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Does Walmart Rotate Tires?

Tire rotation is undoubtedly one of the most important components of the standard procedure for tire care. The act of regularly changing the positions of your wheels ensures that they last longer and wear evenly. 

In the long run, this might even protect you from getting into accidents because of worn tires. 

If you’re interested in getting their tires rotated, you might be wondering whether multinational corporation Walmart offers these services in their Walmart Tire Center. 

In this article, I will answer that question and several other major ones you might have about tire rotation. I will also share valuable additional information about the topic that might be of interest to you, so stay tuned!

Walmart Tire Center, one of Walmart’s numerous departments, specializes in providing high-quality tires as well as tire care services. Tire rotation services are available in most Walmart stores at the economical price of $2.50 per tire, so you can get your tires rotated without putting a heavy dent in your wallet.

Among the many services related to tire purchase and care mentioned on Walmart’s official website, their web page also directs you towards purchasing their Lifetime Balance Plan, through which Walmart Tire & Lube Express will rotate your tires throughout their useful lives for free.

Why Should You Rotate Your Tires?

Starting with the basics, let’s look at why you need to rotate your tires periodically. 

A major reason for this practice is to spread the wear evenly across all four tires since each tire has its own distinct position in a vehicle and is worn out at different places. This can not only maximize the useful life of those tires but can also improve the handling and braking performance of your car. 

Tires that are evenly worn will also reduce the impact on the drive-train, which subsequently lowers the damage to significant costly parts of your vehicle.

When Should You Rotate Your Tires?

Now that you know how essential it is to get your tires rotated, you might be curious about when you need to get this service. Experts typically recommend that you do this as the vehicle manufacturer recommends, or after every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. 

This also translates into every time you go to get the vehicle’s oil changed.

Tire rotation also depends on the kind of vehicle that you own. The tires for front-wheel-drive cars usually wear off at different rates as compared to rear-wheel-drive cars and all-wheel-drive cars. 

Front tires often wear at a somewhat faster pace than rear ones because of the additional weight on those tires.

With that being said, there are several signs that you can look out for to judge whether or not you should rotate your tires.

Loss Of Pressure

If the tires of your vehicle seem deflated and soft, it’s quite likely that they have been losing pressure. This can happen due to several reasons, such as a defective rim, a puncture in the tread or the sidewall, a loose or damaged tire valve, an improperly attached seal, and sudden drops in the temperature during the winter season. 

If one of your tires seems to have lower pressure than others, it might be a good idea to get it either repaired and then rotated with your local car mechanic.

Irregular And Uneven Tire Wear

If you note one of your tires wearing off at a faster rate than the others, getting your tires rotated would be the best course of action. The same goes for worn-off treads; if the tread on one side is more than the others, you’d immediately want to head over to your mechanic to rotate your tires.

Vibration Of The Vehicle

Uneven tire wear also manifests itself in the vehicle’s vibration level since you’ll observe it vibrating at any speed above 45 miles per hour. 

Any vibration that is out of the ordinary could require a tire rotation or realignment of the wheels.

What Are the Different Types of Tire Rotation?

When you are going to get your tires roared or are going to rotate them yourself you should know the different patterns that can be used to rotate them. 

Forward Cross

A forward cross is one of the most used patterns for vehicles that are front-wheel drive. In this formation, the front tires are shifted backward, whereas the back tires are positioned diagonally in a cross to opposite sides of the front axle.

Rearward Cross

Similar to a forward cross, in a rearward cross, the rear tires are shifted forwards, whereas the front tires are moved diagonally to the opposing axles. This kind of pattern of tire rotation is recommended for all four-wheel vehicles.

X-Pattern

This pattern takes the previous cross positions a step further since all the tires are shifted diagonally. The front left tire is moved to the rear right; the front right tire is moved to the back left, and so on. 

Light-weight vehicles such as sedans are usually subject to this kind of rotation. Along with the two types mentioned above, the X-pattern is ideal for cars that have non-directional tires of a uniform size.

Front to Rear

In this formation, the tires stay on the same side of the vehicle but are shifted from one axle to the other. As an example, the rear left tire will be shifted to the front left axle, and the front left tire will be moved backward.

Side to Side

Following the side-to-side pattern, the front and back tires are switched to the opposite sides. So, the front left tire will replace the front right tire, and the rear left tire will replace the rear right tire. 

This and the type mentioned above typically works for high-performance and directional tires.

Final Thoughts

So, what are you waiting for? If your vehicle and its tires are exhibiting any of the symptoms mentioned above, it’s probably time to get your tires rotated again. 

Head on over to your nearest Walmart store and make use of their efficient, low-cost tire care services today.