Your tires may look alright, but is it time to change them? In addition to having a flat or a blowout, there are two things that will tell you if you need to replace your tires – the depth of the tread and the manufacture date. When the tread wears down, your tires lose traction, which means they won’t grip the road very well especially when driving in the snow, ice, or rain. Even if you can see plenty of tread left on your tires, you should replace them if they are old, which is at least once every six years or so. This is because, over time, the rubber of your tires will start to dry and eventually crack, increasing the chances of a flat tire or a blowout. Here’s how you can check whether it’s time you replaced your tires.
Measuring the Tread Depth
To measure the tread depth, you’ll need to insert a quarter right into the tread. Make sure you have George Washington’s head pointing towards your tire. If you can see that the top of his head is at the same level as the tread, your tires are safe to drive with. But, if you insert a penny the same way into the tread and you find that the tread is even with the top of Lincoln’s head, you should replace the tires.
Checking How Old Your Tires Are
The frequency at which you replace the tires of your car will depend on your driving. The more your drive, the quicker you will wear down the tire’s tread. But, experts suggest replacing tires that are old even if they have plenty of tread on them. To know just how old your tires are, you’ll need to check the four-digit code from the Department of Transportation on the tire wall. The first two digits indicate the week of the year in which it was made and the next two digits stand for the year. So, if the tire has “2215” printed, it was made in the 22nd week of 2015.
New tires may be expensive, but it’s important to replace them whenever needed to ensure your safety while driving.