“Rotation is not the answer to solving an axle misalignment issue or other mechanical issue,” says Michelin’s Doug Jones.

Adding tire rotation to your maintenance routine probably sounds like a nuisance. But even when alignment is kept up to snuff, tires do wear unevenly. Add to this the tendency for parts to wear and get out of alignment before you take action, and tire rotation begins to make more sense.

Some experts believe rotation can even out wear and put off the date when tires need to be removed for retreading or replacement because of worn tread. Other tire makers aren’t so quick to recommend it.

“You should rotate only based on actual problems,” says Walt Weller, vice president sales at CMA, maker of Double Coin tires. However, he has seen cases in which some long-haul fleets run steer tires in the drive position for the first 15,000 to 25,000 miles because steers are “prone to irregular wear” in the steer position, but less so after being slightly worn in a drive position. From a wear point of view, this may make sense, but, he says, “Some say the trouble is not worth it. You have to consider the cost of rotating those tires.”

Yokohama’s Pat Keating, senior technical engineer, points out that trailer tires get less benefit from rotation. “Whether the additional mileage is added in a cost-effective way depends on the particulars” of the operation.

“If it is application-specific,” says Ron Gilbert, director of commercial products at Toyo Tire USA, “then tire rotation may be warranted to prolong tire life. Other than this, tire rotation on commercial vehicles causes increased labor cost for little, if any, return on your investment.”

So is it cost-effective to rotate in your application? Consider these points.

Tire wear