Many people don't know how often they should rotate and balance their tires, or even why they should. For those that don't know, it is extremely important to rotate and balance your tires. First off, rotating your tires is when you move your front tires to the back and vice versa. You can also cross rotate, and as an example, that would be when you move your left front tire to your right rear. The reason rotation is extremely important is because each tire wears differently, especially on the front. Variables such as turning, uneven roads, towing, torque, are all contributors to how a tire wears. When a tire wears unevenly, it can start to "chop", as we refer to in the industry, which ultimately can create more road noise and vibrations, essentially making for a more uncomfortable ride, and shortening the life of the tires. So by rotating your tires, you are making it possible for your tires to wear more evenly and extend the life of your tires. It is recommended to rotate your tires every 5,000-6,000 miles. If you have a mud terrain tire, or even an all terrain, it is recommended that you rotate no more than every 5,000 miles.
Balancing your tires is often done or checked at the time of rotation, If a tire is out of balance, it can create vibrations in your steering wheel or throughout the vehicle between various speeds. Usually higher speeds, 50+ mph.