Can you rotate your own tires? The answer is yes, but it’s really the wrong question to be asking in the first place. A better question is: Should you rotate your own tires? The answer in this case is probably not.

Rotating your vehicle’s tires is a breeze if you have the right tools. Unfortunately the right tools for rotating your own tires consist of a lift, a powerful compressor, and the air tools to go along with it. You could make do with a tire iron or even the right size of socket wrench, but it’s the lift that is the real sticking point. Even the most dedicated of do-it-yourselfers rarely has a hoist in their garage. If nothing else, the cost of the equipment and installation can prove prohibitive. If you could afford to put in a lift, you could probably afford to have your tires professionally rotated every single day for the next year

With that said, if you’re still set on rotating your own tires here is the procedure to use.

Get your jack, spare tire and tire iron out of the trunk.Starting with the front left tire, place the jack in the indentation provided and illustrated in your vehicle’s owners manual. If you can’t find it, keep looking. Placing the jack anywhere else can result in costly body damage.Jack up the car.

Remove the wheel (and tire.)Put the spare on and make sure it is secure. Halfway measures just won’t do. If the nuts are even slightly loose the weight of the car once it is off the jack can bend or even snap the bolts.Lower the jack.

Take the tire you have just removed to the position where you are rotating it to. This will either be the left rear position, or the right rear position. Check with your manufacturer to see what they recommend.Jack the car up again, once again making sure that the jack is in the indentation provided.