Though most of the tires are purposefully designed to provide consonant performance throughout their service life, they start losing performance due to lack of traction and braking capability. Traction is the resistance between tire and ground. Wear and tear in the tread pattern not only reduces the traction but also increases the risk of an accident. Keep checking the depth of tread and tread wear bar to avoid emergency situations. If this depth goes down to 1.6mm or bars and tread level becomes even its time for car tyre replacement.
Here I am sharing few necessary steps, which you can follow to confirm the need of buying a new pair of tires to enjoy the safe and comfortable ride.
Perform penny test or use gauge tool to check the tread
You will need a coin and place it upside down with Lincoln facing you in the centre of tread or at the thickest part of rubber. If his head is visible, it’s time for an immediate replacement. If you can see hair on the top of the head, you will need to start shopping for new. Whereas, inability to see the forehead and hair shows that tires don’t need replacement at the moment.
You can also use gauge tool or tread depth indicator to measure the tread depth. Gauge is easily available at a reasonable price at the auto parts dealer shop.
Inspect and note down the signs of irregular tread wear
Though the reduction in depth of the tread is used as an indicator to decide the ageing, uneven tread wear indicates a couple of additional issues like misalignments of wheels or tire rotation. Irregular wear can’t be fixed after replacing old pieces with new one. Instead, it has to be corrected with proper car servicing. Get your vehicle checked to rectify alignment and suspension issues to increase service life. In certain conditions, rotating tires from front to rear is also suggested to delay the replacement with a new one.
Look for the abnormal bulges and dry rots in the sidewall
Bulges or bubbles on the sidewall indicate the damages and cracks in a sidewall and internal frame. Any damage to the internal frame allows air pressure to reach the flexible outer layer and cause bulges on the surface. Additionally, the presence of cracks all over the surface is also warning sign. Cracked rubbers are equally dangerous to bulges. Cracked pieces can fall apart and separate from the steel belt. Continue driving with a damaged pair of the tread is dangerous. It doubles the risk of serious accidents, sudden failures and blowout at high speeds. Tires with sidewall bulges should be replaced without delay.
Check manufacturer manual for service life
Perhaps you are not experiencing any difficulty in driving with the current pair of tires fitted in your car. If you are not sure, whether you need to replace them or continue using them, check manufacturer manual for recommendations. Ideally, they should be replaced after every six years.
Carefully examine for vibration in the steering wheel
Vibration in the steering wheel during driving is often due to uneven damage to tread or wheel alignment issues. Get your car checked for fixing alignment issues. If it doesn’t stop vibration, you will need to inspect for further damages and replacements.
Endnote: These are few simple inspections you can regularly perform on your own to decide the need for car tyre replacement.