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When a tire’s tread depth reaches down to approximately 2/32 of an inch (1,6 mm), it must be replaced with a new one. To check the remaining tread depth you can use tread depth gauge, or penny test and you can look tread wear indicators (TWI) located on the tire. It would be dangerous to drive the car with worn tires that cause slippage especially in wet conditions.
Everyday driving can affect the balance of your tires. If you notice vibration or shimmy while driving with your car at a certain speed, it’s possible that your tire has lost its balance. Having your tires balanced and your vehicle properly aligned are very important for your tire’s longevity and your vehicle’s overall performance.
To calculate your tire’s tread depth what you need is to subtract 2/32" from the tire’s new tread depth. For example if a tire started with 9/32" original tread depth and has worn off to 3/32" (down to 6/32" of remaining tread depth) means that it is 50% worn.
In addition, there is an easier way to measure tread depth: you should simply place a penny into a tread groove. If part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with proper tread. If all of his head can be seen on the other hand, it means that you should buy a new tire.
Tread Wear Indicators (TWI) can be used to examine tread wear, too. The so called "wear bars" which look like narrow strips of smooth rubber across the grooves will appear on the tire when the tread is worn down to one-sixteenth of an inch. When these bars become visible, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.
Some very important information are being displayed on the tire’s sidewall. One of them is the DOT number, the last digits of which identify the week and the year of manufacture. First two digits refer to the week and last two digits depict the year of manufacturing. For example “DOT XXXXXXX1418” means that the tire was manufactured in the 14th week of the 2018. If you can only find three numbers like 449, this means the tire was produced before year 2000. In this case, the tire was produce 44th week of 1999. Various researches and tests have consistently shown that a tire can last 6 to 10 years. That’s why each tire (including spare tires) manufactured more than ten years ago should definitely be replaced with a new one.
Sidewall indentation is just a visual condition that has no negative effect on the tire’s performance. This cosmetic condition occurs during radial construction of the tire and is more noticeable in larger/wider tire sizes. Higher inflation pressures also can make them it visible. Despite the fact that it is totally harmless, you may still want to advise an expert or official dealer to have the indentation checked.
Irregular Wear
Irregular wear situations generally stem from misalignment of rear and front wheels, deformed or off centered rims, improper inflation pressures and chemical contamination. This problem may shorten the lifespan of your tires and may cause lacking of traction and grip if not fixed in time. Irregular wear usually appears on the shoulder or center of your tire. If you notice irregular wear on your tire, it is highly recommended to bring your car to the nearest tire service or the dealer.
Impact Damage
Tire impact damage or road damage includes tears, punctures, cuts and other physical injuries that damage the carcass of the tire when it directly contacts with an object. Bulges or bubbles can appear on the sidewall of your tire when that kind of damage happens. This means that the cords within the tire structure are damaged and air may be leaking through the carcass or the body of the tire.
These kinds of damages generally happen when the tire directly passes over a sharp object or driving on a tough road for an excessive amount of time. Reducing the speed on bad conditioned roads has a considerable effect on protecting the tires from impact damages.
If you notice impact damage on your tire, you should change the tire with the spare one immediately and visit the nearest tire service.
Cuts
Driving your car over sharp objects (glass, stone, nail etc.) or on rough surfaces may lead to cuts on your tire. To avoid such problems, it is highly recommended not to drive your car in improper road conditions.
Puncture
Sharp objects can cause deep damages and punctures on the tire. In that case the air in the tire air swiftly and the tire loses its integrity.
Tire rotation is very important in terms of extending your tires service life. If you examine your tires carefully, you can easily notice that the front and rear tires wFFear at different levels than each other. This is mainly because both the weights and the forces the front and rear tires have to face are different.
Information on how often the tires should be rotated is usually included in the manuals provided by the vehicle manufacturers. On the other hand, tire rotation should be executed every 3.000 to 5.000 (appr. 4.800 to 8.000 km) miles even if there is no visible sign of wear.
Tire rotation helps even out tire wear by allowing each tire to serve in as many of the vehicle’s wheel positions as possible. However you should keep in mind that tire rotation can not correct wear problems originating from worn mechanical parts or incorrect inflation pressures.
When a tire’s tread depth reaches down to approximately 2/32 of an inch (1,6 mm), it must be replaced with a new one. To check the remaining tread depth you can use tread depth gauge, or penny test and you can look tread wear indicators (TWI) located on the tire. It would be dangerous to drive the car with worn tires that cause slippage especially in wet conditions.
Everyday driving can affect the balance of your tires. If you notice vibration or shimmy while driving with your car at a certain speed, it’s possible that your tire has lost its balance. Having your tires balanced and your vehicle properly aligned are very important for your tire’s longevity and your vehicle’s overall performance.
To calculate your tire’s tread depth what you need is to subtract 2/32" from the tire’s new tread depth. For example if a tire started with 9/32" original tread depth and has worn off to 3/32" (down to 6/32" of remaining tread depth) means that it is 50% worn.
In addition, there is an easier way to measure tread depth: you should simply place a penny into a tread groove. If part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with proper tread. If all of his head can be seen on the other hand, it means that you should buy a new tire.
Tread Wear Indicators (TWI) can be used to examine tread wear, too. The so called "wear bars" which look like narrow strips of smooth rubber across the grooves will appear on the tire when the tread is worn down to one-sixteenth of an inch. When these bars become visible, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.
Some very important information are being displayed on the tire’s sidewall. One of them is the DOT number, the last digits of which identify the week and the year of manufacture. First two digits refer to the week and last two digits depict the year of manufacturing. For example “DOT XXXXXXX1418” means that the tire was manufactured in the 14th week of the 2018. If you can only find three numbers like 449, this means the tire was produced before year 2000. In this case, the tire was produce 44th week of 1999. Various researches and tests have consistently shown that a tire can last 6 to 10 years. That’s why each tire (including spare tires) manufactured more than ten years ago should definitely be replaced with a new one.
Sidewall indentation is just a visual condition that has no negative effect on the tire’s performance. This cosmetic condition occurs during radial construction of the tire and is more noticeable in larger/wider tire sizes. Higher inflation pressures also can make them it visible. Despite the fact that it is totally harmless, you may still want to advise an expert or official dealer to have the indentation checked.
Irregular wear situations generally stem from misalignment of rear and front wheels, deformed or off centered rims, improper inflation pressures and chemical contamination. This problem may shorten the lifespan of your tires and may cause lacking of traction and grip if not fixed in time. Irregular wear usually appears on the shoulder or center of your tire. If you notice irregular wear on your tire, it is highly recommended to bring your car to the nearest tire service or the dealer.
Tire impact damage or road damage includes tears, punctures, cuts and other physical injuries that damage the carcass of the tire when it directly contacts with an object. Bulges or bubbles can appear on the sidewall of your tire when that kind of damage happens. This means that the cords within the tire structure are damaged and air may be leaking through the carcass or the body of the tire.
These kinds of damages generally happen when the tire directly passes over a sharp object or driving on a tough road for an excessive amount of time. Reducing the speed on bad conditioned roads has a considerable effect on protecting the tires from impact damages.
If you notice impact damage on your tire, you should change the tire with the spare one immediately and visit the nearest tire service.
Driving your car over sharp objects (glass, stone, nail etc.) or on rough surfaces may lead to cuts on your tire. To avoid such problems, it is highly recommended not to drive your car in improper road conditions.
Sharp objects can cause deep damages and punctures on the tire. In that case the air in the tire air swiftly and the tire loses its integrity.
Tire rotation is very important in terms of extending your tires service life. If you examine your tires carefully, you can easily notice that the front and rear tires wFFear at different levels than each other. This is mainly because both the weights and the forces the front and rear tires have to face are different.
Information on how often the tires should be rotated is usually included in the manuals provided by the vehicle manufacturers. On the other hand, tire rotation should be executed every 3.000 to 5.000 (appr. 4.800 to 8.000 km) miles even if there is no visible sign of wear.
Tire rotation helps even out tire wear by allowing each tire to serve in as many of the vehicle’s wheel positions as possible. However you should keep in mind that tire rotation can not correct wear problems originating from worn mechanical parts or incorrect inflation pressures.
The Tire & Rim Association has identified three traditional rotation patterns covering most vehicles (equipped with non-directional tires and wheels which are the same size and offset).
The first one is the “Rearward Cross” (Figure A); the second being the “Forward Cross” (Figure C); and the third is the “X Pattern” (Figure B). The X-Pattern can be used as an alternative to A or C for all vehicles. Today's performance tire and wheel trends have created a need for two additional tire rotation patterns, “Front to rear” (Figure D) and “Side to Side” (Figure E).
Forward cross is primarily recommended for front wheel drive vehicles while for rear wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles, rearward cross pattern may work the best.
For vehicles with different sizes and directional pattern tires front to rear and side to side rotations are recommended.
While many vehicles are equipped with temporary spares that cannot be included in a tire rotation program; if the vehicle’s four tires, and spare tire and the wheels are the same size, same load rating and not branded for temporary use, they could be included in the tire rotation pattern.
In this case you should periodically check whether the spare tire and wheel are required to be put into service.
On front-wheel drive vehicles with full-size matching spare, the tires should be rotated in a “forward cross pattern” (Figure F)
On rear-wheel or all-wheel drive cars with full-size matching spare, this time it is recommended to rotate the tires in a “rearward cross pattern” (Figure G)
Five tire rotation results in equally distributed use that will help maintain equivalent tread depths on all five tires throughout their life. For many four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles, this is required to prevent driveline damage if a flat tire necessitates a new spare to be put into service with partially worn tires on the other three wheel positions.
Mounting and dismounting operations both can be extremely dangerous processes if not handled properly. These operations must be performed by authorized service points with appropriate tools and machinery used by experienced technicians.
Driving in snowy conditions requires knowing some tips and having certain skills. Please keep the tips below in mind for your safety:
Driving under rain can sometimes be dangerous. The most important thing for drivers to keep in mind is to slow down. Pedestrians, livestock and wild animals become extremely hard to spot and even harder to avoid. It takes longer to stop or adjust speed in wet weather. The following are tips for a safer drive in the rain:
Driving in snowy conditions requires knowing some tips and having certain skills. Please keep the tips below in mind for your safety:
Driving under rain can sometimes be dangerous. The most important thing for drivers to keep in mind is to slow down. Pedestrians, livestock and wild animals become extremely hard to spot and even harder to avoid. It takes longer to stop or adjust speed in wet weather. The following are tips for a safer drive in the rain:
At temperatures above 7°C only the summer tires can guarantee sufficient grip on the road. With their special less grooved tread patterns, summer tires have more contact with the road. Also the rubber compound used on summer tires help them remain more flexible, allowing for better traction and grip. Dimensional characteristics, speed capability and other design features make summer tires more suitable and capable for increased performance in wet and dry conditions.
Below 7 °C temperatures, all season tires stiffen and lose grip on slippery surfaces so you should change for winter tires. The Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) marking on winter tires indicate suitability for winter applications. You should also keep in mind that winter tires are not produced for year round usage. In extreme cold temperatures the tread compound of summer and all-season tires become less capable for proper traction performance whereas the compounds of winter tires are specifically engineered to be more flexible to provide best grip on winter road conditions. Besides, compared to summer and all-season tires, winter tires have densely placed sipes for better traction on icy road conditions.
Your tire preferences depend on the location where you live and drive. For example if you live where you can see only a few snow flurries, you may consider using an all-season tire. After all, an all-season tire offers acceptable performance and traction in moderate climates when used on wet, dry or even snowy roads. The pattern of an all season tire is designed to have higher tread depth than a summer tire and offer longer life compared to a winter tire.
High-performance tires offer sporty handling, fast responsiveness and superior grip for people who really care about speed and performance. A high-performance tire is particularly designed to maximize the surface area that contacts the road.
They are most usually used on sport and premium cars.
All-terrain tires are designed for on and off-road usage. They offer higher versatility so that drivers can be confident while driving on side roads but still experience smooth rides on highways and city streets. They provide perfect traction in rough conditions.
Touring tires are designed to offer a smoother ride than standard tires on the open road and provide better control and handling. If you want a good blend of dry and wet street performance along with responsive handling and driving comfort, touring tires will possibly be the best alternative.
Highway Terrain tires are designed to be used mostly on paved roads, usually in urban areas. These tires can be fitted on family SUV’s that offer spacious interior and a big storage area. H/T Tires not only provide comfort and low rolling resistance with a higher percentage of rubber touching the asphalt, but also offer reliable performance on off-road weekend adventures with a rough-enough tread. The compromise of a quieter ride and a better wear behavior is a slight loss in off-road traction, when compared to All Terrain alternatives.
At temperatures above 7°C only the summer tires can guarantee sufficient grip on the road. With their special less grooved tread patterns, summer tires have more contact with the road. Also the rubber compound used on summer tires help them remain more flexible, allowing for better traction and grip. Dimensional characteristics, speed capability and other design features make summer tires more suitable and capable for increased performance in wet and dry conditions.
Below 7 °C temperatures, all season tires stiffen and lose grip on slippery surfaces so you should change for winter tires. The Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) marking on winter tires indicate suitability for winter applications. You should also keep in mind that winter tires are not produced for year round usage. In extreme cold temperatures the tread compound of summer and all-season tires become less capable for proper traction performance whereas the compounds of winter tires are specifically engineered to be more flexible to provide best grip on winter road conditions. Besides, compared to summer and all-season tires, winter tires have densely placed sipes for better traction on icy road conditions.
Your tire preferences depend on the location where you live and drive. For example if you live where you can see only a few snow flurries, you may consider using an all-season tire. After all, an all-season tire offers acceptable performance and traction in moderate climates when used on wet, dry or even snowy roads. The pattern of an all season tire is designed to have higher tread depth than a summer tire and offer longer life compared to a winter tire.
High-performance tires offer sporty handling, fast responsiveness and superior grip for people who really care about speed and performance. A high-performance tire is particularly designed to maximize the surface area that contacts the road.
They are most usually used on sport and premium cars.
All-terrain tires are designed for on and off-road usage. They offer higher versatility so that drivers can be confident while driving on side roads but still experience smooth rides on highways and city streets. They provide perfect traction in rough conditions.
Touring tires are designed to offer a smoother ride than standard tires on the open road and provide better control and handling. If you want a good blend of dry and wet street performance along with responsive handling and driving comfort, touring tires will possibly be the best alternative.
Highway Terrain tires are designed to be used mostly on paved roads, usually in urban areas. These tires can be fitted on family SUV’s that offer spacious interior and a big storage area. H/T Tires not only provide comfort and low rolling resistance with a higher percentage of rubber touching the asphalt, but also offer reliable performance on off-road weekend adventures with a rough-enough tread. The compromise of a quieter ride and a better wear behavior is a slight loss in off-road traction, when compared to All Terrain alternatives.
