I don't recall seeing any recommendation for tire rotation in the owner's manual or Bentley service manual. So I have two questions:

1. If the tires are not rotated, which tires wear out first, or does one get lucky and see them all wear out at the same time?

2. If the tires are rotated, what is the best pattern? I've seen generic recommendations for a rearward cross pattern (RR->RF->LR->LF->RR or RR->RF->LR->LF->spare->RR) for RWD cars. I've also seen some recommendations to just do F<->R to keep radial tires on the same side of the car, although I have seen other recommendations saying that the reason for keeping radial tires on the same side of the car is no longer applicable to newer radial tires.

Assume a 200 wagon with normal tires (185R14, 195/75R14, or 205/70R14), if it matters.

My 1991 wagon is on its 3rd set of Michelins at 225k mi.

My differential clearly favors the right rear tire, so that tire takes the brunt of upshifts and downshifts, and it wears out first if not rotated. I have a 5 speed. This wouldn't be so noticable with an automatic.

I've heard knowledgable people say that the tire direction thing no longer applies, though I understood that it was early radial tires, not bias ply tires, that had the problem.

The posts to this thread seem to indicate, however, that the direction should NOT be changed. I wouldn't know, because I keep my tires on the same side, and have never tried crossing them. Old habits die hard.

Interestingly, the owner's manual for my BMW says NOT to rotate tires at all. It basically agrees with Click and Clack on that subject. I rotate them anyway (front-to-back) because the Bimmer tends to eat back tires for reasons that we won't explore here.

On an unrelated subject, I just drove my daughter's boyfriend's Subaru STI. That thing is a SERIOUS rice rocket. It's stock except for Ricaro seats and racing compound tires. The ride and handling make a 911 Porshe seem refined by comparison, but that sucker will really stick to the road, and although the turbo lag is annoying, when it gets a head of pressure up, it really slaps you back into your seat. If only I were young again.....

D00D!!!
I'm 59 years old; my 744T gives ALL rice rockets fits on the track.
Get young again, NOW!!!

The directional rotation patern used to apply for bias supply tires.

Any and all tire manufacturers say NOT to change rotational direction with a steel belted radial. The problem with changing direction on these tires is with core shift, leading to seperation. It's not going to happen every single time a tire's rotational direction is changed, but it is fairly freaquent.

Many ppl buy and run used tires. This is the greatest hazard with used tires. Often ppl have ran them and been upset because a supposedly good tire seperated shortly after being installed. I'm not saying that all used tires are bad deals, it's just a factor. Many tire stores mark direction on used tires b4 putting them in stock to avoid this issue and complaints.

To sum up, if you're running radials, keep the tire on the same side (front to back and back to front).

LOL, betcha can't guess how I paid my way through school :)

Frank

In my decision to forgo tire rotation on my 245 wagon, I rely on the advice of "Click" and "Clack", the car-care experts heard on NPR's CarTalk call-in radio program. You could query them yourself in the CarTalk section of "Cars.com." I believe their advice about tire rotation can be summarized as follows: Any addition to the life of tires gained by rotating them to different positions is lost in the tread consumed while the tires are broken-in to their new positions. This rationale presumes that during their new break-in period(s), the tires (and the car they support) provide reduced, less than optimal, traction. Since regular tire rotation is promoted as a way to maximize the life of tires, the CarTalk advice suggests that considering the true costs will reduce the appeal of any promised gains.

Click and Clack also factor in the costs of paying someone to rotate vs. tire life extension by rotating.

I don't rotate tires per se, but when I do my changeover in Spring, the summer tires that came off the back last Autumn go on the front, and vice versa.

I do keep the same sides.
--
'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '86 244, '87 745T

If I recall, they said if it were a free service, do it, but if there was an extra charge. It wasn't worth it. I have free rotations which are required as part of the warrantee for the tires I got.
--
Paul NW Indiana '89 740 Turbo 110,000

With FWD cars, not rotating the tires causes the front tires to wear out much more quickly. So if you want to keep your tires reasonably well matched (i.e. about the same tread wear on each, and replacing them all at the same time), you have to rotate them.

But the Volvo 200-series is RWD, so the above wear pattern may not necessarily apply. Which tires wear out first if not rotated, or is it one of the lucky cars that will wear them all out at the same time if not rotated?

Good point about front wheel drive cars. That was the case with my VW. Not sure if there is any benefit rotating tires on a 240....

However, IMO - if you do rotate tires I agree with Mcduck, keep them on the original side ie. LR to LF and RR to RF etc. I do believe it upsets the handling feel (at least temporarily...) of the car if done otherwise.


--
90 244DL about 1/4 million miles - original engine/drivetrain :)

Well put. Rotation covers up alignment pathology, too.
I must add, however, that if you flog your car in turns, the edges of the front tires will wear at a higher rate than the rest of the tires, and moving fronts to rear, and vice-versa, will help front-end stick, for a while, but max tire life is not a consideration, anyway.

There's a fair amount of controversy regarding rotation; all I can say is I've had a set of recent, still made, radials react very badly to having the direction reversed.
I asked a shop to rebalance (at ~20K miles) my Conti CH95s WITHOUT changing their position, but they reinstalled at random. The car was very incomfortable, with odd vibrations, until I could return the tires to the original corners.
YMMV, as usual.