How to Rotate Tires | DIY Car Repairs | The Home Depot, by The Home Depot on YouTube. 2 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Park on flat, solid ground such as concrete or asphalt. Set the parking brake, put the car in gear or park, and chock the wheel diagonally opposite the corner you plan to lift first.
With the car still on the ground, break loose the lug nuts on all four wheels about a quarter turn. Push down on the wrench rather than pulling up.
Lift one corner at the jack point shown in your owner's manual and rest the car on a jack stand. Repeat at the second corner on the same end.
Check your owner's manual for the rotation pattern. On most front-wheel drive cars the front tires move straight back and the rear tires cross to the front.
Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheels off. Keep the nuts in a cup or tray so they do not roll away.
Move each wheel to its new position following the pattern, then hand-start the lug nuts so you do not cross the threads.
Snug the nuts in a star pattern with the wrench, lower the car, then torque each nut to the spec in your manual.
Check all four tire pressures with a gauge and top them up to the door-jamb figure. Reset the tire pressure monitor if your car has one.
Recheck the torque on every lug nut after about 50 miles of driving.
Tips and common mistakes
Never put any part of your body under a car held up only by a jack; jack stands carry the weight.
Directional tires can only swap front to back on the same side, so check the arrow on the sidewall before you start.
Rotate every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, and note the date and mileage so you do not lose track.
Loose or over-tightened lug nuts cause wheel damage, so finish with a torque wrench, not a breaker bar.
Questions
How often should I rotate my tires?
Every 3,000 to 5,000 miles is the usual interval. Check your owner's manual, since some cars and tire types call for a different schedule.
Do I really need a torque wrench?
It is the only way to know the nuts are tight enough without stretching the studs. Many shops will lend or rent one cheaply.
Can I rotate tires without jack stands?
You can do one corner at a time with the jack if you use a spare tire as a backup, but stands are far safer and let you work on two wheels at once.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
