Once the tyres get to 4mm I would replace them anyway. In my experience most LR tyres get very noisy at about 4mm, especially Goodyears, and once you get to 3mm the wet weather performance drops off sharply. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

Thanks for replies.
I think that I will swap them diagonally at the end of the summer, ready for the winter.

I agree that waiting for 4mm is a bit late, in my area standing water is the main hazard and tread depth important.
Generally I take the minimum depth to be in the region of 2+mm, therefore half worn at 5mm.
On my FL2s I renew all 4 tyres at once. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Last edited by IanMetro on 6th Jan 2023 7:59 pm. Edited 1 time in total

When I change my summer wheels to the winter set or winter to summer, whatever was at the front the previous season go to same side rear and the previous season's rears go to same side front. (No diagonal rotation is involved).

It spreads the wear fairly evenly over both sets of tyres.

That's what I do too. My winter tyres are directional. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

IanMetro wrote:

Thanks for replies.
I think that I will swap them diagonally at the end of the summer, ready for the winter.

I agree that waiting for 4mm is a bit late, in my area standing water is the main hazard and tread depth important.
Generally I take the minimum depth to be in the region of 2+mm, therefore half worn at 5mm.
On my FL2s I renew all 4 tyres at once.

Swap mine front to rear every 5000 miles or thereabouts.
I don't see the benefit swapping side to side, if a tyre has been running in one direction for thousands of miles it's hardly going to improve by being asked to perform in the opposite direction.
Keeps wear even.
I replace all 4 at once with a quality brand. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

I agree that the tread blocks have to re-wear to the new direction of travel, but my nearside tyre always show outer shoulder wear and lead to premature scrapping of the whole 4 tyres.
By swapping sides I hope to help this. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Roundabouts are the issue me thinks - maximum loading on nearside front outer shoulder. Jules

IanMetro wrote:

I agree that the tread blocks have to re-wear to the new direction of travel, but my nearside tyre always show outer shoulder wear and lead to premature scrapping of the whole 4 tyres.
By swapping sides I hope to help this.

But you swap yours around. Jules