Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
12
Time Required
30 - 45 minutes
Sections
2
- Using a Floor Jack
- 4 steps
- How to Rotate Your Tires
- 8 steps
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Introduction
You should rotate your tires every five thousand to ten thousand miles to reduce uneven tire wear.
What you need
Step 1
Using a Floor Jack
- Place the hydraulic floor jack under the vehicle until the saddle is directly under the crossmember.
- The crossmember is the long metal support beam that runs underneath from the front fender to the rear fender on both sides of the car.
- The saddle is the round metal part of the jack that moves upward as you pump the jack up.
Place the hydraulic floor jack under the vehicle until the saddle is directly under the crossmember.
The crossmember is the long metal support beam that runs underneath from the front fender to the rear fender on both sides of the car.
The saddle is the round metal part of the jack that moves upward as you pump the jack up.
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Step 2
Using floor jack to lift car.
- Push downward on the jack’s lever to lift the saddle upward so that it contacts the crossmember. Continue pushing downward on the lever to lift the car upward.
Push downward on the jack’s lever to lift the saddle upward so that it contacts the crossmember. Continue pushing downward on the lever to lift the car upward.
Step 3
- Place the jack stand under the jack mounting point.
- The jack mounting point is a metallic protrusion beneath each of the car doors.
Place the jack stand under the jack mounting point.
The jack mounting point is a metallic protrusion beneath each of the car doors.
Step 4
- Raise the jack stand until it contacts the jack mounting point.
- In the event the floor jack fails, the jack stand is designed to prevent the car from falling.
Raise the jack stand until it contacts the jack mounting point.
In the event the floor jack fails, the jack stand is designed to prevent the car from falling.
Step 5
How to Rotate Your Tires
- Once the car is raised, remove the lug nuts with the ratchet attached to a 3/4’’ socket.
- It may be a good idea to initially loosen the lug nuts while the wheels are still on the ground, that way you’ll get plenty of leverage without the wheel spinning.
Once the car is raised, remove the lug nuts with the ratchet attached to a 3/4’’ socket.
It may be a good idea to initially loosen the lug nuts while the wheels are still on the ground, that way you’ll get plenty of leverage without the wheel spinning.
Step 6
- Remove the tire off the wheel studs and place it aside.
- The wheel studs are the metal bolts sticking out of the wheel hub in the center.
Remove the tire off the wheel studs and place it aside.
The wheel studs are the metal bolts sticking out of the wheel hub in the center.
Step 7
- On the same side of the vehicle, go to the rear tire.
- Using a ratchet attached to a 3/4" socket, loosen wheel lug nuts. Do not remove them.
- It may be a good idea to initially loosen the lug nuts while the wheels are still on the ground, that way you’ll get plenty of leverage without the wheel spinning.
On the same side of the vehicle, go to the rear tire.
Using a ratchet attached to a 3/4" socket, loosen wheel lug nuts. Do not remove them.
Step 8
- Place the floor jack under the frame in front of the rear tire.
- Make sure that you are not pressed against the plastic and you are directly on the metal frame of the vehicle.
- Raise the jack until the tire is off the ground.
Place the floor jack under the frame in front of the rear tire.
Make sure that you are not pressed against the plastic and you are directly on the metal frame of the vehicle.
Raise the jack until the tire is off the ground.
Step 9
- Remove the lug nuts by loosening them with your hands.
Remove the lug nuts by loosening them with your hands.
Step 10
- Remove the rear tire. Roll and place the tire onto the wheel studs on the front wheel.
- Tighten the lug nuts using your hand until they are tight.
- Roll the previous front tire to the rear and repeat the tightening process
Remove the rear tire. Roll and place the tire onto the wheel studs on the front wheel.
Tighten the lug nuts using your hand until they are tight.
Roll the previous front tire to the rear and repeat the tightening process
Step 11
- Using a torque wrench, tighten the lug nuts on each wheel to the car manufacturer’s recommended torque specification found in the user’s manual.
- If a torque wrench is not available, use the ratchet attached to the 3/4’’ socket to hand-tighten the lug nuts until very tight.
Using a torque wrench, tighten the lug nuts on each wheel to the car manufacturer’s recommended torque specification found in the user’s manual.
If a torque wrench is not available, use the ratchet attached to the 3/4’’ socket to hand-tighten the lug nuts until very tight.
Step 12
- Using an air compressor and the air pressure gauge, fill the front and rear tires to appropriate amount.
Using an air compressor and the air pressure gauge, fill the front and rear tires to appropriate amount.
Follow these steps in the same order to rotate the tires on the other side of the vehicle.
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Shaun MacDonald
Member since: 10/03/2012
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Cal Poly, Team 24-27, Regan Fall 2012
Member of Cal Poly, Team 24-27, Regan Fall 2012
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Robbin Burger - Apr 13, 2022
Reply
Really useful and valuable content, Thank you.
