How to Check Tire Tread

Knowing the importance of when and how to check tire tread depth is essential to the proper maintenance of your car. Knowing how to check tire tread depth is also key to vehicle safety, as it is the treads that grip the road on the highways and streets around Hartselle, helping you to keep control of your vehicle. As time passes, tire tread depth gradually decreases, diminishing the amount of traction between the road and your tires. If your tire tread depth is not at a safe level, you could end up in a precarious situation. This is even more crucial in bad weather, when roads are often treacherous and traction is even more important.

If you’d like to know how to check tire tread depth, the service team at Mitch Smith Chevrolet, Inc. is there to help. If you’d like to do your tire tread test by yourself, all that is needed is a penny or a ruler to check your tire tread depth at home in Hanceville. Explore how to check tire tread depth below.

Tire Tread Depth – What Is Recommended?

After you buy a new set of tires, you’ll typically see a tread depth of about 10/32 or 11/32 of an inch (roughly one third of an inch). With winter tires and off-road tires, as well as some truck and SUV tires, you may see deeper tread grooves. So, exactly how do you know when it’s time for your tires to be replaced? The U.S. Department of Transportation advises replacing tires when tread depth is at 2/32 of an inch. Keeping a safe tire tread depth is important to safe driving in Decatur.

Checking Tire Tread Depth: The Tire Tread Penny Test

Although the most accurate way to measure tire tread depth is with a ruler, a penny will also do the job! The U.S. penny design actually makes it the perfect tool for measuring tire wear, and there is almost always one on hand. These are the these steps to perform the tire tread penny test on your tires:

1. Insert the penny so that the picture of Lincoln goes head-first into a tire tread groove.
2. Check to see if Lincoln’s head is covered and is no longer visible between the grooves.
3. If you find that you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tire treads are 2/32 inches deep or less, meaning it is time to replace them.
4. Be sure to repeat the tire tread penny test on all four of your car’s tires and in more than one location on each tire.

Other Ways to Check Your Tire Tread Depth

When a penny is not on hand to do the tire tread penny test, there are several other methods to check your tread depth:

• Tire Tread Gauge: It is easy to find a tire tread gauge in any auto parts store in the Decatur area. To use it, insert the tire tread gauge into the shallowest tread groove, and then press the gauge’s top bar flat against the tire so you can see the tread wear rating.
• Tread Wear Bars: Most tires have built-in tread wear indicator bars. They can be found at the bottom of the tread grooves, and you will see them in multiple locations across the tires. If you see that the bars are flush with the surrounding tire ribs, this is an indication that the tread depth has reached 2/32 of an inch.

Trust Mitch Smith Chevrolet, Inc. to Keep Your Tires in Tip-Top Shape

Whenever you measure your tire tread depth and find that you need replacement tires, visit our tire center today. After an inspection, we’ll help you order your new tires, and we’ll install them. Make sure you browse our parts specials to look for a great deal on Chevrolet parts and accessories in Cullman !