A while ago there was a TV commercial that said, “There’s a lot riding on your tires.” That’s so true. Think about it—tires are what connect your big, heavy vehicle to the ground. When the tires move, you move. When they’re in good shape, you’re in good shape.
Eventually, though, tires wear down and wear out. How do you know when to replace them?
If you notice the grooves in the tires, you can measure the “tread depth” to see how worn your tires are. If the depth is 4/32” or deeper, you’re good. Once they get to 3/32”, keep an eye on them. And if the tread depth measures 2/32” or less, aka “balding tires,” it’s time to replace them.
One of the favorite old school methods of checking tire tread depth is the penny test. Take a penny with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. Stick it in the tire tread, and if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, the tread depth is less than 2/32” so you’ll know it’s time to replace the tires on your vehicle.
Got a quarter? The quarter test uses Washington’s head. If the tread touches his head, that means the tire has at least 4/32” of tread remaining, so it’s fine.
Or, if you’re like most people, you can just take your car to your local mechanic and have him or her inspect your tires and let you know if it’s time to replace them.
When you have questions about cars, trucks and SUVs, visit, call or email 443 Auto Sales in Lehighton, PA.