Do You REALLY Need New Tires? How to Check Your Tire Tread Depth & Wear., by Learned From Dad on YouTube. 5 min 42 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 42 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Park on flat, level ground and set the parking brake. Turn the engine off so the car cannot roll while you work around the wheels.
Find the built-in tread wear indicators. These are raised bars inside the grooves, spaced around the tire.
Look at each groove. If the tread surface is level with the wear bar, the tire is at the minimum and needs replacing.
Do the penny test as a quick check. Push a penny into a groove, Lincoln's head down. If you can see the top of his head, tread is low.
Use a quarter for a closer read. Insert Washington's head down. If the top of his head shows, you are near the 2/32 inch limit.
Check several spots on each tire, not just one. Tread often wears unevenly across the width and around the circumference.
Run your hand around the sidewall and look for cracks. Small cracks in the rubber mean the tire is aging and may fail.
Look for bulges or bubbles on the sidewall and tread. A bulge means internal damage and the tire should not be driven.
Repeat on all four tires, and note any tire that reads lower than the rest. Uneven wear points to alignment or pressure problems.
Tips and common mistakes
Check tires when cold, since heat from driving can change pressure and hide small issues.
A bulge or bubble is an immediate replacement, even if the tread looks deep.
Uneven wear across one tire often means the wheels need alignment or the pressure is wrong.
Do not rely on the penny test alone. The wear bars are the most reliable built-in guide.
Questions
What is the minimum legal tread depth?
Most places set the minimum at 2/32 of an inch, which is where the wear bars sit. Below that, the tire is unsafe in rain and should be replaced.
Can I check tread without any tools?
Yes. The wear bars are built into the tire, and a coin gives a rough depth reading. A tread depth gauge gives a more exact number if you want one.
How often should I check my tires?
Check tread and sidewalls about once a month, and before long trips. Also look at them after hitting a curb or pothole.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
