Is it bad to stop rotating my tires?

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Dec 10, 2018
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New York City
When I bought my car, my alignment was slightly off. I had new tires installed on my car and an alignment done in January 2019. Even though the printout showed that adjustments were made, My car never really tracked perfectly straight. I figured something was wrong with my car.

Had the tires rotated again after 7K miles. The alignment was still slightly off.

I had the alignment done again at the same shop in January 2020. Based on the printout, the car was adjusted, but the alignment was still slightly off.

Here is where things get interesting. That same day I had my tires rotated at another shop, and then the car drove perfectly straight like never before.

7K miles later on Sep 2020, I rotated the tires and the alignment was off again.

3K miles later on Nov 2020, I had an alignment done because my steering rack was replaced. The alignment was still off

Only when I rotated my tires in Feb 2021, the alignment was perfect again. So rotating my tires now affects alignment.

The car is nicer to drive with perfect alignment. Is it bad to stop rotating my tires?

The tires have about 43K miles on them. I don't notice any tire wearing unevenly and the front tires don't seem that much more worn than the rears.
 
When you say "the alignment was slightly off" are you referring to it pulling?

Tires are often times the culprit for that. Just stick the offending tire on the rear where it doesn't bother you much until it's time for new tires.
 
My vote would also be a tire. I’m curious if your alignment issue is pulling to the right? I believe it could be road crown and a perfectly dead on alignment doesn’t compensate for that. To test that drive on the opposing lane of a straight highway and it will pull to the left.
 
Second vote that you have a tire problem.

There is a tire property called *Conicity* - root word *Cone*. Tires have varying degrees of conicity, and depending on your vehicle, above a certain level, the SUM of both front tires' conicity that determines whether you have a pull or not. 2 highs or 2 lows do not cause a pull, but a high and a low CAN.

Also note that conicity can be pointed in or out, so 2 lows - one pointed in and one pointed out can also cause a pull.

So to answer your question: Sure! Leave the tires where they are for now. Just be aware that your front tires are going to wear out first and since the problem set appears to be on the rear - and new tires should go on the rear - you will want to replace all four.
 
It's just your tires here not the alignment - I'd leave them alone at this point if it's driving like you want it to. Or...just get a new set of tires...
 
Sounds like the tire(s) may be a bit wonky. How much tread depth is left? Might be worthwhile to spring for new tires, depending on age.

That said, sounds like it’s best to stop rotating for now and wait for the tires to age/wear out. On the next set go back to rotating.
 
Your experiencing tire pull, its the tires throwing you off, just leave them in the rotated position till they wear in, then rotate again when due, you may have gotten subpar tires.
 
Your experiencing tire pull, its the tires throwing you off, just leave them in the rotated position till they wear in, then rotate again when due, you may have gotten subpar tires.
This - I note sometimes after a rotation being v. sensitive to this stuff that I can get a little pulling - it always goes away.
 
If rotating fixes the pulling issue then leave it how it’s currently sitting, or replace the bad pair of tires.

what kind of tires are they? It’s pretty common for cheap econo tires to have manufacture defects.
 
Yes it's more than likely your tires. You are getting up there in miles on them anyway so just leave it until you buy new ones. I have a friend of mine who's 2007 Pontiac does the same thing and it's proven on his that's it is the tires. His tires are about worn out and up there in miles.
 
I never rotate and use tire wear to show need for alignment since if tires wear funny alignment is usually way off.

Tires take a set, and rotating means they are never quite settled in.
 
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