If you’ve been driving on the same set of tires for a few years now, at some point you’ll start to wonder when you should replace them. Sure, they look fine now, but everything has an expiry date. Obviously, you don’t want to wait for a blowout or a flat to replace your tires. So, examine the tread depth and check the manufacturing date to determine whether it’s time for a replacement. .The treads on the tire help provide traction. When the tread wears down, the tires won’t grip the road well. If you’re driving in wet conditions, ice or snow, it will get very dangerous very fast. Even if there’s plenty of tread left, old tires need to be replaced. That’s because the rubber will dry and crack with age leading to a blowout.
Here’s how You Should Check the Tread Depth and Tire Age.
Measuring the Tread DepthThe more you drive, the quicker the tread wears down. Road conditions also affect the condition of the tires. The simplest way to measure tread depth is with a penny. Insert a penny with Abraham Lincoln’s head pointing towards the tire. If the tread is even with Lincoln’s head, then your tires are unsafe and need to be replaced immediately.Checking Tire AgeEven if your tires have plenty of tread depth left, you should replace tires that are six years or older. To check the age of your tires, examine the sidewall and check the four-digit Department of Transportation code to figure out when it was manufactured. The first two numbers stand for the week, and the other two are for its year of manufacture. If it reads 1010, the tire was manufactured in the tenth week of 2010.Don’t Delay Buying New TiresWe understand that new tires can be expensive, but you should not delay getting your car a new set of tires. New tires can make your ride more comfortable and even improve fuel economy. But most importantly, they provide better traction and keep you safer when you’re on the road. So, next time you head out for a drive, take a few moments and a penny and examine your tire’s tread and its manufacturing date.
