With Spring and Summer Road Trip Season Approaching, Pay Attention to your Tires

 

As spring and summer road trip season approaches, one important area to pay attention to is the condition of your vehicle's tires. Here are a few tips for making sure your tires are up to par for your getaway.  Check Your Tires: The Coin Test – Honest Abe May Not Know What is Best for Today’s Drivers Consumers have long relied on the U.S. penny to check tire treadwear depth. If the top of Lincoln's head is obscured by the tread when the penny is inserted in the tread this indicates the tire is within legal tread depths and that tire’s ability to grip the road is not greatly reduced until the tread wears to 2/32 of an inch of remaining depth. This quick and easy test provides a general snapshot but may not paint a complete picture. Consumers often check tire tread depth using the penny test. If the top of President Abraham Lincoln's head is obscured by the tread then the tire has about 2/32 of an inch of remaining tread and technically is within legal tread depth to maintain grip in dry conditions. If you can see his head (above), it is time to replace your tires. However, the test may not work for all, especially those who frequently drive in wet conditions. On rain-soaked roads – a frightening hazard for many this year – experts recommend a minimum of 4/32 of an inch of tread depth.  A typical passenger car tire has about 20 square inches of total footprint surface and begins with about 1/3 of an inch of tread depth. While 2/32 of an inch of tread may be enough to maintain grip in dry conditions, the scenario changes with road conditions. Experts now say it's a good idea to replace tires when they reach 4/32 of an inch of remaining tread depth if rain and wet roads are a concern, and 5/32 of an inch for snow-covered roads. Tests have shown how shallow treads reduce wet braking traction, increase the risk of hydroplaning and increase stopping distances.  According to researchers, most street tires that have been properly stored and maintained have a useful service life between six to 10 years. If you aren't sure when your tires were installed, the manufacture date code is on the tire. It is the last four numbers in the DOT sequence. Ex. In this image 5122 indicates the tire was made in week 51 in year 2022.   Like Vacations, Nothing Lasts Forever, and Tires are no Exception Most motorists look at tread depth or miles driven as key indicators, yet few consider or monitor the age of their tires. In most cases tires will wear out before they age out. But with many logging fewer miles behind the wheel during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, experts recommend consumers consider age when checking their tire’s roadworthiness.   There are no definitive replacement age benchmarks because many factors – environmental and storage conditions, usage frequency, and tire care – can affect how slowly or quickly a tire ages. Despite manufacturers using anti-aging ingredients in tire rubber compounds, tires are perishable. The rubber loses elasticity and thus grip but may look perfectly acceptable and be devoid of the usual visual indicators such as cracks and chunking – where rubber sections break off. Age also affects the tires’ structural integrity, creating a potential hidden danger that could lead to the tire rubber separating from the inner layers of fabric plies and steel cords.   Experts say most street tires that have been properly stored and maintained have a useful service life between six and 10 years. Check your tires’ date of manufacture or your old receipts, as it might be time for replacement.  Content from Tirerack.com was used in this report