Rotate spare in or not?

KD6ICZ · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:42 am

Time for my first tire rotation. I purchased 5 new BFG's 5200 miles ago and was wondering the pros and cons of 4 vs 5 tire rotation?

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Hexus · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:11 am

Pros - You get 20% more life out of your tires.

Cons - You have to buy all 5 next time (most likely)

It's 6 of one and 1/2 dozen of another. The proper thing to do is to make sure they are rotated properly and regularly.

It's personal preference really.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:58 am

My personal preference for the :2cents:

or less that it might be worth. I've not done a 5 tire rotation in decades. Why?
1. I consider OEM tires, except for the rare Michelin, to be lower tier tires so I generally rotate the 4 on the ground until they need replacement leaving the spare out of the rotation and then when the second set needs replacement I dump the original spare and toss the best one from the 2n set into the spare spot. Mainly because by then the spare is pretty old.
2. When I've bought a vehicle used but with an OEM spare I do the same but if the spare is not OEM I pretty much leave the spare alone and rotate as above unless all 5 non-OEM tires are the same brand/model/wear level (almost never) in which case rotating all 5 makes sense. In the latter case when a new set is needed I'd keep the best of the 5 as a spare.
3. Yes in theory you get 20% more wear out of the 5 tires or at least the 1st set of 5 new tires. But I'm really not interested in 20% more wear out of 5 OEM tires. After the OEM tires on the ground are gone why would I want to buy 5 new tires when all I really need is 4 good ones and a usable spare.

In the long run I'm not sure it matters. Of course the above assumes you have a real spare like we do and not a baby spare like my wife's Honda Element.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:05 pm

I didn't realise how bad the OE Goodyears were and made the mistake of not doing a 5 tire rotation from new. When I bought new tires I was left with a brand new Goodyear on the back that I didn't want to mix with the new tires.

In hindsight I should have rotated all five, got 4 new when they were all done and kept the best of the used Goodyears as my spare.

I think the answer is don't end up carrying a brand new spare on the back unless you feel the need to do it for aesthetic reasons.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:10 pm

The OEM Goodyears are or were low rolling resistance, doesn't much matter on the CRD but gave a slight bump in the gasser EPA mpg, just like virtually every other OEM tire. That means they are not much good on anything but solid dry paved roads and certainly no good for any off road other than a graded county road at best. I don't like it but that's the world of US mpg driven vehicle marketing although I would argue in the case of the KJ a better approach to mpg would have been a bit less vehicle weight but then the KJs that have been in wrecks seem to perform well.

I did a 4 tire rotation with the OEM Goodyears so the original spare Goodyear is still on the spare tire mount (in my case with a bit of wear from the previous owner. Stoutdog's 06 came with the original spare, fuzz and all, Goodyear on the spare tire mount and 4 brand new Michelins on the ground. In both our cases we are continuing the 4 tire rotation and will NOT but the original spare Goodyear on the ground unless there is a flat or a blowout and then only until repair can be made. As noted the original Goodyear spare will be gone when we get either 2 or 4 new tires on the ground.

I'm no big fan of mixing tires but I don't worry much about the spare as long as it's in decent shape and I don't use it too long or too fast.

Is that the best approach? Beats me but it's worked for me since ca. 1969.

Bottom line 4 or 5 tire rotation - either one works but if you do the 5 tire it's best to have 5 of the same tires.

KD6ICZ · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:23 pm

Well like I said in my original post I purchased 5 (meaning a new spare) matching 245/70 R16's BF Goodrich Rugged Trail's. So that's why I ask. I have weighed all the pros and coins that I could come up with. My only concern is if I don't rotate the spare I'll have a brand new tire just sitting there getting old. But if I don't then maybe next time I can use it and only buy 4 tires.... So it's a catch 22...

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wolcott · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:16 pm **Posts:** 108

With the CRD, which is front end heavy, I've had good luck rotating the spare with the front tires. This equalizes the wear so all 5 tires wear out about the same time.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:40 pm

I do 5 way rotations now.

I tried 4 way - and replaced only 4 tires

then I cut a sidewall at Moab - had to run the spare - it was mismatched and the only dealer in town didn't carry the style I was running - so I ended up buying 2 just to run on the highway and later - replacing all 5.

WolverineFW · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:40 pm

You should be rotating all 5 tires......why you ask? Due to all the CRD's in North America having the select-trac transfer case, they tend not to like to shift in and out of 4 wheel drive if you have either uneven tire pressures and/or significantly different tread depths. If all 4 of your tires are worn to 50% and you blow a tire, your 100% tread spare is going to cause you headaches with your transfer case.

arengant · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2013 2:47 am

WolverineFW wrote:

You should be rotating all 5 tires......why you ask? Due to all the CRD's in North America having the select-trac transfer case, they tend not to like to shift in and out of 4 wheel drive if you have either uneven tire pressures and/or significantly different tread depths. If all 4 of your tires are worn to 50% and you blow a tire, your 100% tread spare is going to cause you headaches with your transfer case.

x2

KD6ICZ · **Posted:** Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:26 pm

I did do a 5 tire rotation. Didn't want to let my spare go to waste. Now I just have to keep track of which tire is which.

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user113 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 13, 2013 1:11 am

Just keep them all moving in the same pattern. After your fourth rotation, it won't matter which tire is which.

Lancer · **Posted:** Sun Apr 14, 2013 5:59 am

user113 wrote:

Just keep them all moving in the same pattern. After your fourth rotation, it won't matter which tire is which.

x2

flman · **Posted:** Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:07 pm

I took the 2 spares from my 2 Libby's and put them on the sport, I found 2 more wranglers 3/4 tread left on flea bay and mounted them as well, the wife does not know the the wranglers suck, and it cost me less then $100. :wink:

Also, if I had 5 new tires, I would rotate the spare ignoring direction unless they were a directional tire.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:30 pm

flman wrote:

the wife does not know the the wranglers suck

.

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:56 am

I started rotating all 5 when I got he set that replaced the OE tires mine had when I got it
What I did at the time was buy 4 and then got the 5th ad at the first rotation because cash was a little tight at the time. It has allowed my tires to wear even and added some life. My tires have 40,000 miles on them now and that's all the tread was warantied for but yet I still had plenty of treat to pass inspection. I know I will be buying all new by the end of summer but that's ok with me. I will rotate all 5 of those too

Rotate spare in or not?

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