One of the most important parts of your vehicle's tires are the tread. The treat is basically the textured part of your tires which are raised and rigid. This tread is what allows water and dirt to essentially pass through your tire so that your tire can still have traction on the road. Without the proper tire tread, you will find yourself losing control of your vehicle during certain weather or driving conditions.
Before the rainy season begins, it is important to check your tire's tread to ensure that they will be safe to drive under any weather condition. A tire becomes legally worn out when its tread depth reaches two thirty-second (2/32) of an inch.
Here is how to check your tire tread at home using a penny:
- Try the penny test! Grab a penny that is clean.
- Place the penny into a tread groove on your tire.
- Rotate the penny so that Lincoln's head is upside down and touching the tread.
- If you can see Lincoln's entire head when the penny is inserted into the groove, you may need to replace your tire. If part of Lincoln's head is covered by tire tread, your tread should be good.
- Be sure to repeat this test on multiple tread grooves on your tire to get a more accurate reading, since some areas tend to wear out faster than others.
How to check your tire tread using a tread gauge:
- Purchase a tire tread gauge if you don't already own one. These are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased online or at any auto parts store.
- Place the end of the probe into any tread groove on your tire.
- Push down on the base of the gauge until the shoulders of the device lie flat against the tread block.
- Grab the barrel of the gauge and carefully remove the device from the groove without touching the probe.
- Check the tread reading.
- Be sure to test multiple tread groves for an accurate tire reading overall.
If the results of either of these tests tells you that you need new tires, don't hesitate to give us a call today here at Bill's Auto Service and Towing. We will be happy to help take a look and validate whether or not you need a new set, and help you in purchasing and intalling a new set if needed.