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My front tires are heavily worn in 10,000 miles to 6mm left and 5 mm right, whereas the back tires are 20,000 miles and have 7mm each. So I conclude that front-wheel-drive eats front tires.

The second thing, which is puzzling me, is that the front right tire is more heavily worn (5mm vs 6mm front left). I know that the front spins sometimes on take off when turning, and I think it maybe most prominent on right turns (which are tighter turns typically then left turns). So maybe the answer is in rotation (which I sadly neglected).

I always understood rotation with radials you take the backs straight to the front, but the fronts cross over going back. That would make the next rotation put the tire with greater tread on the front right and balance out the wear.

But the 2008 Mazda 5 owner's manual says to rotate only front to back, no crossover. It says this is the case for unidirectional tires and for tires with an asymmetrical tread pattern. I have some Hercules tires with a symmetrical tread pattern. I have no idea if they are unidirectional. Isn't that a feature of high end tires? Don't know, but I called the shop and they said don't cross them over because if I make them rotate in the other direction than they have been running, I can get tread separation. He also chided me for my negligence in not having them rotated at all.

What is the story, do I risk tire failure if I cross them over when I move the fronts to the back?

I'll say this, it is a lot easier to rotate if I don't cross them over as my hydraulic floor jack will lift one side of the car, both tires, together.

ClutchFork wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2020 9:54 am My front tires are heavily worn in 10,000 miles to 6mm left and 5 mm right, whereas the back tires are 20,000 miles and have 7mm each. So I conclude that front-wheel-drive eats front tires.

Every single vehicle will eat front tires first under average driving conditions. It has absolutely nothing to do with which wheels are driven.

That said, with the exception of directional or mismatched sizes, do whatever the hell you want. My car's summer tires get a diagonal "rotation" when swapping between seasons. FL/RR and FR/RL always get marked and swapped. The winter tires are directional and only get a front/rear rotation. My Wranger gets a clockwise five tire rotation every oil change. The Mazda? That little thing just gets two new snow tires put on every couple of years when one axle wears out because I don't care and they are incredibly cheap.

The consensus I'm seeing is that tread separation subsequent to cross-rotation was a problem with early radials, not with bias ply or modern radials, but the yoostabee/myth persists in some circles.

All cars will wear the fronts first because they do most of the steering, most of the braking, and (usually) carry most of the weight. If they also do all or most/all of the acceleration, that will only make the situation worse.

Good info. Thanks. As for the front right wearing harder than the front left, I just have to stop mashing the pedal so hard on right turns!