What is minimum tire tread depth

California and Idaho consider 132 the minimum and Arkansas Montana New Mexico North Dakota South Carolina and West Virginia have no standards on tread depth. New tires typically start with a tread depth of 1032 to 1232 with some off-road tires topping 1532.

Department of Transportation recommends replacing tires when they reach 232 and many states legally require tires to be replaced at this depth.

What is minimum tire tread depth. However the extensive ADAC research proved that the minimum legal tread depth only describes the tires margin of safety. For summer tires the remaining tread depth must be no less than 3 mm and for winter and all-season tires it must be no less than 4 mm. Smaller tread depth may become critical on wet pavement slush or snow.

Most winter tires start at 1032 to 1232 of tread depth. 632 is the minimum tread depth that we recommend for winter driving. Its important to do more than just a quick visual check of your tires tread depth.

Winter snow tires start at 1032nds of an inch to 1232nds of an inch. 632nds of an inch is the minimum tread depth that Tire Rack recommends for winter driving. Check out What Honest Abe Doesnt Tell You About Minimum Tread Depths for more information about tread depths for winter.

Legal Minimum Tread Depth Most tires are sold with a tread depth of 1032 to 1232 of an inch. Many state laws require tires to have a minimum tread depth of at least 232 in order to be road legal. Many tires have wear bars built in so it is easy to spot how and where tread life is beginning to diminish.

What We Found For tire geeks a half-tread depth tire has typically 532- to 632-inch of tread depth remaining. Tires are worn-out when they reach 232-inch but as the chart below shows you. New tires typically come with 1032 or 1132 tread depths and some truck SUV and winter tires may have deeper tread depths than other models.

Department of Transportation recommends replacing tires when they reach 232 and many states legally require tires to be replaced at this depth. The tire industry standard for tread depth in the United States is measured in one thirty-second of an inch 132 increments millimeters are used in countries observing metric standards. New tires typically start with a tread depth of 1032 to 1232 with some off-road tires topping 1532.

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 Quarter Tire Test Another easy coin test is the quarter test.

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. Vehicles equipped with the 232 minimum tire tread depth took about 100 more feet to stop and were still traveling at about 45 mph at the same distance the vehicles equipped with the 432 deep tires had already come to a complete stop. Safe Tire Tread in United States In general all vehicles are required to have tires in proper and safe condition with a minimum tread depth of 232 of an inch.

This is the law in most states. To indicate that tires have reached point where the tread depth is unsafe tires sold in North America are required to have wear bars. Cars Goods vehicles.

A new tire retains a tread depth from 1032 to 1132. This tread depth is usually made to last anywhere from 3 to 5 years depending on how well it is maintained. To measure the tread of a tire using an available chart follow these steps.

Insert a penny into the tire. Tyre and safety experts believe the 16mm legal minimum is insufficient to guarantee safety most recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm for tyre replacement. Tests by UK technical organisation MIRA found that once tyres are below 3mm stopping distances increase dramatically.

While the minimum safe tire tread depth is 232 consider replacing your tires at the 432 mark especially if you drive in rainy and snowy conditions. There is no national law governing minimum tread depth but 42 states consider 232 inch the minimum legal tread depth. California and Idaho consider 132 the minimum and Arkansas Montana New Mexico North Dakota South Carolina and West Virginia have no standards on tread depth.

If you dont have a depth gauge another quick way to measure your tires is with a Canadian nickel. Insert the coin with Queen Elizabeths crown facing down. If you can see the top of the Queens crown your tire is below 232 and needs to be replaced.

When measured in any two adjacent major tread grooves where the tread is thinnest at three equally spaced intervals around the circumference of the tire and exclusive of tiebars by a tread depth gauge calibrated in thirty-seconds of an inch are found to have tread depth of less than two thirty-seconds of an inch at such locations.