![]() ![]() ![]() As the rubber wears, sipes disappear and tread blocks don't provide as much grip. Grip loss on snowy or icy roads is a concern. If you know your tires are partly worn, be sure to give yourself extra stopping distance in wet conditions. Though tires are considered bald at 2⁄32 inch, they lose some of their performance capabilities before that.Īs tire tread wears, it becomes less able to channel water and the risk of hydroplaning increases, especially at higher speeds. Asymmetric patterns are often a good choice for all-season tires. Summer tires and winter tires both generally have a symmetric design, with winter tires sporting deeper tread depth and sipes. The inner side of the tire often features lateral voids like those found in directional tires, while the outer side uses larger tread blocks. Asymmetric designs combine the above two patterns to offer good grip on dry roads as well as traction in wet and winter conditions.These tires channel water in one direction for reliable handling in wet conditions and provide zippy handling on dry roads. Directional tread patterns include lateral voids pointing in only one direction, making a V design, and are used on performance cars (those designed for speed).This is the most common tread pattern for passenger cars. Symmetric designs, as the name suggests, have the same pattern across the whole tire.Each pattern provides different handling and performance. Though each tire manufacturer makes unique variations on tire tread, the patterns generally fall into three categories. Siping is designed to improve tire performance during wet and winter driving conditions.ĭifferent tire manufacturers combine these features to create signature designs and offer good performance for a range of driving conditions. Ribs and tread blocks make contact with the pavement, while grooves and voids channel water when roads are wet and allow the blocks to flex as tires grip the road. Sipes (sometimes): Thin slits cut across the tread blocks and ribs.Blocks or lugs: The raised segments between ribs.Ribs: The long, raised bands that go all the way around a tire.There are four (sometimes five) main components to tire tread: Here are some facts to beef up your tire knowledge. The more you know about types of tread, the easier it will be for you to choose the best tires for your vehicle. ![]() Now you can measure your tread, but you may not know about all its components or what different tread patterns are for. If these are even with your tread ribs, you’ll know your tires need to be replaced. Many car and truck tires come with indicator bars at 2⁄32 inch. Check various points on the tire - around the circumference and between different ribs - to look for uneven tire wear.If you can see his entire head, your tread is worn to 2⁄32 inch or less and it’s time for new tires.If part of the head is covered, your tires are still in good shape.Take a penny and place it with Lincoln’s head upside down between two ribs on your tire.But the easiest way is to do a penny test. How do you know when your tires are officially worn out? You can use a tread depth gauge or take your car in for a professional evaluation. Many states require tires to be replaced when the tread reaches that depth. Department of Transportation recommends that you replace your tires once they’ve worn down to 2⁄32 inches. Measuring Tread Depth With the Penny TestĪ new car tire typically has a tread depth of 10⁄32 or 11⁄32 inches while a light truck will have between 11⁄32 and 19⁄32 inches. Luckily, there’s a simple way to check your tires with just your pocket change. Worn out tires affect your car’s performance and your safety. But do you know how to tell whether it’s wearing thin? Sakura grabs the third spot with its digital/analogue combo.Anyone who drives a car knows what tire tread is. The latest Sealey digital unit clinches the top spot, but proving analogue still has its place the PCL kit takes a creditable second. ![]() Finally, we went through the instructions, looking for detailed information, including the legalities of tread depth and width, plus advice on checking tyres when cool. We also marked the scales, and wanted to see a case, as well as easy access to the tyre valves. We checked the tread-depth tools against an MoT-approved gauge on a part-worn car tyre and a motorcycle tyre, and we tested the pressure element against a calibrated gauge at 20 and 30psi on both. To find the best way to look after yours, we tried a range of solutions. Using a combined pressure and tread depth (DTG) gauge – or a kit containing both – is the simplest way to keep track of tyres. It could also cost you more than that because under-inflated tyres use more fuel and adversely affect your car’s braking and cornering. ![]()
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