Questions and Answers

Checking Tire Wear Q. Dear Sir: How do I tell if the tread on my tires is okay (that is when do I need to change my tires)? I recall there was some quick and dirty way to check by using a dime and then seeing if the tread went to FDR's head (or something like that). Thanks, Dave

A. You were close. It's not a dime but a penny. If the thread didn't go to the top of Lincoln's head, you needed new tires.

If you want to get technical, if the thread depth goes below 2/32 of an inch, the tire should be replaced. There are also tread wear indicators on tires. Tread wear indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread grooves. When tread depth is 1.6 mm (2/32 inch) , the tread wear indicators will appear as a 13 mm (1/2 inch) band. Tire replacement is necessary when indicators appear in two or more grooves or if localized balding occurs.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA