How Often Should You Replace Your Car Tires?
How Often Should You
Replace Your Car Tires?
Timely tire replacement is very important. Tires are the very system that connects your car, truck, or sport utility vehicle to the roadway and you want them in the best shape feasible. Damaged tires can cause reduced braking and handling ability, and in severe examples can lead to an auto accident. Identifying when you must replace your tires truly boils down to 4 major variables:
- Tire Tread Depth
- Temp
- Life of the Tires
- Which Car You Drive
Tire Tread Depth
Lots of states have regulations specifying that if the tread depth on your tires is less than 2/32 of an inch, it has to be changed. Tire tread depth tools can be purchased for only a few bucks, but even without one you can get a good estimate of your tread depth and all you need is a penny. Rotate the penny so Honest Abe's head is aiming down and put the penny into your tread. If his head is covered by the tread, your tires are generally still good. If you can see his entire head, it's time to change them. There is a caution, even if you have greater than 2/32 of tread-depth you might still need to change them.
Meteorologic Conditions
You have done the tread depth test and you have more than 2/32 tread depth left, so you're good, right? Well ... maybe. Depending on where you live you may want to change your tires long before they get down to 2/32 depth. If you reside in an incredibly rainy/snowy location (like the Pacific Northwest), you require much more tread depth to securely travel slushy roads. Damaged tires raise the risk of hydroplaning, so ensure to check your tires regularly. Climates with severe cold or extreme warmth will certainly additionally adversely affect the wear on your tires. If you reside in one of these climates, examine your tires on a regular basis and if you have any inquiries come see us for an expert diagnosis.
Age of Your Tires
So how often should you get new tires? This factor might be the hardest one to acknowledge since it can seem like you are getting rid of perfectly fine tires. It's real, you can have tires with a lot of tread depth left yet might still be required to replace them. Tires will certainly degrade gradually and end up being more susceptible to catastrophic failure which might cause a crash.
It is recommended that tires that are 5 years old need to be professionally examined yearly. If the tire is more than ten years old, it needs to be changed regardless of the condition. Your classic automobile could have incredibly low miles since you just drive it on the weekends, but it still might need brand-new tires. The good news is, there is a very easy method to figure out the age of your tires. There is a four digit number stamped right into every tire that tells the week and year it was made. Our picture reveals that the tire was made in the 44th week of 2016, so it's about halfway through its recommended life span.
Which Automobile You Own
It might sound crazy, but what type of vehicle you drive might mean the difference in changing 1 tire vs. replacing all 4. Let's say you have a damaged tire, and you've located the specific brand-new tire to change it. If the tires on your car are new, you can probably get away with replacing just one tire. However, if your tires are significantly older than the brand-new tire will be a different size than the rest of the tires. This is an issue due to the fact that the smaller sized tires now have to work harder to complete the exact same distance as the larger tire. Mismatched tires can cause added wear and tear on components, specifically on All-Wheel Drive cars, trucks and SUVs. If you have tires on one axle are rotating faster than the others, your vehicle's electronics may believe those tires are losing traction and could add power incorrectly. This can deceive your automobile into thinking it's in slippery condition and keep it in a setting not designed for permanent driving.
Does the Dealership Replace Car Tires?
Your dealership will have certain guidelines on the optimum tread depth difference for the front and rear tires. While it may be a bummer to acquire 4 brand-new tires it will certainly be cheaper than fixing a transmission.