How Can You Check the Tread Depth of Your Tires?
Paying attention to a tire’s tread is one of the easiest ways to monitor its lifespan. But how do you check your tire’s depth? Some tires have tread wear bars that will indicate when tire tread reaches 2/32". Tread depth gauges are also available at Pep Boys. But the easiest way to determine the depth of your tire's tread is by giving them the "penny test."
What is the Penny Test?
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 Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If Lincoln's head is buried, your tires still have more than 2/32" of tread. Your tires need to be replaced if the head is visible.
After taking the penny test, a tire’s tread can be visually inspected to spot other issues. There are six common types of irregular wear to look for, but two are most common. Center wear is when your tire is worn down the middle and caused by over-inflation. Shoulder wear happens when the sides of the tire wear quicker than the middle of the tire and tends to be caused by under-inflation. A misalignment could also cause wear issues, especially when there’s excessive wear on the camber or toe.