Just thinking about rotating my tires, mine have bad places on them. Radial Michelins on all 4 and thought why not X them and run them the other way. I knew the thinking was radials front to back only. Did some reading and the new wisdom is that you can now rotate radials with the X method. Left front to right rear, right front to left rear. Of course this most certainly does do apply to tires marked directional, I would think. Seveal sites note that you can X radial tires.


This is new to me, but I'm thinking of trying it.

Any comments, anyone else suprised by this new wisdom?

 

I have done it that way, and seemed to work fine.

 

I asked Michelin tech support about doing that with my BFGs (yes, Michelin makes BFG tires) and they said X rotation was fine.

 

I just did mine, was suprised to see so many sites saying you could when back maybe 15 years or so ago, wisdom was you couldn't. I would suppose newer tires are constructed differently than the first radials. Anyway, had never researched it before and was relying on old wisdom.

 

Great to know Michelin OK's it. Be interesting to know why it used to be you couldn't and now can though.

 

Radials are fine, directionals will be ruined.

 

You will get better wear out of a set of tires if you X them. It will flatten the tread out.

 

Well, I definately need to flatten mine out. Amazing what bad shocks will do.

 

thats the way I usually do it

theres a nice article on tire rotation on tirerack

 

I found that way to be effective, also. Whichever way you go, you should stick to that method for the life of the tire, to remain consistant wear wise.

 

X is the way I used to do with bias tires and I agree, best way to get even wear out of tires.

C'mon guys, surely some one remembers that you use to couldn't rotate radials that way. Man, I must be showing my age.

 

I have used the X method, front to back, and a combo of both but never had any problems out of any of my tires.

 

i remember my dad talking about that back in the day.

for me, as long as it doesnt have an arrow, its getting crossed. reminds me, i need to do it on the honda, maybe the 'runner too.

 

i was always taught to rotate from the back to the front...no X pattern on radial tires...but it seems as tho that has been proven to be ok now.

 

Likewise, and have done for over 20 years with no problems

 

Yeah, pretty sure that was the general wisdom back when radials first came out and for quite a few years after that. I'm thinking they were either playing safe or there was a differnce in construction or compounds back then.