front tires wear more quickly than the rear tires when you turn. Taking turns is most notably through the right tires, which puts more load on the front right tire, and so, the right tire wears faster than the left.
Now you know why your front and rear tires wear differently. So it is necessary to rotate your tires regularly to wear them naturally. When you rotate your tires after a certain period, you will get a safer and smoother ride. Also, this method will save money which is beneficial for you.
Tools Required For Tires Rotation
Some of the vital tools which are needed to rotate tires with one jack are as follows:
Car Jack
Usually, each car has a jack that comes with it. If you lift your vehicle with a car jack, it is safe. This apparatus aims to raise the vehicle to change vehicle tires quickly. If the jack is a hydraulic one, it is easy to use and will take less effort and time to do your work.
Jack Stand
Once you lift your vehicle with a jack, install the jack to keep your car in a rest position. There are different kinds of jack stands available. A person can quickly get the required one. The bottle jack is also usable during rotation, which is safer.
How To Rotate Tires With One Jack
Well, you will know everything here in this section. First of all, park your car on the ground level. Make sure that before loosening the studs and nuts, stop the motion of the wheels with the utilization of the gear handle. Also, pull the E-brake.
When the tires are in the air, they can spin, making it challenging to loosen studs and nuts. Jack up one side, front or back, and lower the axle as much to nestle on the jack stand. Shift to the other tire and repeat the process until all the tires are in the air and the car remains totally on the jack stands.
Once you realize that it is in the air and is secure, you can remove the tires. The process of rotating your tires will depend on whether you have directional tires or non-directional tires. Directional tires are made to rotate in one direction, while the non-direction can rotate in either direction.
Fix the studs and nuts appropriately after placing your car’s tires again correctly. Remove the jack stands and vehicle’s jack. When you travel around 3000 to 6000 miles with your vehicle, you should consider rotating your tires to keep the tires in good shape. Do it before any sign of wear.
The Patterns of Rotation: Directional or Non-Directional Tires
We need to know what pattern we will use to rotate your tires before opening lug nuts. How you rotate your tires depends on whether your car has directional or non-directional tires.
Directional Tires
Directional tires are specially made for either the left or right side because of their one-way tread pattern. You can also see a small triangle and minor arrows on the tires’ sidewalls. These signs indicate which side the vehicle tires are supposed to turn.
When you want to rotate the directional tires, just switch the front right tires for the rear right tires and the front left tire for the left rear tire.
Non-Directional Tires
In the case of non-directional tires, the tread pattern is ideal for any kind of wheel. Therefore you have to use the cross pattern to easily rotate your non-directional tires without any complication.
Now let’s know how to use the cross pattern to rotate non-directional tires. For the cars that contain rear-wheel drive, you need to shift the front tires of your vehicle to the opposite side, that is, right front to left rear and left rear to the right front.
The rear tires can be moved freely as it is. In the case of front-wheel-drive cars, you need to move the back tires to the opposite front side, that is, right rear to the left front and left rear to the right front. And for the front tires, these will go straight back to the rear as it is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rotate my vehicle tires?
Yes, if you have the proper knowledge of rotating tires, you do this yourself. You should be familiar with the vital tools usage and pattern of rotating the tires. The regular tire rotation will extend the life of the tires.
How many jacks are needed to rotate tires?
You can use two jacks, but we recommend three jacks so that you do your task safely. Sometimes a minor problem becomes a big issue, so use three jacks instead of one or two. Ensure that you are using the correct pattern of rotating your car’s tires.
Can you rotate tires with one jack stand?
Yes, it is tricky, but a person can rotate vehicle tires with one jack stand. You should perform each step during the rotation of your tires. If you did not perform a single step during the process, you would complicate it. With the essential tools utilization and proper guidance, this is how to rotate tires with one jack which is not relatively difficult.
How will I know if my tires are directional or non-directional?
To know the difference between directional and non-directional is not much complicated. If you want to know whether your tires are directional or non-directional, simply inspect your tires’ outer sidewalls.
You will observe an arrow or the word ‘Rotation’ or ‘Direction’ there on the tires.
How often should you rotate your vehicle tires?
We suggest that when you change the car’s oil, then rotate your tires also. Or you can rotate your tires after every 3600 to 6000 miles to keep the tires in proper shape.
Final thoughts
We hope that the article has all the essential information for everyone about how to rotate tires with one jack. With the help of proper guidance and vital tools, one can easily rotate the vehicle’s tires. Don’t go in a hurry and follow every step with consciousness.
Use all the crucial tools during the process of rotation. You can also get help from someone who better understands vehicles like mechanics. Please don’t go for rotation of tires if you cannot manage things well.
