Part 1 of 2
Today we would like to talk about a subject that matters to everyone, but that few people like to think about: tires. Tires are something you know you need, but they also suck up a lot of resources—time, peace, and money.
How do you know if you really need new tires? What if you wait and try to “ride it out” (no pun intended) for another season? Why do some tires cost so much more than others?
Let’s take these subjects one by one so that you’ll feel good about your tires and will be more prepared when it comes time to replace them.
How to Tell if Your Car Needs New Tires
If you haven’t heard this old trick by now, it’s time you did. Take a penny and put good old Lincoln’s head in the tread of the tire. Can you see the top of his head? If so, then you need to replace the tires – pronto! This old measuring tool means that your tire has 2/32 inch of tread life left. Therefore, your tires are legally worn out. You could be cited for having unsafe tires at this level.
This is why it’s a good idea to replace them at 4/32 inch, not 2/32 inch. Many in the industry today recommend doing this test with a quarter instead of a penny and replacing the tires if the tread doesn’t reach George Washington’s head. Still not sure? Feel free to stop by and ask any one of us here at My Mechanic.
More Signs You Need New Tires
There are a few other signs that could indicate your car needs new tires beside tread wear. Usually if the tires have visible cracks on the sides, they are more than 6 years old. The rubber is no longer pliable. Good sized cracks can mean chemicals, including road salt and air pollution, have slowly eaten away at the rubber. Unless the cracks are tiny, chances are your tires are old enough to be replaced, even if the tread is still good.
If you see any type of bubble on the tire, it should be replaced as quickly as possible. This is a blowout waiting to happen. Inspect the entire tire, not just the part you can see when you stand next to the car.
To get a closer look at the tread, get a stool, a mirror, or get down on your knees. If the inside, middle, or outside portion of the tread is thinner (or heaven forbid, bald!), your car might have a problem with the front end suspension or the wheel alignment. These issues put uneven pressure on one side of the tire, wearing it down significantly faster than the rest of the tread.
You should first have the front suspension inspected and have any suspension parts replaced if necessary. When this is done, you can replace the tires and have the vehicle aligned. (Yes, you will have to replace the tires. There is no way to “use up” the rest of that tread.)
Note: Replacing the tires when your car needs front suspension work or a four-wheel alignment is a waste of money because the tires are going to wear in this same pattern.
A Word about Snow Tires or Winter Tires
In the olden days (a.k.a. – maybe 25 years ago), winter tires differed only from regular tires in the design on the tread. These had large knobs or lugs on them that were supposed to give you better traction in the snow. They didn’t work very well, and to top it off, they were extremely noisy.
Today, you will mostly see “all-season” tires advertised. While this term “all-season” may apply to California or Arizona, in Chicagoland, it’s a hit or miss.
In a very mild winter and careful driving, today’s modern tires will do a decent job of getting you to point A and point B. The problem with all-season tires is that below 45 degrees, these tires tend to become less flexible. This means that they don’t grip the road as well, and they can suffer a blow out simply from hitting a good-sized pothole.
Winter tires are much better suited to Chicago weather. They are designed to move snow and water using a compound that allows the tire to bite into snow and ice, giving you better traction. Winter tires also have wider grooves to expel snow from the tread, and the sipes (which are very thin slits cut into the tread) really grab onto ice to provide superior traction. How much traction? On average, winter tires get about 58 percent better traction than all-season tires. That’s the difference between getting home safely in time for dinner and spending the night waiting for a tow truck to pull you out of a snow bank.
Of course, we understand that not everyone has room to store winter tires or the money to buy these. However, if at all possible, consider putting a set of winter tires on your ride so you can really feel safe about driving this year.
We still have a lot to cover regarding tires. Tune in next month to see how this tire story ends. If you can’t wait, drop by My Mechanic for a tire inspection. We’re happy to talk tires with you, so you’ll be prepared for the weather this year.
