Tire Rotating

[Whrezx]

Hey all,

I'm pretty much a big newb when it comes to cars but i wanna learn. I just got my 2004 325i with sports package (stock Dunlop SP Sport 2000E tires), anyway, I was wondering how often should i rotate the tires and how should i rotate them (i.e. back right to front left, ect.)

Thanks a ton.

P.S. looking forward to these tires wearing down a bit so i can treat myself to the Pilot PS2's!

:alright

[Whrezx]

bump :help

hehe

[PowrdByX]

here... compliments of http://www.dunloptire.com/

unless i'm mistaken, i don't think your SP Sprort 2000E's are directional.

FAQs

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Should I rotate my tires?

Regular and proper tire rotation promotes more uniform wear for all of the tires on a vehicle. All season tires should be rotated in a "modified X" pattern, meaning only the tires being moved to the drive axle are crossed to the opposite side of the vehicle.

The remaining two tires are moved from the drive axle to the free rolling axle, remaining on the same side of the vehicle.

This method of rotation helps promote a more even and uniform treadwear pattern for all four tires.

The only exception to this would be the use of "directional" tread design tires such as our high performance tires. These tires would remain on the same side of the vehicle and be rotated straight forward and straight back.

If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, we recommend crossing both pairs of tires to their new axle positions.We recommend tire rotation at least every 6,000 miles. Four-wheel drive vehicles may require rotation even sooner such as every 4,000 miles. Check your vehicle owner's manual for the manufacturer's rotation recommendations. The first rotation is the most important. When tires are rotated, inflation pressures must be adjusted to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. Uneven tire wear may also be due to misalignment or mechanical problems. Many Dunlop retailers can provide expert diagnosis and repair.

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[Jim@tirerack]

For the 3 Series I don't think they recommend rotating the tires. Check the owners manual.

[tiguy]

For the 3 Series I don't think they recommend rotating the tires. Check the owners manual.

Jim's right, BMW does not recommend rotating tires.

[PowrdByX]

My bad... i wasn't aware of BMW's recommendation against rotating and have never had a problem w/ doing it before, my luck i guess. Here's a decent write-up i came across:

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BMW presently recommends against rotating tires. Here's why: In the U.S., it's normal to bend wheels occasionally, to one extent or another. And not all tires anywhere in the world are perfectly round. When a technician mounts and balances new tires, during the balancing process he will typically note which tire and wheel assembly is the "roundest", i.e., which has the least runout and requires the least weight to achieve 000 on the balancer. These two "roundest" assemblies he will mount at the front owing to BMW's incredibly sensitivity to wheel balancing issues.

Then, down the road, the owner or another well-meaning tech rotates the tires front-to-rear. Next thing you know Old Jed's a millionaire -- you've got a vibration in the steering wheel. The reason is one of the tire and wheel assemblies formerly at the rear and now at the front are not entirely round. If a technician rotated the tires, the customer then brings the car back to the shop complaining of a vibration, requiring a road test, dismounting, balancing, more road testing, etc. Often the customer will balk at paying for the additional work.

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full Technical Article (http://www.boston-bmwcca.org/bimmer/2003/05/tech.asp)

Still kind of counter-intuitive IMO... you'd think if the tire were out of balance or had a quasi-out-of-round problem, you'd still feel it in back (if you care to notice).

[Jim@tirerack]

My tires have always worn evenly on the 3 Series without any rotation.

[PowrdByX]

My tires have always worn evenly on the 3 Series without any rotation.

props to the BMW engineers (and your driving, of course) ... :buttrock

[infared21]

I rotate/balance my tires every 6,000 miles.. helps with the steering wheel shake that I get when i reach high speeds...

[SJZ3]

The back tires on my Z3 wore out alot quicker then my front tires. I can't "burn rubber" from acceleration but I love those lateral g's! Throwing out the backend even on relatively tame corners can be fun.

Even so I never rotated them, and when the back tires were done I just put 4 brand new tires on to be safe.