What's everyone's take on what tyre tread level you let your tyres get to before you decide to replace them? I'm running the OEM Michelin PE2's and the car has done just over 13k since new. I have about 6mm left on the rears and they still look pretty fresh and I've about 4mm left on the fronts. Obviously the fronts take more punishment than the rears, and I'm running Revo Stg1 so there's a few extra ponies going through the front wheels too.
So what's the general consensus on when to change? I know about the legal minimum tread depth, and I have no intention of letting them get anywhere near that bad. In fact I'm thinking about changing them now, but with my rears still having plenty of tread and looking quite fresh I'm starting to think they'll be ok for another couple of 1000 miles.
4mm is a tad early IMHO for the GTI. Even on supercar-wide tyres, it is generally OK to let them get down to 3mm. As others have stated, when the wet weather performance starts to deteriorate, then that is the time to change them, but with the Mich Exaltos, you will still get good wet performance right down to 2-2½mm. So you probably have another 3-4k miles, based on your driving style.
What about rotating the rears to the front?
What, as a routine? Well unless you want to fork out for four expensive tyres all in one go, don't bother!
However, when replacing tyres, that is a different issue. I'm sure we are all aware that the current 'best advice' is to have the tyres with the most tread on the rear. So, on a front wheel drive car, the fronts always wear much quicker than the rears, so you end up getting the fronts changed. Now, when you do get them changed, make sure the new boots
initially go back on the front.
Why? Two reasons, firstly, it is much easier to check that the wheels/tyres have been correctly balanced when on the front axle (you can generally clearly feel unbalanced front wheels through the steering wheel). Secondly, just like new cars, new tyres also need 'running in' - but (unless you have Goodyear Eagle F1 Asuymmetricals) new tyres usually need about 250 miles to correctly run in. After this 250mile period (and providing they have been correctly balanced), you can then swap the fronts to the rear and vice-versa.
Now, if you are a mechanical ignoramus, or don't have any facilities to swap your own wheels, when arranging with the tyre place, you could always offer them an extra £20 to swap the wheels for you 250 miles later after you have scrubbed the new ones in - I reckon most would gladly advise. If you are a sexy woman, and do a "Sharon Stone", they may even do it for free!
I've got about 6mm on my rears and 4mm on my fronts. Brace yourself for a dumbass question: If I do rotate them, I'm guessing I should rotate left rear->left front, right rear->right front, to keep the direction of rotation the same?
Spot on.
ALL radial tyres, weather they are 'directional' or not, asymmetrical or not - should all continue to use the same direction of rotation once used. Obviously, if you had a full size but part worn spare, then you can make an acceptable exception.
Finally, how feasible is it to rotate all your wheels on your driveway with the standard jack? Is it do-able, or should I bring it to a tyre place to have it done?
If you are confident in jacking up your own car and removing wheels, then it is easy.
All usual precautions apply: Never, EVER get under a car supported only by a jack (always use axle stands if you wanna crawl under the car), park on a level surface, apply the handbrake hard (then with the engine running, press the foot brake hard, and pull further on the handbrake lever
), turn off engine and remove ign key. Put a manual gearbox in reverse gear (an auto will already be in park!
). Then chock the opposite REAR wheel (in front and behind the rear wheel). Remove front and rear bolt caps on side to be swapped. Whilst still on ground, loosen each wheel bolt no more than half a turn. Put the standard car jack, or a trolley jack under the FRONT jacking point, and start turning/pumping. When the front wheel is clear, keep turning/pumping, and the rear will also rise clear of the ground enough to take off both wheels on one side using just one jack.
Regarding the 'best order' - remove front wheel first, and wheel it close to the rear. Then remove rear wheel, and quickly refit the front onto the rear. Then refit the rear onto the front. Nip up the wheel bolts, lower the jack, and correctly torque the wheels when on the ground. Repeat on the opposite side.
Two weeks later, recheck the wheel bolt torque.
HTH
