i30 Owners Club

THE GARAGE (SERVICE, MAINTENANCE & REPAIR) => GENERAL => Topic started by: robbo137 on January 06, 2020, 22:24:13

Title: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: robbo137 on January 06, 2020, 22:24:13
Hi all

Just wondering what everyone's approach to tyre rotation is? Hyundai charge $49 to rotate and balance and the price at other tyre outlets is similar from what i can gather.

From a performance, safety and handling perspective, wearing all 4 tyres at the same rate is preferable. But, from an economical stance - if it costs $50 every 10,000km (or whenever you service) to rotate and balance and a tyre is around $200 (N line - 18 inch Michelin Pilot Sport - which i'll most likely keep using - or maybe the Bridgestone Potenzas), perhaps wearing out the 2 tyres on the front and replacing those at a time is cheaper?

What does everyone else do?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: BrendanP on January 06, 2020, 23:31:33
When my front tyres wear down, I used to just move the rear tyres to the front, and get the new tyres fitted on the rear. However (and this is probably not relevant to Australia) I recently fitted my car with Michelin Cross-climate all season tyres, so now I swap the front and rear tyres every 5,000 miles or so to even out the wear. I do it myself, and have never had to get them re-balanced.
With the wheels off the car I take the opportunity to give the insides of the wheels a good clean, and check the state of the brakes. It's also an opportunity to check that the wheels will actually come off the car. Corrosion between the wheel and the hub can lead to the wheels sticking on the hub, so they may need a gentle tap with a big lump of wood to break them free. It's better to find this out in the relative comfort of your driveway than on the side of a busy highway on a cold, wet night trying to fix a flat tyre.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 06, 2020, 23:55:13
I rotate my own and only worry about balance if there's a vibration. Every 10,000 is good. As Brendan says, a good time to have a look around under the guards.

My service workshop guy will rotate if I ask for no charge. Just the cost of two balances.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: robbo137 on January 07, 2020, 01:22:08
Makes sense to rotate if they do it for free or if you can do it yourself. I might see if they will do it for free at my next service.

So you don't have to balance every time you rotate? Might only get 2-3 rotations with the Pilot Sports as the are quite soft. Currently running at 38 PSI all round.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: nzenigma on January 07, 2020, 03:07:34
I rotate my own

You do it yourself ? :faint: Is that legal?  :scared:

 What if you get the order all mixed up?  :workitout:
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: sundiz on January 07, 2020, 03:18:09
You can buy a jack and a case of beer with the price of one rotation and DIY.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 07, 2020, 04:18:49
I rotate my own

You do it yourself ? :faint: Is that legal?  :scared:

 What if you get the order all mixed up?  :workitout:
Not only don't I get them mixed up, if the car is going in for a service I Mark each tyre so I know they went back where  I wanted them.   :goodjob:
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Dazzler on January 07, 2020, 05:19:38
I like to get mine swapped back to front every service. I personally think it is best to replace all four at once as in some cases a style is discontinued and I don't like to mix my tyres.  Often buying 4 at once gains a discount offer or free tyre.  :goodjob:
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 07, 2020, 06:48:38
I like to get mine swapped back to front every service. I personally think it is best to replace all four at once as in some cases a style is discontinued and I don't like to mix my tyres.  Often buying 4 at once gains a discount offer or free tyre.  :goodjob:
Also, a lot of the chains (well, some) will give you free rotation and balance every 10,000 Kim's If you buy a set of tyres off them.
It's generally just called After Sales Service.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: mickd on January 07, 2020, 09:05:05
If you get a place to do it,  check that you can undo the f#ckers yourself.
Have a 700mm pipe in boot and 75mm thick,  150mm square piece of wood to drive flat tyre onto. Makes using the jack SO much easier.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 07, 2020, 09:30:06
If you get a place to do it,  check that you can undo the f#ckers yourself.
Have a 700mm pipe in boot and 75mm thick,  150mm square piece of wood to drive flat tyre onto. Makes using the jack SO much easier.
And get yourself a 4 way wheel brace. Much safer and easier to use.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: nzenigma on January 07, 2020, 20:36:56
If you get a place to do it,  check that you can undo the f#ckers yourself.
Have a 700mm pipe in boot and 75mm thick,  150mm square piece of wood to drive flat tyre onto. Makes using the jack SO much easier.
If you get a place to do it,  check that you can undo the f#ckers yourself.
Have a 700mm pipe in boot and 75mm thick,  150mm square piece of wood to drive flat tyre onto. Makes using the jack SO much easier.
  :goodjob2:
And get yourself a 4 way wheel brace. Much safer and easier to use.
  :goodjob2:

I was using the 4 way brace two days ago. After freeing one wheel and feeling muscles stretch to the limit I decided to change to a breaker bar for the other 3 wheel :spitty: Too often I find wheel nuts over-tightened; I conclude most tyre retailers are employing morons to fit / rotate the wheels.

Rather than worry about rotation and charges it would be practical for OP and others to make sure they know how to use a jack and wheel brace.

Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: robbo137 on January 07, 2020, 21:24:26
Good point Dazzler about discontinuing tyres. Last lot of 4 tyres i bought for my last car i got one of those 4 for the price of 3 deals - lucky dealer got it traded in with 4 brand new shoes. Didn't think i'd get a new car at that point  :crazy1:

Financially, i guess if you get them rotated at say every 10k service for 3-4 services at $50 a pop ($150-200) - then you have paid the price of a tyre by the time you replace all 4 which works out similar if you get a 4 for 3 deal. But, you also get the benefits of safety. 

Good point Surferdude about the free rotate and balance with some franchises. Anyone have a franchise they can suggest? I used one for my last car just recently and they were horrible. I wont name names as I'm not sure we do that here (happy to if otherwise). Had all 4 tyres replaced and wanted the best (2 were only half worn) used as the spare as the spare was 6 years old and the 2 better older tyres were only 2 years old. They didn't do it and got mad at me when i mentioned it when picking up the car. They were so annoyed i  asked them to do it they didn't give me the whole free rotation system thing i was entitled to. Maybe i'll find a nice indie, heaps of them here - just a bit more pricey.

Thanks for the info about making sure i can undo them and buying a 4 way brace. Make it easier to get that nice pizza cutter spare on  :crazy2:

38 psi with 18 inches makes the cabin quite noisy - getting used to it now though. Handling improvement from 36-38 is quite substantial I've found... maybe placebo
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 07, 2020, 21:34:17
If you get a place to do it,  check that you can undo the f#ckers yourself.
Have a 700mm pipe in boot and 75mm thick,  150mm square piece of wood to drive flat tyre onto. Makes using the jack SO much easier.
If you get a place to do it,  check that you can undo the f#ckers yourself.
Have a 700mm pipe in boot and 75mm thick,  150mm square piece of wood to drive flat tyre onto. Makes using the jack SO much easier.
  :goodjob2:
And get yourself a 4 way wheel brace. Much safer and easier to use.
  :goodjob2:

I was using the 4 way brace two days ago. After freeing one wheel and feeling muscles stretch to the limit I decided to change to a breaker bar for the other 3 wheel :spitty: Too often I find wheel nuts over-tightened; I conclude most tyre retailers are employing morons to fit / rotate the wheels.

Rather than worry about rotation and charges it would be practical for OP and others to make sure they know how to use a jack and wheel brace.
I have to say I have never found a wheel nut which wasn't cross threaded I couldn't undo with a 4 way wheel brace.
I agree rattle guns can do them up tight but they are generally set to a reasonable pressure in most "responsible" tyre dealerships. Mainly to avoid the cost of repairing damaged studs. Not sure about car dealerships or other mechanical repair places.
I had an instance many years ago at our Wynnum store. We'd fitted a set of tyres to an old Land Rover on a Saturday morning. Monday, a lady parks it in the street out front and comes into the office. Now I had a really bad lower back at the time and could hardly walk (all bent over sideways). She was very apologetic and said her husband had tried to take the wheels off on the weekend to check brakes (or something) and even using a big bar, couldn't move any of the wheel nuts ( on either side of the car).
So, I limped out from behind the counter, went and got a 4 way brace and limped out to the footpath.
She was most concerned about my back. Lovely lady.
So, I bent down and loosened every wheel nut on the vehicle.
Well, she burst out laughing.
Couldn't wait to get home and tell her hubby how a half crippled guy undid all the wheel nuts he couldn't move.
Expected him o come in and kill me.  :scared:

And yes, he had undone them in the past so wasn't going the wrong way. Or they would probably NOT have responded to my cross brace.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 07, 2020, 21:38:35
Good point Dazzler about discontinuing tyres. Last lot of 4 tyres i bought for my last car i got one of those 4 for the price of 3 deals - lucky dealer got it traded in with 4 brand new shoes. Didn't think i'd get a new car at that point  :crazy1:

Financially, i guess if you get them rotated at say every 10k service for 3-4 services at $50 a pop ($150-200) - then you have paid the price of a tyre by the time you replace all 4 which works out similar if you get a 4 for 3 deal. But, you also get the benefits of safety. 

Good point Surferdude about the free rotate and balance with some franchises. Anyone have a franchise they can suggest? I used one for my last car just recently and they were horrible. I wont name names as I'm not sure we do that here (happy to if otherwise). Had all 4 tyres replaced and wanted the best (2 were only half worn) used as the spare as the spare was 6 years old and the 2 better older tyres were only 2 years old. They didn't do it and got mad at me when i mentioned it when picking up the car. They were so annoyed i  asked them to do it they didn't give me the whole free rotation system thing i was entitled to. Maybe i'll find a nice indie, heaps of them here - just a bit more pricey.

Thanks for the info about making sure i can undo them and buying a 4 way brace. Make it easier to get that nice pizza cutter spare on  :crazy2:

38 psi with 18 inches makes the cabin quite noisy - getting used to it now though. Handling improvement from 36-38 is quite substantial I've found... maybe placebo
Robbo,
As far as I know, Bob Jane, Goodyear Autocare, Beaurepaires, KMart (now Mycar) and Tyrepower stores "should" offer After Sales Service.
You can also get free road damage insurance at some. (ie. replacement if damaged beyond repair on a pro rata basis.
Feel free to name the group who you had a problem with. But specify the store location. As with anything, each separate business location is dependent on the quality of the staff.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: Surferdude on January 07, 2020, 21:40:27
Also, 38 psi should be fine. But if you do a lot of high speed (highway) running you might suffer a little bit of centre rib wear over the life of the tyres. Probably not enough to worry about but just be aware.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: robbo137 on January 07, 2020, 22:08:50
The store i had trouble with was Jax tyres in Phillip, Canberra. It's a shame as it is right near my work and very convenient to drop off and pick up during a work day. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt - it was late in the arvo and pick up time and they were busy. I was polite and I was happy to wait while they changed the spare (which I requested on the phone and in person on drop off). He grunted at me and snatched my keys from me and didn't say a word.. just stormed out to my car to bring it back around. After they did the change i asked if it was one of the 2 better tyres on the front that was used as the spare as they are 2 years old with the back being the original 6 year old tyres and he said - 'don't know, whichever tyre was best we put on'. All tyres had similar grip but not all tyres were the same age - hence why i asked for one of the front 2... Anyway...

 I emailed HQ, not to complain but just to get my aftercare package activated etc. 2 weeks to respond to me and no apology, and a further 3 months and many emails from me to activate my aftercare package - at which point it was useless anyway as i'd already traded in the car for my new N-line.

Hmmm i would say 70-80% of my driving is 80-90km highway driving on the way to work. I guess when you include weekends and stuff it would work out closer to 70%. Lots of roundabouts here and on a typical work day i go through 13.
Title: Re: Rotate tyres or not?
Post by: BrendanP on January 12, 2020, 23:11:20
I carry a torque wrench around in my car. Before taking my car to have tyres fitted, I remove the locking wheel nuts and refit the standard wheel nut, so there's no risk of the locking nut or key being damaged by impact wrenches. When I get home I refit the locking nuts, slacken off all the nuts that have been disturbed, and then torque them up to the correct setting. I've had enough grief in the past trying to get locking wheel nuts off that have been over-tightened.
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