Tire Rotation and Alignment

[Okie Guy]

I told the dealer when I bought the truck that I thought it was out of alignment. He had some Joe drive it down the road and return to tell me it was fine. Now some 5000 miles later the tires are showing a little wear and it needs aligned.
Would it be ok to put the slightly worn front tires on the back duals and rotate a couple from the back to the front?
They still have a ton of tread left on them.

[LonnieB]

Not only would it be ok Phil, but advisable. Look in your owners manual for the proper procedure.

BTW, if I haven't said it before, nice looking rig.

[Okie Guy]

Thanks Lonnie! I knew I could count on you for a good answer.

[billhoover]

There is a long thread on another forum about rotating dually tires. The majority thought it was okay for steel wheels, but not alloy wheels. You look like you have alloys on the truck, might be worth checking out.

[LonnieB]

billhoover,

The material the wheels are made of, whether steel, alloy, or wood, has absolutely nothing to do with the reasons they should be rotated at regular intervals. It's all about getting as much uniformity in tread wear as possible, which equates to getting the longest tread life out of all of the tires on the vehicle. The only reason I can see someone not wanting to rotate the alloy wheels on a dually is cost. The alloys on most duallys are only polished on one side, which means the tires have to be dismounted, and remounted on the wheels in the positions they will be rotated to, in order to keep the shiney side out. In Oakie Guy's case, the wheels are steel with chrome simulators to make them look like alloy. Unless Dodge is doing something new, I haven't seen any alloy wheels on their duallys.

On Edit - This post is not intended to be offensive. My intention is simply to tell it like it is.

[skypilot]

Another issue - happened to me and I just lived with it for 5K miles -- I see you have white lettered tires. When they rotate the tires, you will (possibly) end up with 2 black walls out and 2 with white lettering out. To get the white lettering out the tire dealer will have to break those 2 tires down and flip the tires.

[noneck]

skypilot...no, rotation is not dismounting from rim at all, just moving them cross pattern and on alternate cycles clockwise.

[Delaine and Lindy]

If you have all steel wheels you should rotate as per your owners manual. However if your running Aluminum wheels they will have to be removed from Aluminum to steel, if your going to rotate all six wheels. I rotate all six between 6000 & 8000 miles. The 4x4 GM trucks is a must or the fronts will wear more that the rears and once they start abnormal wear it can't be corrected. I have run several GM Trucks with the Aluminum wheels and have decided its not worth the money to run the Aluminum wheels due to not being able to rotate unless you remount the tires. I do think the Alcoa Aluminum wheels look great, but the cost of upkeep isn't worth the money. GBY....

[ole dude]

Wouldn't you want both front tires, in this case, moved to the same side on the duals,so you will have basically the same size tires together bacause of the wear pattern mentioned on the front tires? one worn tire and one not so worn, it seems to me, would put more of the load on the not so worn tire. Ya'll may have already said this and I didn't read correct.