Dually Tire Rotation

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Car tires are highly prone to wearing out after some time of usage. This also means that they are subjected to uneven wearing resulting mainly from fast driving, cornering speeds, and forceful braking and accelerations. Wearing off tires is a common problem among almost all vehicles, whether small cars or bigger pickup trucks. These bigger trucks have dual rear wheels, also known as the dually tire rotation

Wearing off situation of a dually is more complicated than that of a normal four-wheeler. Uneven wearing of inner and outer tires worsens the existing problem.

Rotating the tires of any vehicle can help solve this uneven wearing problem. Since the wearing problem of dually is much more complex, the solution is not that simple either. Rotating the tires of a dually requires one to follow a specific set of instructions discussed in this article.

Why Should Dually Tires Be Rotated?

A dually truck varies in its carrying conditions each day. It can be load free one day while carrying tons and tons of stuff the other. This makes it hard for the driver to attain new wheel alignments before each task since they are unaware of what will come next. Furthermore, the back-ended tires are more prone to wearing off than the front ones, and thus, extending the life of a dually’s tires is the only logical solution to counter the frequent wearing and replacement cost of new tires.

Uneven wearing of tires can be corrected by following the maintenance approach of tire rotations which suggests rotating the left-right and front-rear tires. Correcting uneven wearing of a dually follows a similar pattern.

Rotate Dually Tires: Step-By-Step

Many opinions have been expressed on the right way to rotate tires. People have various ideas; however, most expert opinions all share the same ideology that the best way to rotate a dually truck is turning each side of the truck counter-clockwise.

Step 1- Park On A Leveled Area

The first step is to park your vehicle on a flat, leveled road or concrete. A small piece of wood is inserted at the back of the rear tire. This is done to keep the truck from rolling backward. Next, remove all the lug nuts from the tires.

Step 2- Lift The Vehicle

Now, four heavy-duty jacks are used to lift the vehicle. One is placed on each side to lift the front. Similarly, two more are used to lift the back. The back axle is lifted and then lowered to fit the rack inside the wheel.

Step 3- Rotate The Tires

Now comes rotating the tires. This is done according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. However, here is a simple method of how to do it.

The front tire is taken out and turned around to bring it to the outside of the vehicle. Ensure that the outer rear tire is rotated inside and the inner one is brought to the front. This is the least complicated way of rotating the tires of a dually since this allows one side of the dually’s tires to be rotated at one time while raising only one side of the truck. 

The same process can be repeated on the other side later. Putting grease between the inner back wheels is recommended before putting them back on. This prevents them from sticking and makes it easier to take them off the next time.

In cases where the dually wheels are made of aluminum, it is recommended to take out the front wheel and place it in the back, and then the two inner wheels on the back are swapped. This is done by simultaneously taking off all the wheels and is a rather time-consuming process. However, it prevents the drivers from taking off the wheels from the rims frequently.

Step 4- Go Back To The Beginning 

To remove the rack, first, lift the back of your vehicle. Following that, slowly lower it. As you move around, tighten each nut to attain the best fit.

Patterns Of Dually Tire Rotations

A few different ways have been suggested to rotate tires. Here we list a few common and uncommon patterns of dually tire rotations.

Circular Pattern

This is the pattern of choice if the dually tires are not unevenly worn-out. It involves moving the front tires to the back and the back tires to the front. This allows the tires to remain on the same side of the truck and allows the driver to lift only one side at a time which is a relatively simpler procedure. This method works best for steel-tired trucks where all 3 sets of wheels are the same.

Side To Side Rotations

This is the pattern of choice when dealing with trucks with different front and back tires. These may be different in function or size. In such cases, it is only sensible to switch the tires’ sides instead of shifting the front tires to the back and vice versa.

Directional Tire Rotations

Turning in a specific direction in a six-tired truck is more complicated. While switching the tires, one must ensure they keep the rear outer tires facing the right direction. If they are placed incorrectly, it will also affect the vehicle’s movement. Because of this, the directional tires can not switch sides in a four-wheeler. However, the 6-wheel design of a truck or an RV does not provide this hindrance.

The front tires go to the center of the back. On either side, the wheels in the center move to the outside. The front’s side tires shift to the opposing sides.

Non-Directional tires cannot use this pattern. Instead, circular patterns will be more beneficial for such trucks.

Four Steel Rims On Back Axle

On an identical wheeled car, rotation of the back tires is done by simply moving each back tire one spot ahead every time the wheels are rotated. This means that the outer back tire is shifted to the inside at the driver’s side. The inner back tire of that same side is shifted to the inner back side of the passenger. That tire is shifted to the outside, and the outer back tire of the passenger side is shifted to the outer back side of the driver, completing the full loop.

Outer Aluminum And Inner Steel Wheels 

In the case of different manufactured inner and outer rims, such that one is made of steel while the other is aluminum, they are simply swapped each time the tires are rotated.

Tire Rotation Using A Spare

A spare tire may be used in a dually tire rotation. This ensures that the spare tire is utilized before it starts to rot and guarantees that it is in the best condition and can be readily used in case of a flat tire whenever needed.

A spare may be included in dually tire rotation by following any of the patterns mentioned above such that;

Spare Tire In A Circular Pattern– The outer rear tires of the driver’s side are replaced by the spare, and the inner rears serve as a second spare.

Spare Tire In A Directional Pattern- In the case of identical wheels, the driver’s side’s inner rear wheel is stored in place of the spare, and the spare is moved to the truck’s rear end at the driver’s side.

Spare Tire in Side-to-Side Pattern- In the case of identical rear wheels, the driver’s side’s inner back tire becomes the new spare, and the spare becomes the passenger’s inner rear.

How Should The Dually Tires Be Rotated?

Depending on the type of restriction you might face, the way tires on a dually should be rotated varies. However, the most efficient way is in a circular pattern.

The requirement for a circular pattern is such that all the tires and wheels must be the same. Such is not the case for most dually owners. While the outer wheels are made of more expensive materials such as aluminum, the inner concealed wheels are often manufactured in a relatively lighter and cheaper material such as steel. 

This goes on to show that such tires can only be rotated like for like and side to side and provides a hindrance in rotating them in the circular pattern. Although rotating dually tires are highly encouraged, many dually truck owners with three different sets of wheels for their dually do not rotate them that often unless they notice that the tires have worn off in numerous places.

How Frequently Should Dually Tires Be Rotated?

Different tire makers have different recommendations on how often to rotate your dually tires. Standard is rotating your dually tires after every few miles to maintain the validity of their warranty. Moreover, manufacturers mention these details in the documents they provide when they sell the tires. Hence different tires have different requirements on when they need to be rotated. 

Usually, a common figure of 5000 miles is seen in most places. Going through the purchase documents thoroughly and abiding by the instructions is recommended to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty.

Conclusion

Rotating dually tires is a rather intricate process but provides long-term cost benefits by prolonging the life and health of your dually tires. With various patterns to choose from, regularly rotating your dually’s tires is a must and can prevent their uneven wearing and provide a smoother ride.