How Often Should You Rotate Your Tires?

As a dealership that specializes in classic cars, staying on top of your vehicle maintenance is the absolute most important thing you can do to keep your piece of history turning heads on Orland Park roads for years to come. An important part of maintenance is regular tire rotation. Regularly rotating your tires helps you to avoid uneven tread wear, and uneven tread wear can lead to serious incidents in poor weather conditions like hydro-planing and spinning out. And because vintage vehicles do not have the many modern safety technologies on today’s cars, it’s especially important to ensure that your tire treads are in check. 

So, how often should you rotate your tires? For vintage cars, you should aim to rotate them every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. In the following guide, the The Garage at Bettenhausen service team covers everything you need to know about tire rotations for the different systems found on our classical cars (AWD, FWD, RWD), including when to rotate tires, how to rotate them, and more. 

How Often Should You Rotate Tires on a Vintage Car?

How often should you rotate tires on a vintage car? For vintage cars, you should aim to rotate them every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Though how many miles to rotate tires depends on the age of your car. The older your car, the more attention you should give to your vehicle’s tires to ensure your safety on Orland Park roads. We recommend consulting the experienced professionals at The Garage at Bettenhausen who have expertise in dealing with classic automobiles to ensure the best maintenance practices for their specific vehicle.

When to Rotate Tires on a Classic Vehicle

Old vintage cars typically feature simpler powertrain configurations compared to modern vehicles. Some of the common powertrains found in vintage cars include rear-wheel drive (RWD) and surprisingly, all-wheel drive (AWD) systems. On the other hand, front-wheel drive (FWD) is not as common on vintage vehicles.

Below are some general guidelines on when to rotate tires and how many miles to rotate tires on classic cars:

• Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) Vehicles: With RWD vintage cars, you can employ a cross-pattern rotation. Move the rear tires straight to the front while crossing sides, and then bring the front tires straight to the back while crossing sides. This ensures even wear across all four tires. Do this every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. 
• All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Vehicles: For these, a similar pattern to the modern AWD systems can be followed. Switch the tires in a crisscross manner, but be sure to consult the specific recommendations in the owner’s manual for any vintage AWD car. Because all-wheel drive tires wear out faster, we recommend rotating your tires even sooner at 3,000 miles or less. 
• Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) Vehicles: Although rare in classic cars, if your vintage car has a FWD system, consider rotating the tires in a pattern similar to modern FWD cars, ensuring the front tires move straight to the back and the rear tires cross to the front. 3,000 to 5,000 is recommended, but consult an expert for specific recommendations.

Learn More About Vintage Tire Care With The Garage at Bettenhausen

At The Garage at Bettenhausen, we take pride in our team’s knowledge of classical cars. If you need expert service for your timeless vehicle, there’s no better place to go in Frankfort than our service technicians in Tinley Park. Schedule service with us today, and feel free to contact us online with any questions you may have.