Spare tires replace flats, but they also replace tires during routine tire rotations. As a general rule, have your vehicle's tires rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles/six months. Depending on your vehicle and the type of rotation, you may or may not need a full-size spare. Here's why.
Tire Rotation Types
Side-to-side, front-to-rear, and X-pattern are three common types of tire rotations. Your vehicle's optimal tire rotation type depends on tire sizes, types of tires, and vehicle drivetrain. Four-, all-and rear-wheel drive vehicles benefit best from the rearward cross tire rotation and front-wheel drive vehicles from the forward cross.
Rearward Cross Tire Rotation Demystified
During the rearward cross, rear tires move to the front while front tires move to the rear, diagonally. When all of your tires are non-directional and of uniform size, you can rotate in a spare. Like a regular rearward cross, rear tires move directly to the front. The spare becomes the right rear tire. The former right front tire becomes the left rear tire, and the former left front tire becomes the new spare.
