My own use and recommendation ... fwiw.
Rule 1: Directional: Don't cross ... front-back only. Rotation of tire stays in the same direction as marked on the tire.
Rule 2: Non-directional: Cross using a typical "non-spare use" pattern (if your spare is not a regular wheel and tire). Doing cross should give better wear patterns, but it is also dependent on the alignment, of course.
Rule 3: Never mix and match tires (brands, types or sizes) on the
same axle - if you have tires on the front axle that are different from the back axle, don't cross.
Rule 4: If you use snow tires, put snow tires on all four wheels - not just the "driven" axle.
Rule 5: Try to use the same brand/model/size on all four wheels.
Rule 6: If your car requires/needs staggered wheels, then ignore rule 5 ... only with regard to the "same" size, that is!
Rule 6: Never stagger or have different tires/wheels on AWD Nissan/Infiniti cars.
Doing cross should give better wear patterns, but it is also dependent on the alignment, of course.
Since I have a small spare, not regular tire, it is
not in the pattern. However, I regularly (every two to three months - far less than the tires on the car, of course) check its pressure to make sure it is at 60 psi ... having a flat and discovering your spare is flat too is a pain!
Note that some tires have "inside/outside" differences ... like my current Continental DWS tires. But, since the
pattern is non-directional, it is okay to cross them (inside stays inside
)
Z