Sahara Lee

I do G too.

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV...EtVZdnFfzbz0o-

My rotation order using an axel jack (4 lifts):
1) Remove spare.
2) Remove passenger rear and replace with spare.
3) Remove passenger front and replace with passenger rear.
4) Remove driver rear and replace with passenger front.
5) Remove driver front and replace with driver rear.
6) Put driver front as spare.

My safe jacking instructions:
1) Never get under a vehicle supported only by a jack.
2) Only rotate tires on a flat - level - hard surface.
3) Set parking brake and chock wheel opposite from the jack.
4) Lift with an axel (scissors, shop or bottle) jack... save the Hi-Lift for off-road recovery only.
5) Loosen lugs after jack has weight on it but before wheel is off the ground.
6) Only raise wheel high enough to clear the ground by less than 1 inch.
7) When mounting a heavy tire save your back by using the jack to raise and lower the vehicle to align the wheel lugs with the wheel.
8) Snug lug nuts in a crisscross pattern making several passes before putting weight on the tires.
9) Once the vehicle weight is returned to the tire, torque lug nuts to 100 Ft-Lbs (spec is 85 - 125) in a crisscross pattern making at least 2 passes until all are at spec torque.

Do this and you won't be singing Kenny Rogers parodies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdhxulLH5iI

TriJeepV

I use the G method.

JeeprCreepr13

This seems to make the most sense to me. This is my first vehicle with a full size spare. I have a tire cover over mine so I never thought of sun damage to it but the comment about the TPMS battery going out makes tons of sense. I haven't had the chance to go offroading so I've only used it for highway driving.

101gargoyles

I don't understand how a spare on the tailgate "dry rots" but the ones on the road don't. Things might have changed since the old days but 'dry rot' used to be a symptom of wood.
I could be mistaken.
Keep a tire cover on spare and it will not get weather checked from UV and if it rains where you live it'll still get wet when you're driving from behind the cover.

crazymike

I did one set of tires. But don't anymore. A spare tire won't rot on the back. You can keep it nice with tire shine if you want. It means I have to spend less money when I get new tires.

101gargoyles

My 07 Rubi U does not have TPMS. F'n perfect.
BUT the Gargoylette's WK deisel does. That said she ended up throwing a tire due to debris on the highway...chewed up the rim...tpms sensor launched into near earth orbit and never recovered....
SO what I learned about the sensors is that :the ones from my spare Rubi rims from a later model
are not compatible with her existing ones
-The batteries are molded into the sensor-irreplcacable
SO why the TPMS sensor on a spare tire has to be involved in any discussion regarding 4 or 5 tire rotation in beyond my comprehension
Could be wrong...what would I know

MTMxRubi

So you are stuck with buying the same tires every time? Or do you have a mismatched spare?

The Riz

Always do 5 tire rotate, but never cross them. Have a thing about keeping them going in same direction. Spare to R/R,R/R to R/f, R/F to spare,L/f + L/R swap.

Jiblet

Tire formulations are some pretty complex chemistries. They include compounds for anti-UV, anti-oxidation/ozonation, anti-wear, etc.

The repeated flexing of a road tire causes heating, the heating allows for migration of the various waxes and such to replenish at the surface. That doesn't happen to an unused spare.

An aging, unused tire will show a whitish coating that is the telltale sign of non-use.

If you've ever come across an old rubber band that has become sticky, lost its elasticity, and cracks when you stretch it, that's pretty much what people mean when they say "dry-rot".

Tires have manufacturing date codes for good reason. They lose their road worthiness over time. Arguably faster with non-use.

crazymike

I will never go bigger than 35s and at $125 a pop I'll keep running treadwrights.