Who knows how to rotate tires without using a 4-point lift?

[GTXT23]

I thought about center jacking the rear - using 2 jackstands and going up front the same. ( I have 4 )
But the floorjack can damage the undercarriage if its not in a good spot and I cant find a good place even with a 2x4 - the rear diff wont not like it . These are not 1961 Pontiac Catalinas !
The front has a K member - but I cant be sure -- If damaged - not funny -
Mazda does suggest jack points - but looking for another way ..

Anyone have tried methods they might share without going in to a shop -?
I do the OE recommended rotation - fronts straight back - then rears cross over to the front..
so its not going to work using a jack to do one side at a time . I like mounting the tires and torquing the lugs to the precise ft-lb I like - and these shops just hack thru a rotation as fast as humanly possible-not

but if I do fronts to rear- then rears straight up front - one side at a time -- then just center jack the front and swap the 2 fronts across -- it works --- but Im worried about the K member holding up from dead center w/o damage ---and If anyone has done it with a floor jack dead center ? and a dedicated cutout bushing or 2x4 ?
Thanks Guys

 

[Silly Wabbit]

I personally jack up one side, rotate front to back, then repeat on the other side.

 

[GTXT23]

I personally jack up one side, rotate front to back, then repeat on the other side.

Yeah - I hear ya ...but how do you get the rears to cross sides up front ? They need to counterrotate to wear properly after 3 or 4 rotations of the exact same method -? thnx

 

[Silly Wabbit]

Yeah - I hear ya ...but how do you get the rears to cross sides up front ? They need to counterrotate to wear properly after 3 or 4 rotations of the exact same method -?

That's too fancy for me. My tires are fine with just front to back and no cross.

If you REALLY want to, just jack up by the front cross member and cross rotate after the front to back.

 

[GTXT23]

That's too fancy for me. My tires are fine with just front to back and no cross.

If you REALLY want to, just jack up by the front cross member and cross rotate after the front to back.

thnx. Im sick of not having a lift - its now - its a crucial item. ~ soon i need belt replacement on my 3 ( from underneath ) and transmission service. ~ pan , clean valve body - filter -etc - lift time

 

[Conrad 16.5]

I thought about center jacking the rear - using 2 jackstands and going up front the same. ( I have 4 )
But the floorjack can damage the undercarriage if its not in a good spot and I cant find a good place even with a 2x4 - the rear diff wont not like it . These are not 1961 Pontiac Catalinas !
The front has a K member - but I cant be sure -- If damaged - not funny -
Mazda dosent have any center points that are designed for that - at least in that fish wrap of an owners manual .

Anyone have tried methods they might share without going in to a shop -?
I do the OE recommended rotation - fronts straight back - then rears cross over to the front..
so its not going to work using a jack to do one side at a time . I like mounting the tires and torquing the lugs to the precise ft-lb I like - and these shops just hack thru a rotation as fast as humanly possible-not

but if I do fronts to rear- then rears straight up front - one side at a time -- then just center jack the front and swap the 2 fronts across -- it works --- but Im worried about the K member holding up from dead center w/o damage ---and If anyone has done it with a floor jack dead center ? and a dedicated cutout bushing or 2x4 ?
Thanks Guys

Safety First! That said, I don't use jack stands when I rotate my wheels , read on.

I rotate em like you do, per the manual. Straight back, then crossing, yada yada.

When I rotate, I use the spare tire and I always wash and wax the wheels, inside and out, during this process. My method is slow and takes a bit more time than other methods but I'm not in any hurry.

I start by retrieving the spare tire from its home in the hatch (good time to check the pressure in the spare and check out the area where it lives) and then loosen the lugs on one of the rear wheels, then, using the central jack point (the protrusion just behind the differential) I jack up the entire rear with my floor jack. I quickly swap the rear wheel with the spare, then snug up the lugs and lower the car. I wash and wax this wheel then I loosen the lugs on the front wheel and jack up the front of the car on one side using the normal jack points, just forward of the front doors, using my floor jack and a jack pad. Again, I quickly swap out the wheel that's just been washed and waxed with the front wheel that I just removed. Wash and wax and on to the next.

I proceed around the car till I replace the spare on the rear with the appropriate front wheel and away you go.

Again, not the fastest method but it's safe and it works for me. It's also the perfect time to inspect the brakes and suspension components.

 

[yrwei52]

If you REALLY want to, just jack up by the front cross member and cross rotate after the front to back.

Never thought about this way!

 

[yrwei52]

Safety First! That said, I don't use jack stands when I rotate my wheels , read on.

Same here. Just use the spare like changing the flat tire starting at RR, then repeat it 5 times with a floor Jack. Now I simply have my Discount Tire do the semi-cross rotation for me for free, and re-check the torque once I got home!

 

[theblooms]

Yeah - I hear ya ...but how do you get the rears to cross sides up front ? They need to counterrotate to wear properly after 3 or 4 rotations of the exact same method -? thnx

There's absolutely nothing wrong with front to back. Accepted practice by all tire manufacturers, and I've gotten 70,000 miles out of Michelins by doing just that.

 

[HeloJoe]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with front to back. Accepted practice by all tire manufacturers, and I've gotten 70,000 miles out of Michelins by doing just that.

Also of note, some tires, like the CC2s, are directional. Can't be cross-rotated, just front to back.

 

[paris1]

So here's how I do a proper four wheel rotation (without using spare) in my garage. Let me preface this by saying I always use rubber cushions on the top of my jack stands and floor jack to prevent damage to pinch welds.
Start by positioning the floor jack about a foot further forward of the LR tire than you normally would to pick up that wheel. That way, when you lift the car, you should be able to get both left tires clear of the ground. Remove both wheels, remount what had been the LF on the rear and move what had been the LR to the RF of the car. Put a jack stand at the LF corner and lower the car while you move to the next step.
Move to the right side and jack up/remove the RF wheel. Move this wheel to the RR of the car and mount what had been the LR on the RF corner. Lower the RF corner and jack up/remove the RR wheel Install what had been the RF on that corner. Lower the RR and move the wheel that had been there to the LF corner and install. Use jack stands as needed for safety, but that's basically all there is to it.

 

[ruthrj]

These are the prescribed points and they’ve worked fine for me on the 2WD CX-5s I serviced. I’ll see what I think about the rear differential on the ‘23 AWD, but I don’t have any qualms following the manual.

 

[GTXT23]

View attachment 323612
These are the prescribed points and they’ve worked fine for me on the 2WD CX-5s I serviced. I’ll see what I think about the rear differential on the ‘23 AWD, but I don’t have any qualms following the manual.

Ok - im going to read the manual backwards like im reading Japanese ...maybe .....its there and i missed it - Thats likey the same on AWD- Many many thanks !

 

[GTXT23]

Safety First! That said, I don't use jack stands when I rotate my wheels , read on.

I rotate em like you do, per the manual. Straight back, then crossing, yada yada.

When I rotate, I use the spare tire and I always wash and wax the wheels, inside and out, during this process. My method is slow and takes a bit more time than other methods but I'm not in any hurry.

I start by retrieving the spare tire from its home in the hatch (good time to check the pressure in the spare and check out the area where it lives) and then loosen the lugs on one of the rear wheels, then, using the central jack point (the protrusion just behind the differential) I jack up the entire rear with my floor jack. I quickly swap the rear wheel with the spare, then snug up the lugs and lower the car. I wash and wax this wheel then I loosen the lugs on the front wheel and jack up the front of the car on one side using the normal jack points, just forward of the front doors, using my floor jack and a jack pad. Again, I quickly swap out the wheel that's just been washed and waxed with the front wheel that I just removed. Wash and wax and on to the next.

I proceed around the car till I replace the spare on the rear with the appropriate front wheel and away you go.

Again, not the fastest method but it's safe and it works for me. It's also the perfect time to inspect the brakes and suspension components.

That is absolutley and without any doubt ....sheer genius ! It works as each tire then leads you on a trail back to the right or left rear spare ....
One question-, I wouldnt necessacarily need to use a floor jack in step #1 as im only pulling one wheel to replace with the spare ....i could just use the scissor jack to do every wheel ?
Thank You !!!!!

 

[yrwei52]

That is absolutley and without any doubt ....sheer genius ! It works as each tire then leads you on a trail back to the right or left rear spare ....
One question-, I wouldnt necessacarily need to use a floor jack in step #1 as im only pulling one wheel to replace with the spare ....i could just use the scissor jack to do every wheel ?
Thank You !!!!!

You can do that and just follow the instruction in owner’s manual on changing the flat tire. In fact that’s what I did rotating the tires before I got a floor Jack. And I always use a piece of thin rubber or thick paper to serve as a cushion between scissor jack and pinch weld jack point. But factory supplied scissor jack is slow and unstable at times. Invest a floor jack from Harbor Freight Tools is a much better way to rotate tires.

As I mentioned before, many Discount Tire / America’s Tire will rotate your tires for free even if you didn’t purchase the tires from them. Check your local DT / AT to verify.

 

[GTXT23]

You can do that and just follow the instruction in owner’s manual on changing the flat tire. In fact that’s what I did rotating the tires before I got a floor Jack. And I always use a piece of thin rubber or thick paper to serve as a cushion between scissor jack and pinch weld jack point. But factory supplied scissor jack is slow and unstable at times. Invest a floor jack from Harbor Freight Tools is a much better way to rotate tires.

As I mentioned before, many Discount Tire / America’s Tire will rotate your tires for free even if you didn’t purchase the tires from them. Check your local DT / AT to verify.

Well - I have a floor jack but its 1.5 ton ( 3000lbs ) so i suppose its ok just on the back end - the sequence is crucial- I also like conrads mania of cleaning and waxing each tire as you go -
- Thanks for the tip on DT - never know when that might come in handy - none near my home - The scissor jack is definitly not meant for industrial use and replacing them is $$$ - every salvage yard i hit ...i go straight to the japanese cars for the jacks / usually picked clean
- Thanks again for the diagrams !

 

[GTXT23]

View attachment 323612
These are the prescribed points and they’ve worked fine for me on the 2WD CX-5s I serviced. I’ll see what I think about the rear differential on the ‘23 AWD, but I don’t have any qualms following the manual.

Funny - the rear point on 4wd is right on the rear diff !

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I’ve been using those center jack points for years. Never an issue… I’m used to lifting my GX by the rear diff as well.

 

[Conrad 16.5]

That is absolutley and without any doubt ....sheer genius ! It works as each tire then leads you on a trail back to the right or left rear spare ....
One question-, I wouldnt necessacarily need to use a floor jack in step #1 as im only pulling one wheel to replace with the spare ....i could just use the scissor jack to do every wheel ?
Thank You !!!!!

Sure! The scissor jack will work, it's a bit trickier to place and not as convenient as a floor jack, but it's doable for sure.

Remember, safety first! Don't have any of your body parts underneath any part of the car while working on it, especially if you're not supporting it with jack stands.

 

[GTXT23]

Sure! The scissor jack will work, it's a bit trickier to place and not as convenient as a floor jack, but it's doable for sure.

Remember, safety first! Don't have any of your body parts underneath any part of the car while working on it, especially if you're not supporting it with jack stands.

Floor jack it is.......