kreativ

Some of the more recent Lexus models (the '02-'06 ES for sure) come with full-size spares, and the owner's manual actually calls for a 5-tire rotation. This seems like a good way to get more mileage out of the low-treadwear OEM summer tires before switching to tires of your own preference (simply keep the best of the used OEM tires as the spare).

Just curious if anyone is actually doing a 5-tire rotation with their full-size spare.

JellyBean

I don't include the spare into the rotation schedule because it's directional. Tried including it in the rotation schedule for the one side, but it wasn't worth the hassle, just to extend the life of 1/2 the tires. Next tires won't be directional. And by the way, it came from the dealer like that.

meZoom!

If you like to clean out your whole trunk and remove the trunk carpet every time you want to rotate your tires, then it'll work out for you. It's never completely made sense to me to do a 5-tire rotation because:
1. as aforementioned, it's extra work to get to the spare.
2. your "spare" can become worn out.
3. I'd prefer keeping a clean, new wheel stored safely until I really need it.
4. seems like a way to get people to buy more tires, contrary to what the manual assumes.

PERRYinLA

The spare may be full-sized (and by the way, it's also full sized on my 14-year old SC), but does the full-sized wheel match the pattern and material of the alloy wheels on the car?

I don't know of many car makers that go through that extra expense, since in most cases it would be a waste, anyway. Many times the dealer will swap the wheels with another set the customer likes or pays to upgrade to, anyway. But neither the customer nor the dealer will pay 25% more for the 5th wheel.

So for most of us, this is a non-issue, unless you go out and buy a 5th rim to match your 4 others. Ooops- there goes all your savings.

BobsGX

On my 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and my 2006 Lexus GX470, they both have an original wheel as the spare. I use all 5 on rotation, that way you will get 20% more life out of the tires and they should all wear the same. Who wants to keep the spare like new when in 10 years or less, the spare would be unusable due to tire rot.

PERRYinLA

Well, I did say cars, not SUV's.

I can understand the spare matching on SUV's that have the spare hanging off the rear gate, since it is exposed for all to see. But if the spare is hidden away, it's quite an extravagance to have it match the other four.

kreativ

Actually, the '02-'06 ES has a matching spare tire/wheel. I can't imagine the Lexus owner's manual specifying a 5-tire rotation if it didn't. If the ES has it, I don't think Lexus would leave out the GS and LS (the ones redesigned after '02 at least).

I see it as a potential way to get additional life out of the OEM tires, especially the expensive summer tires with low treadwear ratings (140 on mine!). When it's time for replacement, the best of the 5 used OEM tires would still perform far better than your typical temporary spare (which are usually rated for 500 miles and up to 55mph).

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

The LS has a full size matching wheel, EXACTLY like the ones on the four corners. When you buy a Luxury car, they give you a full size wheel, makes sense to me.

kreativ

What pattern do you use to rotate your 5 tires?

This pattern appears to get all 5 tires into the spare position:
(assuming tires are rotated front-to-rear on the side not involving the spare)
Tire rotation #1: Rotate right tires with spare (Front-right to spare, spare to rear-right)
Tire rotation #2: Rotate left tires with spare
Tire rotation #3: Rotate left tires again with spare
Tire rotation #4: Rotate right tires with spare

BobsGX

As I recall, my 1993 SC400 and 1996 LS400 both had full size spare tires on matching alloy wheels. Sounds like Lexus is getting a bit cheap with the later year CARS.

BobsGX

On the following link: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=43

I use the C pattern under 5 tire rotation.

VVT-i

We'd some dicussion about 5 tires rotation before and many times. The only problem is you will have to keep tracking where those tires went from the last service, where they are now and where will they go next????....

After a while you will lost track of your 5 tires rotation and may end up replacing all 5 tires instead of only 4 tires.

BobsGX

Why would you lose track if you always followed the same pattern and always involved all 5 tires?

kreativ

Thanks. I'm going to use the same pattern, although the Lexus owner's manual only shows the spare tire being rotated onto the right side of the car.

Another benefit of rotating in the spare is that if one should be unfixable due to a road hazard, you can swap in the spare without the treadwear being too uneven compared to the other tires.

mmahamm

I don't like 5-tire rotation, because you end up with one tire that is less worn than the other tire on the same axle. Plus there's all that stuff about keeping track of where the tire was before.

I typically do the 5-tire rotation ONCE. On my 00 RX300, the spare wheel was the ugly black one, so I had to get the tire re-mounted on one of the other wheels. On my 02, the spare wheel matches the others, so it's cheaper:

Rear wheels are worn. Left rear is worse than right rear (possible alignment issue). Replacing left rear with a new tire, moving new tire and spare (which is also new) to front. Crossing fronts to rear, moving right rear (worn) to spare.

From here on, I will rotate 4 tires. When they are worn out, I will replace 3 plus the spare, and move the best looking worn tire to the spare, so that I don't have an ancient tire back there.