Even with all the technological advances that the automobile industry has developed to make vehicles safer and more secure, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed since the days of the Ford Model A: tires are the only parts that touch the road.

That means that tires are still the some of the most important components of your vehicle. And that means that regular tire maintenance during a speedy oil change is one of the best ways to make sure that your automobile is operating in as safe a manner as possible.

But you’ve probably heard all that before from your speedy oil change technician. And you’ve probably heard from that speedy oil change technician that rotating your tires regularly is essential to keeping your tires running at the optimal level. Getting regular tire rotations is an easy maintenance procedure that can be done during a speedy oil change and can help a vehicle’s fuel efficiency, increase the level of safety, and lengthen the life of your tires.

But what does “tire rotation” actually mean? What does it do? After all, don’t tires rotate all the time when the vehicle is in motion?

Yes, they do. But that’s not really what “tire rotation,” as it is called during a speedy oil change, means. Tire rotation simply means speedy oil change technicians swap your front tires for your back ones. The rims aren’t removed, and no new tires are added. Some cars, like certain sports cars and hot rods, have rear tires that are larger and different from the front. So tire rotation at a speedy oil change is unavailable for those vehicles. But if you have a normal car, truck or SUV, then getting a tire rotation at your next auto change service should not be a problem.

But why should do you this? Why does the simple swapping of tires during a speedy oil change help those tires last longer? And why is it safer? Aren’t you just using the same old tires?

Yes you are. But keep in mind that most vehicles are either front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. A car that features a front-wheel drive will demand more from the front tires because things like acceleration and braking all fall on the front tires. Since they do all the work, they’ll get more wear and tear than the tires in back, which are allowed to take it easy. Rear-wheel drives, of course, experience the opposite situation, where the back pair takes the brunt of abuse.

And tire rotation during a speedy oil change can even benefit four-wheel drive vehicles. Even though there’s a more even division of labor between the wheels on a four-wheel drive, there are still significant differences in the way front tires operate when compared to the back tires. And it’s a good idea to swap sides as well, as tires can experience wear depending on which side of the vehicle they’re on. That’s why most speedy oil change technicians will swap sides when they move the back tires to the front.

Most speedy oil change centers also offer low-cost or free tire rotation services for the entire life of your vehicle’s tires. These programs are usually a good idea. Speedy oil change and tire dealers want your business, so they’ll often give you breaks on things like tire rotation service. You might have to pay more if you’re still using the original tires that came with your vehicle, but those should be able to be rotated with a speedy oil change.