Tire tread penny rule

If it does your tread is still above 232. Tire tread is composed of several ribs.

Tire tread is composed of several ribs.

Tire tread penny rule. Place a penny between the tread ribs on your tire. A rib refers to the raised portion of tread that spans the circumference of your tire. Tire tread is composed of several ribs.

Turn the penny so that Lincolns head points down into the tread. See if the top of his head disappears between the ribs. If it does your tread is still above 232 If you can see his entire head it may be time to replace the tire because your tread is no longer deep enough.

The ideal tread for most tires is around 1032 inch 079 cm which is roughly the distance from the top edge of a penny to Abraham Lincolns eyes when hes right-side up. The distance between the top of Lincolns hair and the top edge of the coin is 232 in 016 cm which is when you need to replace your tires. Grab a penny and you have everything you need.

Place your penny into a tread groove upside down. In other words your penny should be going into the tread headfirst. Examine the part of the penny thats showing.

If you can see the top of Abes head your tread is shallow. Repeat the penny test in several grooves of your tires. The penny test is an easy and accurate way to measure tire tread depth.

Take a penny and place it between the tire tread blocks with Lincolns head upside down and facing you. If Lincolns head is buried your tires still have more than 232 of tread. Your tires need to be replaced if the head is visible.

Measuring Tread Depth With the Penny Test A new car tire typically has a tread depth of 1032 or 1132 inches while a light truck will have between 1132 and 1932 inches. Department of Transportation recommends that you replace your tires once theyve worn down to 232 inches. Like the Penny Test you should make routine auto services a habit.

As a general rule of thumb the NHTSA recommends scheduling a tire rotation every 5000-8000 miles. However its always best to consult your models owners manual and stick to the manufacturer-recommended service intervals. How to measure your tire tread depth with a penny.

Place a penny between the tread ribs on your tire. A rib refers to the raised portion of tread that spans the circumference of your tire. Tire tread is composed of several ribs.

Turn the penny so that Lincolns head points down into the tread. See if the top of his head disappears between the ribs. If it does your tread is still above 232.

If you can see his entire head it may be time to replace the tire because your tread is. With this easy test a penny can buy you peace of mind when it comes to your tires and safety. Place a penny head first into several tread grooves across the tire.

If you always see the top of Lincolns head your treads are shallow and worn. If this is the case your tires need to be replaced. If part of Lincolns head is always covered by the tread you have more than 232 of an inch of tread depth remaining.

There are several popular ways to check your tire tread depth. One easy way is the penny test. Simply insert a penny into your tires tread groove with Lincolns head upside down and facing you.

If you can see all of Lincolns head your tread depth is less than 232 inch and its time to replace your tires. The rule of thumb on measuring this amount of tire tread is to once again use a penny. If after placing the penny into several grooves across the tire the Lincoln Monument is always covered by the tread you have enough remaining tread to handle snow-covered roads.

To gain a better understanding of how adequate tread can help you in different weather conditions watch Panic Stopping. How Much Tread Depth Do You Need. New tire tread depth is the measurement typically published by tire manufacturers but its not the same as usable tire tread depth.

Most states and tire manufacturers consider tires to be bald when one or more of their grooves are worn down to 232. So if you start with a new tire tread depth of 1032 the actual usable tread depth is 832. How to check your tire tread with a penny Insert the penny into the tire tread grooves upside down so the top of Old Abes head is heading into the groove.

Be sure to insert the penny into various tread grooves across left to right and around the tire. Place a penny or a quarter into several tread grooves at least 15 apart on the tire. When part of Lincolns head is covered it means you have more than 232 of tread depth.

And if the top of his memorial is always covered then youve got more than 632 of tread depth. Take a penny and pinch Abes body between your thumb and forefinger. Put Lincolns head into one of the grooves on the tread.

A point on your tire where tread appears the lowest. In driving tests conducted by The Tire Rack a late-model pickup truck riding on tires that passed the Penny Testlegal in most statesaveraged 4995 feet to stop from 70 miles per hour on wet. Modern tires are designed with wear bars that appear when tread gets to the legal limit two-sixteenths of an inch.

Or you can use the penny test. Insert a penny between the treads. If you can see all of Lincolns head its time to head to the tire store Zielinski said.

Tread Depth Per code section 39375 c tires shall have a tread groove pattern depth of at least 232 of an inch when measured in a major tread groove It also states that measurements cant be taken where tie bars humps or fillets are located DOT steer tire regulations state that depth is at least 432 of an inch. Another good rule of thumb is to do the penny test. Insert a penny into a tread groove with the top of Lincolns head facing down.

If you can see above the top of his head your tires have less than 232 of tread should be replaced immediately. Tire Rotation and Alignment.