How Do I Know When My Tires Need to Be Replaced

Modern tires are constructed with materials like steel, polyester, and rubber and they are designed to be able to last for tens of thousands of miles, but at some point they will need to be replaced. Knowing when to replace your tires is more important than a lot of people might think. Driving on tires that are worn out is a major safety hazard. Driving on worn tires affects your vehicle’s handling, braking distance, and overall performance. So how can you tell when tires need to be replaced?

One way to tell when your tires need to be replaced is to check the tread of your tires. A tire’s tread is designed to provide traction between your car and the road and also to divert water away from the tire in wet conditions to improve traction and prevent hydroplaning. Therefore, it is very important to check the tread depth to make sure that the tread is not worn to the point where the tire is no longer safe.

All tires sold in the United States today have tread wear bars that can help you tell when it’s time to change your tire. The tread wear bars bridge the gap between the tire treads. If the treadwear bars become flush with the top of the tire tread, it is time to replace the tires.

Another common way to check tread depth is known as the “penny test.” If you takea penny with Lincoln’s head facing toward you, and place it upside down between the tread, you can use Lincoln’s head as an indication of whether you need to change your tires.

If you place Lincoln’s head down between the tread and you cannot see his hair or the top of his forehead, your tires do not need to be replaced. If the top of Lincoln’s head is partially visible, you will need to replace your tires very soon and it’s time to go shopping. If you can see some space between your tire tread and the top of Lincoln’s head, your tires have worn too much and it’s time to replace them immediately. Of course there are also tools for measuring your tread depth, but the penny test is sufficient and you really don’t need to buy any specialized tools for measuring the depth of your tire tread.

In addition to tread depth, it is important to check for any damage to the sidewalls of your tire. If there are cracks or pieces of rubber hanging off the side wall, you may need to have your tires replaced. If you are unsure about whether your tires are safe to drive on or not, take them into a tire shop and ask an expert for an opinion. If you have any doubts about whether you should change your tires, it’s probably better to err on the side of caution. Go ahead and change your tires, it’s better to be safe than sorry.