Reverse Tire Direction? (Rotating Tires)

[DEEPEE]

Does anyone reverse their tire rotation when rotating tires? These are mud grips so towards the end of the 6,000 miles when it's time to rotate, the lugs start to cup somewhat. The front end alignment is good, front end is all tight, it's just a mud grip thing. I always do the rotation by moving the front tires straight to the back and the back to the front. I heard some people say never do the cross pattern rotation which will change the direction of travel and might mess up the belts inside the tire. These are Firestone Destination M/T LT/285's. Thanks

[lefty1120]

I'll never reverse direction again. I just had the experience last month.

Reversed the tires last fall and in Jan I had all kinds of vibration going on. Took it to Goodyear and they road tested it and informed me the tires were bad....after only 36k.

Got new ones (not Goodyear either! ) and my 15 year old Grand Prix rides like new again.


I won't do it to my '05 GMC 4-wheel Sierra either.

Good luck.

[fuzzypuppy]

Some say that with new technoligy there is no problem with changing tire rotation.
I dIsagree with experience.
Think of the steel belts in your tire like a rope or piece of cloth, as the tire rotates "or you pull the rope or cloth" the weave of the steel belt encased in rubber (sets or streaches), when tire rotation is reversed you compress the weave of the steel belt, "if done to a rope or piece of cloth you'll see the weave open".
This can cause the belt in the tire to separate from the rubber that surrounds it, this can cause the tire to deform "go out of round" or to fail completely, (remember the firestone blowout recall).
Safest bet is to never change rotation.