Are you driving on bald tires? How can you tell when your tread is too thin? The answers are not hard to find once you know just a few simple things about measuring tread depth.
How is tread depth expressed?
Tread-depth measurements are always recorded in 32nds of an inch (e.g. 4/32 inch, not 1/8 inch).
What tools are used to measure tread depth?
Professional mechanics use a depth gauge to get an exact reading. At home, a penny or quarter can be used to measure tread depth. Insert the coin into the tread with the president's head facing down. The top of Lincoln's head is 2/32nds of an inch from the edge of the penny, and the top of Washington's head is 4/32nds of an inch from the edge of the quarter.
What tread depth is considered bald?
If you can see the top of Lincoln's head using the penny test (i.e. the tread is less than 2/32-inch deep), then the tires are bald. Ideally, you should replace your tires when they reach 4/32-inch deep.
Contact our service center in Nederland to have a new set of tires mounted and balanced.