How to Check Your Tire Tread
Your tires are the pieces of rubber on which you depend to keep your car under your control; make sure they have enough tread to do so.
You drive to the store on a particularly cloudy day, the forecast is showing a chance of rain within the hour. As you drive, rain starts falling. You turn on your windshield wipers, get to the store, and buy what you need. On your way back home, you take the turn into your driveway, but skid as you do it. Luckily, no one is injured.
The tread on your tires are the grooves that have enough surface area to create a good amount of friction between them and the street to keep your car from skidding or sliding, just like your sneakers. The more you use them, the more the grooves will begin to wear. If this happens, you could be in trouble of losing control of your car–especially during heavy rain and snow storms. Here are a few ways you can check your tire tread and assure yourself that your tires are good to go.
The Tire Age
Most manufacturers recommend that you change your tires every six to ten years, depending on your car make and model. If you are unsure of the age of your tires, it is a good idea to find out. You can look up the identification number of your tires–located on the wall of said tires–to find their age.
If your car was manufactured after 2000, the last four digits of its number can tell you everything you need to know. For example, if the last four digits read “4308,” that means the tires were made in the 43rd week of 2008.
If the car was manufactured before 2000, then you may only have three digits, rather than four. For example, if these new digits read “328,” then it was made in the 32nd week during the 8th year of the decade. (Tires made in the 90s may have a triangle at the end of the identification number to identify the decade.)
The Penny Test
Another test you can perform is the penny test, in which the 16th President of the United States, President Abraham Lincoln, can help you determine if your tread us up to par. You’ll need a penny, and that’s it. Stick the penny, Abraham Lincoln faced upside down, and insert it into the grooves of the tire. What do you see? If the grooves cover his head, you may not need new tires. But if you can see the top or all of his head, it is time to purchase new tires.
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