Inexpensive DIY tire rotation.

I grew up very poor in a poor family. As a child and well into my twenties, I had to watch othere's who had better tools and cars that I had to drive.

That turned into a blessing, because I developed a knack of making simple and inexpensive do the same function as expensive. That developed into engineering skills in cost cutting but still functional designs to achieve the same outcome with less. In the aerospace industry, from which I retired, it had great value to manufacturers.

Although, I can now afford and own the Quick Jack Car Lift system and a set of the original Bogert Safe Jacks Rennstands, I still find it satisfying to develop inexpensive methods that can help others with leas resources.

This inexpensive method must only be used for rotating tires from front to back and vice versa one side at a time.
CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO NEVER GET UNDER THE CAR WHEN IT IS RAISED OFF THE GROUND.
Using my machine shop facilities, I made these custom adapters for the expensive two ton trolley jacks sold at Walmart for $33.

The center swivel is removed from the jack and replaced with my custom adapter that perfectly fits into the Tesla jacking socket. The socket has been measured at six inches above the pavement. The adapter mounted on the jack is about 5-1/5 inches high. It allows the jack to be easily rolled under my 2023 Model 3 without clearance issues.

The jack lifts the corner of the car at the socket about 13-1/2 inches above the ground as shown in this photo. The rear tire, as shown is raised about four inches; the front tire is up 1-1/2 to 2 inches due to the stiffness of the car's chassis.

 

[RayK]

So, for the cost of another $33 Walmart floor jack and a second adapter, you could get the car up 3-4" at both ends and not have to stress the chassis all that much. A single person could operate both jacks at the same time as long as they are positioned diagonally to the frame of the car.

What is the adapter made of? 6061 aluminum and Delrin?

 

[Mike500]

Carefully, done by loosening the lug nuts before jacking up one corner, the tires can be carefully changed with one jack and one adapter. The corner with the jack is raised 3-4 inches while the other corner on the same side goes up 1-1/2 to two inches. That's enough for both tires to be removed and switched, lowered and the lug nuts tightened when the tires contact the pavement.

The center post is an SAE Grade 5 modified and threaded through the center of a white Delrin compression disk , a 6061 aluminum disk and all locked to a threaded green Delrin center post.

You'd only need two jacks and two adapters, if you want to do an x pattern rotation in three steps.

1. Exchange front to back on the left side.

2. Exchange front to back on the right side.

3. Exchange right front to left front requiring two jacks and two adapters.

 

[GoergeJetson]

I've been rotating tires using this method for 20 years, never had an issue, always have gotten even tire wear. There is no additional stress on the chassis than what the car would see on a rough road and the chassis of cars today are stiff enough to easily handle the front being raised enough so the back tire is also not in contact with the ground. On my Tesla, I rotate every 5,000 miles or so, got 60k+ miles out of my OEM 20" PS4S tires. Nice write up Mike500, thanks for posting this for people that have thought about doing rotations themselves.

 

[rpiotro]

When I had Tesla mobile service do a tire rotation last year he used that method. Jacked up the whole side with one jack.

 

[RCM11]

It’s very, very easy to jack up one side of the car and be able to have both wheels on that side off of the ground with enough clearance to perform the rotation. In fact, if your low-profile jack has a flat contact pad, you don’t need the rubber puck sold on amazon, etc. I watched with my own eyes as my mobile tech did just as I described. Now, that is how I do it (have done it) with zero issues.

 

[Mike500]

Being a worry wart, I did not trust those runner jack pads that might slide off of those flat top low profile jacks sold at Harbor Freight. I have two of them, but they are now in nearly over $100 with sales tax.

My 2023 Model 3 has 20mm instead of 25mm sockets that earlier ones came with. Those cheap jacking pucks have 25mm posts and will not fit.

I could have made a thin aluminum disk with the right sized post, but I wanted to develop something less expensive.

I approached the ideal of the most inexpensive trolley jack I could find as a feasibility study to help fellow Tesla aficionados . They are 5-1/2 inches at the lowered saddle height and cannot take any adapter that increases the assembled height and still be rolled under the jacking socket without a rig that raises the wheel before jacking.

Using the adapter that I made, the car will never slide off the top of the jack and have the jack land on the battery. The wheels of the jack will always roll to compensate.

Thus, I believe that the 2 ton trolley jack, weighing at least 10 less than the Harbor Freight aluminum jack at 18 pounds is a lot more efficient.

This photo shows another alternative method using one of my adapters and an electric scissors jack.

 

[PianoAl]

If you have a spare tire, you never need to get more than one tire off the ground. Two extra swaps for front to back, one extra swaps for other patterns. Less stress on you and the car, less need for better jack.

 

[Evpowerdan]

I grew up very poor in a poor family. As a child and well into my twenties, I had to watch othere's who had better tools and cars that I had to drive.

That turned into a blessing, because I developed a knack of making simple and inexpensive do the same function as expensive. That developed into engineering skills in cost cutting but still functional designs to achieve the same outcome with less. In the aerospace industry, from which I retired, it had great value to manufacturers.

Although, I can now afford and own the Quick Jack Car Lift system and a set of the original Bogert Safe Jacks Rennstands, I still find it satisfying to develop inexpensive methods that can help others with leas resources.

This inexpensive method must only be used for rotating tires from front to back and vice versa one side at a time.
CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO NEVER GET UNDER THE CAR WHEN IT IS RAISED OFF THE GROUND.
Using my machine shop facilities, I made these custom adapters for the expensive two ton trolley jacks sold at Walmart for $33.

View attachment 954189View attachment 954190View attachment 954191
View attachment 954208



The center swivel is removed from the jack and replaced with my custom adapter that perfectly fits into the Tesla jacking socket. The socket has been measured at six inches above the pavement. The adapter mounted on the jack is about 5-1/5 inches high. It allows the jack to be easily rolled under my 2023 Model 3 without clearance issues.

View attachment 954192

The jack lifts the corner of the car at the socket about 13-1/2 inches above the ground as shown in this photo. The rear tire, as shown is raised about four inches; the front tire is up 1-1/2 to 2 inches due to the stiffness of the car's chassis.


View attachment 954196View attachment 954205

Safety first - That jack holding up the heavy vehicle is not safe IMO. You need solid jack stands and a good torque wrench too.

Discount Tire or Tire America does rotations for FREE. No tools needed. Plus, have great deals on new tires when you need them.

 

[afadeev]

you could get the car up 3-4" at both ends and not have to stress the chassis all that much. A single person could operate both jacks at the same time as long as they are positioned diagonally to the frame of the car.

There is ZERO need to jack one side of the car with two (2) jacks. If anything, it's more unsafe.
Also, "not stressing the chasses" while lifting at factory reinforced lifting points is simple not a thing.

Using my machine shop facilities, I made these custom adapters for the expensive two ton trolley jacks sold at Walmart for $33.

There is nothing wrong with your jacking adapter (even though it is unnecessary), but I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND to throw away the cheap-o WM jack, and invest into a safe, quality 3+ ton jack.
Many quality options out there, but if you are member of Costco, this will do just fine:

https://www.costco.com/cat-3-ton-low-profile-service-jack.product.100507254.html

Trust me - you will either buy a quality jack now, of after you wish you did!

photo shows another alternative method using one of my adapters and an electric scissors jack.

Please avoid scissor jacks.
Cars move when you lift them, thus a quality jack will move <in> under the car to adjust to the weight transfer.
Scissor jacks lack wheels, are unable to move accordingly, and a thus unstable. They are OK in an emergency, but don't buy them for home use.
Get a quality 3+ ton low-profile jack, and be safe!

 

[Mike500]

There is nothing wrong with your jacking adapter (even though it is unnecessary), but I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND to throw away the cheap-o WM jack, and invest into a safe, quality 3+ ton jack.
Many quality options out there, but if you are member of Costco, this will do just fine:

https://www.costco.com/cat-3-ton-low-profile-service-jack.product.100507254.html

Trust me - you will either buy a quality jack now, of after you wish you did!

$250 plus including taxes and 60 pounds, I'll pass. I can't see carrying that 60 pound jack up and down the stairs to and from a third floor apartment.

With the light 18 pound 2 ton jack with a carrying handle, it's easy to transport like a small suitcase. The permanently attached adapter means that there is no easily lost and need to find the needed jacking puck. Without some form of locating adapter, there is a risk of lowering the car and damaging the fragile battery area.

Even the 1.5 ton so called lightweight aluminum jack weighs 35 pounds and, with no carrying handle, needs to be carried awkwardly in both arms with the long handle sticking out. Removing the handle would mean another trip.

Not everyone needs to spend that amount of money just to do only tire rotations.

The scissors jack, although can be used for tire rotation, is better suited for roadside flat tire changing.

 

[afadeev]

$250 plus including taxes and 60 pounds, I'll pass. I can't see carrying that 60 pound jack up and down the stairs to and from a third floor apartment.

Your priorities are all wrong, but good luck to you!
We all learn at our own pace. Go talk to your dad about jack safety, before things get very painful and very expensive!

With the light 18 pound 2 ton jack with a carrying handle, it's easy to transport like a small suitcase.

True, and utterly besides the point.
How often do you need to transport the jack? If a carrying handle the primary determining factory in jack's functionality, or is it:

• Wide support base, for maximum stability and safety
• Large polyurethane wheels that roll freely and easily across all surfaces, for maximum stability and safety
• Low profile for ease of reach under the vehicle (<4")
• Lift range (e..g: 3 to 24 Inches) so that you can lift the car high enough to put it on jack stands.
• Long lifting arm, so that you can position it under the appropriate lifting points in all vehicles (e.g.: under center cross brace, control arms, etc.)
• Precise valve pressure release control, in any height position
• Nice to have: Quick-Lift pedal
• Nice to have: low weight
• Nice to have: ease of serviceability

More here:

NAPA Guide: How to choose a car jack for your car, truck, or SUV

You’ll need to know how to choose a car jack if you’re going to do vehicle maintenance or repairs, like oil changes. See our guide!

blog.napacanada.com

The permanently attached adapter means that there is no easily lost and need to find the needed jacking puck. Without some form of locating adapter, there is a risk of lowering the car and damaging the fragile battery area.

There is zero risk of not finding the right jacking point, if you have eyes, and an ounce of common sense.
Lifting the car by an unstable (narrow base, shitty wheels) and under-rated jack is the biggest risk in this entire operation.

Not everyone needs to spend that amount of money just to do only tire rotations.

Of course not.
You can get a less robust, but still "good enough" jack from Harbor Freight.
You will be rotating / swapping tires maybe once, at most twice a year. Doing it safely (for you and your car) should be your priority #1, 2-10. Reliability, ease of use and ergonomics of the tools should be priorities #11-99. Cost of tools should be your priority #100, The weight of the tools should be priority #101+.

Good luck either way!

P.S.: Personally, I had owned and thrown out portable jacks in the past. They got thrown out once I learned better.
P.P.S.: I have relied on AC Hydraulics DK20Q 2.2 ton low profile jack for the last 20+ years. It's been rock solid, with periodic oil maintenance.

Hydraulic Jack 2t - DK20Q

Jack for passenger cars and vans. Fitted with quick-lift pedal for easy reach of lifting point.

www.achydraulic.com

 

[Mike500]

Myself, I use my original Safe Jack Rennstands that I purchased from Robert Bogert in 2018.

Can't check with my dad on anything. He passed away 10 years, ago. He would be 110 years old, today.

I've been working on cars for 60 years. The first floor jack I own was a KYB one from the Price Club (now Costco) in 1978 in California. I purchased another KYB in 1985. I sold it 4 years ago. it still did not leak at that time.

The best 1.5 ton aluminum jack is the single piston US General model that has the most aluminum components and weighs 22 pounds. I purchased that one in 2005. Since then, I have purchased two more in tho years or so. The second one still had one piston but a steel saddle and weighs 30 pounds. The last one had as steel lifting arm, a steel saddle and many more steel components as it does today. It weighed 35 pounds. Not happy with it, I gave it away 3 years, ago.
Over the years, like everything else, the quality has degraded. The original one still does not leak. The second one leaks but the leak was eliminated with an oil change and ATP205.

The Walmart jack works fine for quick and easy tire rotation. I've done it twice using the method I described in my original post.

 

[cbigfoot]

i did my own rotation i went the expensive route thou (2x2ton Low profile jacks from harbor freight and 2x jack stands already had) but had a question when you were doing the rotation did you notice any of the small 10mm bolts that secure the brake rotors to the hub where loose? my front driver side was so loose it pulled straight out. I checked and got 2-3 complete rotations on the other 3.

on another note, at 6000 miles i had 7/32 on the front and ~5.5/32 on the rear which is why i rotated a bit early.

note my old jack was too tall to fit under my car and not high enough to work on my parents cars so its for more than just rotations...

 

[TesslaBull]

Can a regular 2 ton floor jack be used without an adapter puck of some sort? I'm at 11k miles on the OE tires and need to rotate.

 

[Mike500]

Unfortunately, I can't see how it would keep the saddle of the jack from slipping off before the wheels role to compensate the movement.

That's why I made the adapter. You can makes something similar.

 

[Mike500]

Additionally, one naysayer "expert" sated that an adapter is not necessary with a flat top racing jack.

Most of the flat top low profile aluminum jacks now have steel plates with small thin rubber inserts in the center. The harder steel will both scrape and dent the thin soft aluminum that makes up the area around and of the jacking socket.

When lifted on a wheeled floor jack, without the fixed post holding the top of the jack in the socket, there is a sort of "tug of war" between the friction of the jack or even the rubber jacking puck (if used) and the friction and inertia of the jacks wheels. If the friction component is overcome before the inertia and frictional of the wheels, the jack will slide off, thereby damaging the chassis of the car. 5 to a thousand pounds landing on a small surface will almost always damage the thin aluminum chassis under rails to a certain extent. Then, there is the prospect of damage to the battery itself.

Like always, "It's better to be safe than sorry."

 

[cbigfoot]

i bought the pucks before i took delivery after reading bad experiences without them before i got the car. i have 2 sets as amazon screwed up and double shipped...1 i keep in the car one i keep in my shed. (yes i attempted to return no they didnt take them back told me to "throw them away" or donate them...

 

[rpiotro]

Additionally, one naysayer "expert" sated that an adapter is not necessary with a flat top racing jack.

Most of the flat top low profile aluminum jacks now have steel plates with small thin rubber inserts in the center. The harder steel will both scrape and dent the thin soft aluminum that makes up the area around and of the jacking socket.

When lifted on a wheeled floor jack, without the fixed post holding the top of the jack in the socket, there is a sort of "tug of war" between the friction of the jack or even the rubber jacking puck (if used) and the friction and inertia of the jacks wheels. If the friction component is overcome before the inertia and frictional of the wheels, the jack will slide off, thereby damaging the chassis of the car. 5 to a thousand pounds landing on a small surface will almost always damage the thin aluminum chassis under rails to a certain extent. Then, there is the prospect of damage to the battery itself.

Like always, "It's better to be safe than sorry."

Good advice. Those pucks can be had for a little over $20 for a kit of four. Why scrimp? I spend that much per week on beer.

 

[Mike500]

i bought the pucks before i took delivery after reading bad experiences without them before i got the car. i have 2 sets as amazon screwed up and double shipped...1 i keep in the car one i keep in my shed. (yes i attempted to return no they didnt take them back told me to "throw them away" or donate them...

Unfortunately, those pucks would require a lot of modification to be used with the 2 ton trolley jack.

As I stated and showed in the attached photos, the height of the jacking socket above the pavement is six inches. The saddle of the jack is 5-1/2 inches with the swivel saddle installed. The saddle with its steel protrusions would severely dent and deform the thin aluminum chassis pan parts.

Removing the saddle reduces the height to 5-1/4 inches. You'd have to chuck the rubber puck in a lathe and center bore a cavity that is 2-1/4 inch in diameter and at least 3/8 inch deep. I've done in a different prototype. Then, the rubber puck will only be supported by the circular rim of the cup welded to the jack. In that case, a cylindrical disk needs to be made to support the center, as you see in my current adapter. Even, when that is done, the post supplied with the puck would be too high to get it under the jacking socket.

The 2 ton trolley jack weighs 18 pounds and is simply easy to carry around with the handle. The next available low profile jack other that the Harbor Freight aluminum jack weighs 45 pounds and costs about 80.

Again, I designed a simple inexpensive adapter to allow a lightweight inexpensive and budget friendly jack for someone who does not do extensive work on the car and just wants to basically rotate tires.