TIRE TREAD DEPTH GAUGE WITH A COIN HOW TO
TIRE TREAD DEPTH GAUGE WITH A COIN PATCH

If any portion of the tread covers the figurehead, your tire tread depth is OK. Hold a quarter or nickel between your thumb and forefinger and place the coin inside the channel, with the top of the figurehead’s head facing the tire. The nickel or quarter test is a simple way to check tread depth. If the tire tread wears to the point that it's even with the wear bars, your tires need replacing. Looking closely at the tire's channels, you'll notice small, raised rubber bars going across them in some areas. There are three relatively simple ways to measure tread depth, but some are more precise than others. If the tire tread depth is too low, the channels will be too shallow to move water and slush effectively, reducing traction and increasing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.

TIRE TREAD DEPTH GAUGE WITH A COIN PATCH

This depth is important because the channels guide water and slush away from the contact patch to maximize traction.

TIRE TREAD DEPTH GAUGE WITH A COIN HOW TO

How to Measure Tire Treadĭetermining a tire’s tread depth involves measuring from the deepest point in the channel to the top of the tread on the contact patch. This is where the tread blocks are thickest and where you measure the tire tread depth. The contact patch is the area between the two shoulders and is the tire's main contact point with the road. On the opposite edge of the outer shoulder is the inner shoulder. The outer shoulder is the tire's outermost section and is outside the last channel. Deep grooves - called channels or tread grooves - span the tire's circumference and separate the tread. Your tire's tread has three main sections: the outer shoulder, contact patch, and inner shoulder.

Understanding the Sections of Tire Treadīefore you can correctly learn how to measure tire tread, you must first know the main sections of the tread. The shallower the tread grooves are, the less efficient it is at gripping in snowy and wet conditions.īelow, we outline how to measure tire tread depth and other valuable tire tips to ensure your tires remain in top shape as long as possible.

Tire tread depth, which is the deepness of the grooves in the tread pattern, impacts its ability to grip in snow and channel water away from the tread to enhance grip. This is why tire tread depth and other tire maintenance are so critical. Without good tires, even a little water on the roads can cause you to slip. They endure thousands upon thousands of high-speed revolutions as you cruise from place to place and ensure you have optimal grip when cornering and stopping. Our P1 coin is roughly the same diameter, so you can use that instead.Tires are one of the most critical safety items on your vehicle. In the US, they have something called the quarter trick (as in a 25-cent coin) for checking a tire's tread depth. There's a tool used to measure this, but we learned a neat trick that you can do anywhere, anytime. In some countries, the legal limit for tread depth is 1.6mm, but it's recommended you change your tires even earlier than that. If they get too shallow, you run the risk of losing control of your car in wet weather. Over time, these grooves become shallower as your tires wear. The purpose of tread is to expel wat er away from the tires to avoid hydroplaning. Those are the grooves that run along the side of the tire that make contact with the ground. One of the key things you need to monitor about your tires is their tread. It's scary when you really think about it. A quick scan in traffic will reveal lots of bald rubber plying our streets every day. Too many motorists out there take their tires' health for granted.

Tire tread depth gauge with a coin