Tires can be expensive however there are many places that sell their tire services for cheaper rates. Every tire needs a balanced rotation for proper usage therefore We had previously talked about Walmart tire installation costs and now, we will discuss what tire rotation cost and if it is a suitable spot for your vehicle.
Walmart Tire Rotation provides some of the best deals by performing basic tire rotations up to $2.50 per tire. Walmart has economic opportunities to offer its customers such as the lifetime packages along with their excellent auto center services.
You will learn how Walmart and its auto centers operate when it comes to tire rotation. Why is rotation important? What does it require? And can you do it by yourself?
Is Walmart Tire Rotations Worth It
Walmart is an excellent choice for those wishing to because of its affordable prices. Other places often charge extra for tires, especially around the amount of $25 to $50 for each wheel. However, Walmart offers the price for $10 for each wheel.
In addition, the lifetime balance and rotation package worth $14 makes it convenient for customers to save money, fuel consumption and a lot of time.
Every 7500 miles, you are able to receive the balance and rotation package for every lifetime of the tire. With Walmart, tires lasting 50,000 miles, you are able to get 6 to 7 rotations and balances.
What Is Walmart Tire Rotation Cost
Walmart offers lifetime balance and rotation package. As long as you follow through having your tires rotated and rebalanced every 7500 miles, your tires will last long enough to be rotated 6 to 7 times.
However, make sure your tire warranty doesn’t come with requirements to be rotated frequently. In some cases, cars need to be rotated to reach a certain amount of miles. Make sure to see if the tire warranty refunds you the amount for the miles that are not met by the warranty agreement.
Tire manufacturers will often require evidence of regular rotation service being performed at or before the maximum amount of miles. Remember to read through the paperwork that was given to you at the time of tire purchase since tires need to be rotated at the amount of mileage.
Other companies such as Discount Tire may offer better deals for free which is a greater bargain for rotations. However, the balance package doesn’t come for free but that is alright since rebalancing a tire is not as critical as the rotation.
If you are confused as to which deal to choose, it is wiser to choose the one that provides a cheap budget to your rotation package.
What Are Tire Rotation Costs of Other Stores
Walmart is known for its low prices unlike other chain stores that still sell pricey rotations.
If Walmart is around $10 – $14, other chain stores cost around $20 – $25. Below is a list that provides the name of each chain store selling pricier tires than Walmart.
- Costco: $20
- Firestone: $20
- Valvoline: $25
- Jiffy Lube: $25
If you do the math, you are actually saving a total of $15 if you buy exclusively from Walmart.
What Other Auto Care Services Does Walmart Offer
Tire Balancing: $5 per tire if purchased from Walmart exclusively. It would cost 10 dollars per tire brought by the Auto Center from a different supplier.
Valve Stem Installation: Costs around $3 per tire.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Rotation Reset: A free reset of the TPMS system after tire rotation to ensure that the system attains each pressure sensor at the exact location. This service is however only meant for customers that purchased services that need TPMS resetting.
Free Re Torquing of Lug Nuts After 50 Mile Break-In: Lug nuts will be properly torqued according to the specifications of the vehicle. This will help prevent your brake rotors from deforming as well as other future problems.
A torque wrench will be recommended for this process. Lug nuts that are retorqued after 50 miles are generally recommended.
This free service is only meant for customers that have purchased services that need torqued lug nuts.
Flat Tire Repair Service: Costs around $15 if tubeless and repairable
Other Walmart Center Services: Includes services such as oil change, fuel system replacement, engine and cabin air replacement, windshield wiper replacement, battery replacement and lubricant change.
What Are Walmart Auto Center Hours
Walmart Auto Center hours are open from 6 am to 11 pm for 7 days a week. On days such as holidays and bad weather, the timings might be affected. It would be best to visit your local Walmart today or use Auto Care Center Finder on the Walmart website to learn more about the openings and closings of the center.
You may also try the Walmart call center where you can speak to a representative or manager about the days and hours of the center.
What More Should You Know?
When Should You Go For Tire Rotation
A sage advice to all drivers is that every time you change the oil in your car, you should rotate your tires too. At first, 3000 miles was the norm to get an oil change, however modern cars that use modern lubricants have a different impact on this value.
Recently, manufacturers recommend oil services about every 5000 to 7500 miles. These numbers are the average distance between tire rotations however it depends on your driving style and the quality of tires.
Some vehicles that take full synthetic oil have a mileage as much as 15,000 miles. This is a bit too much for tire rotation so keep in mind how you drive.
Is It Important To Rotate Tires
At times, average distance does not apply to all transportation. Vehicles that are a front-wheel drive (FWD) and rear-wheel drive (RWD), the amount of 5000 to 7500 miles holds true.
However for all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle tires need to be rotated frequently. The typical rotation would be around 3000 and 5000 miles.
If you drive an FWD or RWD vehicle, you can get your tires rotated every time you get an oil change. However, if you drive a 4WD or AWD vehicle, you would have to get your tires rotated in between oil changes including also when getting your oil changed too.
When you drive, it is understood that tires experience wear and tear however not all tires will experience the same amount of it. FWD vehicles will experience more wear on the front tires whereas RWD vehicles will experience wear on the rear tires.
This is due to the distribution of the weight on your vehicle as some left and right tires will experience more damage because of it. Therefore, if you do not rotate the tire that is experiencing the most wear, you will have to replace it far sooner.
This is why rotating your tires is important as it spreads the wear evenly on each tire. This allows you to receive an unlimited amount of great driving experience and a longer life span for your tires.
Should You Rotate Tires Yourself
Tire rotation is easy so you can definitely rotate your own tires without needing many tools and high scale equipment. If you have a spare tire and a tire changing kit in your car, you are all set for rotating your own tires.
However, you will not be able to check the balance of your tires unless you have a wheel balancer. This is because of the weight of your tires. As long as your initial tires and weights are balanced and if you don’t feel any vibration while driving, you do not need your wheels balanced.
If you feel the need to ask for professional help, then a hardware store or an auto repair shop will help you out. They will not only have the equipment present for rotation but they will be able to balance your wheels too.
How To Do Tire Rotation
The first thing you need to identify is whether your vehicle is an FWD, RWD or AWD and 4WD. Next, you must check if you have directional tires, non-directional tires or staggered wheels (different sized front to rears).
This is important because the rotation pattern of your tire will be different based on these factors. For example: the wheel rotation method for non-directional wheels and non-staggered wheels are forward cross, rearward cross and X pattern.
Directional tires and staggered wheels have only one pattern each no matter the drive direction.
Forward Cross: This is used for FWD vehicles specifically. The front wheels are brought directly to the back whereas the back wheels are brought to the forward. These are swapped left to right and right to left constantly.
Rearward Cross: This is used for RWD vehicles specifically. It is similar to the Forward Cross except the front wheels are crossed from left to right and right to left.
X-Pattern: This pattern is mainly used in AWD and 4WD vehicles. With the X pattern, both front and rear wheels are swapped from left to right.
Front to Back: This motion is used on all vehicles with directional tires. The front wheels are swapped with the back wheels.
Side to Side: Like Front to Back, it is used on all vehicles except with staggered wheels. The left hand side wheels are swapped with the right hand side wheels. These must be all RWD though.
Wrap Up
Tire rotation is important for your vehicle but it is more important to always choose the cheaper option. You may be able to rotate by yourself but Walmart Tire Rotation services can efficiently provide reasonable prices for both rotations and balances in their lifetime packages.
In addition, the auto services and center hours provided are extremely helpful to customers to bring your car to the perfect condition. Each choice will be assigned to your vehicle’s needs as to what type your vehicle is including wheel patterns such as directional, staggered or non directional.
What was your favorite part of the article? Did you find some of these tips and tricks useful? And if you have any questions or inquiries, you may comment on the comment section below. Do not hesitate to share information over the subject.
