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Tire Wear

The way your tires are wearing may be an indicator of numerous things about your tires or your vehicle. Knowing what to look for can help you discover any abnormalities. We’ve included a list of things to be aware of. You should inspect your tires monthly when you are checking the air pressure.

• Tread depth - Most state laws consider tires legally worn out at 2/32" of tread. To decipher when the tires have reached that point, tire manufacturers are required to have tread depth indicators molded into the tread design, these are called wear bars. Tires worn down to the wear bars have little traction ability left and should be replaced soon. Also, the head of a penny is about 2/32", which is the same as the wear bars on most tires. A penny can be placed into the tread grooves of a tire and used to see if your tires are worn. If Lincoln's head is covered, you have more than 2/32" of tread left. Although 2/32" of tread is legally bald, most tires start losing their wet traction capabilities at 4/32" of tread.
• Overinflation - Excessive wear down the center of the tread indicates the air pressure set in the tire has been consistently too high. The tire is riding on the center portion of tread and prematurely wearing it down. In rare situations, this type of wear can also happen if a wide tire is mounted on a narrow wheel.
• Underinflation - Excessive wear on both shoulders of the tread indicates the air pressure set in the tire has been consistently too low. The tire is riding on the shoulders, not across the entire tire tread, and being prematurely worn. Bad suspension parts can also cause this type of wear.
• One Side Wear - One shoulder, either the inner or outer, wears quicker than the rest of the tire, causing a slant from one shoulder to the other. An alignment issue can cause this type of wear.
• Feathering - Each tread rib has been worn down on one side and up to a sharp angle on the other side. This creates a type of saw-tooth pattern from shoulder to shoulder. An alignment issue may cause this type of wear.
• Cupping - Hills and valleys worn into the tread all the way around the tire, caused by the tire "bouncing" down the road. Cupping may sometimes sound like that of a washing machine being overloaded, with the heavy spot of the clothes banging against the side of the machine. The tires being out of balance, lack of rotation, or a suspension issue usually cause this.