Rotating Tires

Rotating tires is very important because if this is not done properly or not done at all the vehicle could go off the road or into the other lane of traffic. So for the safety of the passengers and driver, the tires should be rotated often.

Step 1: Step 1

The first step is to get a floor jack and four jack stands.The floor jack has four metal tires and a long handle. The jack stands have 4 legs that sit directly on the ground and a shaft that will lift up and sit down without going all the way back down.

Step 2: Step 2

Place all four jack stands by all four tires. Then place the floor jack under the front differential which is the big round part that has many bolts around the edges it is located under the car between the two tires. The handle on the floor jack so it will lift the vehicle without settling.

Step 3: Step 3

Jack the front of the vehicle up into the air so both the front tires are in the air and spin freely. This is very important because if the tires do not spin freely they will not come off. Place the front two jack stands underneath the vehicle as far apart as you can while still sitting underneath the axle itself and being sure not to pinch any cables, brake lines or wires. Then raise the jack stands up to the axle as far as they will allow. Make sure that the tires still spin freely. Then turn the jack handle so that it lets the front of the vehicle down softly onto the jack stands.

Step 4: Step 4

Take the floor jack to the back of the vehicle. Put the floor jack under the back axle in the same position and the front axle. Now turn the jack handle so that it will allow it to raise the back of the vehicle. Raise the back of the vehicle so that the back tires spin just like the front.

Step 5: Step 5

Put the jack stands under the back axle just like the front and raise them up until they will allow the floor jack to let the axle down but the tires to still spin. Turn the handle on the floor jack to let the back axle down onto the jack stands.

Step 6: Step 6

Now take the hubcaps off of the rims, because if they are on the lug nuts will not come off. Take your finger or a screwdriver and pry the cap open on all four rims and set them aside. The next step is to find a socket that will fit the lug nuts. This is very important that the right socket is being used, because if not the nut will be stripped and the nut will not be able to come off.

Step 7: Step 7

Take the socket and find a ratchet or a breaker bar that fits in the little square side of the socket. Use this to take off all of the lug nuts off of the axle to take the tire off. Take the front left tire and put it on the rear right side of the car and the back right tire on the left side of the car and do the exact same thing with the other two tires. The pattern should make an X.

Step 8: Step 8

Take the tires and put them on the axles and tighten the lug nuts. This is very, very important that the tires make an X when the lug nuts get tightened so that the rim is centered on the axle. If not the car will be offset and then it will shake itself loose and break off. Do this with all 4 tires.

Step 9: Step 9

Now that all 4 tires are on, take the floor jack and put it under the back axle where the vehicle was lifted it up at and lift it up and take the jack stands out from underneath the vehicle. Let the back of the car down onto the ground. Then do the same thing with the front of the car.

Step 10: Step 10

Then make sure that the lug nuts are tight with a torque wrench which will allow every lug nut around the whole car is the same tightness. Make sure that look in the owner’s manual is looked at for the specific torque for the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts to the specified torque with the correct socket and torque wrench.

Step 11: Step 11

Take the car on a drive for a few miles and then come back and re-torque the lug nights to make sure that they are all still tight and did not loosen up. The last step is to take the hubcaps and put them back