# Does 3500 sound right? Tire Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407 "2003-05-11T00:22:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/1 "2003-05-11T00:22:29Z")
Had 4 tires installed on my 2000 F-150 pick up yesterday. Michelin XCX/APT, 255 70R 16. Dealer tells me to rotate every 3500 miles…and I’m thinking on the way home, why didn’t he say that before I bought them, I might have changed my mind. Is this a normal time spread for a rotation? He said it was to do with the frame of the truck, sway or some such, and the F-150 would eat up the tread faster. Can’t find an E mail for Michelin yet, 'cause I’d love to hear what they say. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/2 "2003-05-11T01:28:05Z")
It is recommended that 4 wheel drive vehicles get thier tires rotated more frequently. Usually every 4,000 miles, but Ford may recommend every3,500 miles. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/3 "2003-05-11T23:48:51Z")
Thanks, x-ray vision, but it’s a rear wheel drive truck. Think the same applies? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/4 "2003-05-12T00:36:50Z")
In my experience, most rear wheel drive vehicles do just fine with tire rotation every 6,000-10,000 miles (front wheel drive vehicles need it more often). For convenience’s sake, a rotation with every other oil change works out nicely. That said, if certain vehicles tend to more uneven tire wear than average, more frequent rotation would certainly make sense. I’m not a tire expert, but I’m an auto repair professional and I haven’t previously run into the assertion that F-150’s have faster tread wear–and of course, the real question is, faster than what? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/5 "2003-05-12T01:07:33Z")
AFAIK, there is no danger in too frequent rotation - except if you have to pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/6 "2003-05-12T04:09:14Z")
How many miles are the tires rated for? What rotation schedule did the estimators use to come to this projection? Certainly they would use the best interval to figure the highest mileage possible to quote to sell their tires. A call to the tire company would settle this, probably. If you ask me, 3500 sounds a little low, so it’s good you are looking into this instead of blindly following the recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/7 "2003-05-12T21:05:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fuel \* > \*\*How many miles are the tires rated for? What rotation schedule did the estimators use to come to this projection? Certainly they would use the best interval to figure the highest mileage possible to quote to sell their tires. > > A call to the tire company would settle this, probably. > > If you ask me, 3500 sounds a little low, so it’s good you are looking into this instead of blindly following the recommendation. \*\* Tires are rated for 60000 miles. The rotation schedule referred to was none. It was like an aside, kind of like he was telling me a secret. So now I’m thinking that…oh, by the way, it’s SEARS…he gets me in every 3500 miles and picks up a commission every time, sheesh! I got feelers out to Michelin…I’ll do what THEY say and to hell with Sears’ recomendation. Thanks, people. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/8 "2003-05-12T21:49:29Z")
I rotate mine about every 20,000KMs or so and never had a problem with excessive/uneven wear. Be damned if I’m going to rotate them every 5-6 months. Thats nuts. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/9 "2003-05-12T21:54:04Z")
I’d think it’ll vary with the type of tire. My winter tires recommend every 5000 km (aka 3500 miles) but my summers have been fine at 20K KMs. Also, as a small hijack, is it cost effective to rotate your tires and have to buy all 4 again in a few years? Or let the first 2 go, buy new ones (and rotate) and then another year get another 2 tires? Anyone do the math figuring a $15-20 tire change fee (in the winter)? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-3500-sound-right-tire-question/174407/10 "2003-05-12T22:38:07Z")
_Also, as a small hijack, is it cost effective to rotate your tires and have to buy all 4 again in a few years? Or let the first 2 go, buy new ones (and rotate) and then another year get another 2 tires? Anyone do the math figuring a $15-20 tire change fee (in the winter)?_ Either way, in the long run you spend the same for the tires themselves. The financial difference is what you spend for rotation. The operational difference is balanced grip on the road with all four tires worn about the same, which is what the engineers have in mind when they design the suspension, versus a potentially dangerous large discrepancy in road grip between the front and rear tires.