How to Check Tire Tread Depth

When you’re driving throughout the Bayside area, your tire treads grip the road and help you remain in control of your vehicle. As your tires wear down over time, your tire tread depth will decrease, reducing the amount of traction between your tires and the ground. What happens if your tire tread depth isn’t deep enough? Ultimately, worn out tire treads put you at risk, especially during inclement weather conditions when the roads are slippery and good traction is highly important. Worn out tires can even result in your car shaking when braking. If you want to check how to check tire tread depth, the service experts at North Bay Cadillac have created this guide just for you! All you need is a ruler or a penny, and you can check your tire tread depth right in your driveway. Learn more, below:

What is the Recommended Tire Tread Depth?

New tires typically have a tread depth of about 10/32 or 11/32 of an inch (about a third of an inch). On the other hand, winter tires, off-roading tires, as well as some truck and SUV tires have deeper tread grooves. At what point should you replace your tires? According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, you should replace your tires when their tread depth measures 2/32 of an inch. Maintaining the proper tread depth is important to drive safely in Manhasset.

How to Check Tire Tread Depth With a Penny

You’re likely wondering, “How do I check tire tread wear?” A ruler is the most accurate way to measure tire tread depth, but if you don’t have a ruler on-hand, a U.S. penny will work just as well! Follow these steps to check the tread depth on your tires:

• Insert the penny with Lincoln head-first into a tire tread groove.
• Check if Lincoln’s head is covered and no longer visible between the grooves.
• If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tire treads are 2/32 inches deep or less and it’s time to replace them.
• Repeat this process on all four tires and in multiple locations on each tire.

Additional Ways to Check Tire Tread Depth

In addition to a penny, there are a couple of other methods you can use to check your tire tread depth:

• Tread Depth Gauge: You can purchase a tire tread gauge from any auto parts store in the Roslyn area. Place the probe into the shallowest tread groover, then press the top bar of the gauge flat against the tire to see the tire tread rating.
• Tread Wear Bars: Many tires are marked with tread wear indicator bars, and you can find them at the bottom of the tread grooves in multiple locations. If the bars are flush with the surrounding tire ribs, this means that the tread depth has reached 2/32 of an inch.