What is a Good Tread Depth for Tires?
Beneath your tire’s surface lies a detail that could mean the difference between control and catastrophe: the tread depth. This seemingly small measurement affects how well your car can stop in an emergency, handle wet roads in a storm, or navigate a sharp curve. So, how thin is that line between safety and risk? Let’s take a closer look at how much tread depth is safe to drive on, and how to check your tire’s tread depth to make sure.
What is Tire Tread Depth?
The tread depth of a tire refers to the measurement from the top of a tire’s tread rubber to the bottom of the tire’s deepest grooves.These grooves are designed in specific patterns for many reasons; better handling, water evacuation, and reducing road noise being just a few of them. However one of the most important functions of the tire tread grooves is to provide traction on both wet and dry driving surfaces. The deeper the depth of the tread, the better the tire can grip dry and wet roads, and evacuate water away from the center of the tire to prevent hydroplaning.
The deeper a tire's tread, the better it can grip roads and prevent hydroplaning.
What is a Good Tread Depth for Tires?
The tread rubber of a tire wears down as the tire is used, decreasing the tread depth over time, which also reduces tire traction and affects handling and braking. Drivers need to know how to measure tire tread depth to keep an eye on their tire’s life, and know when it’s time to buy new tires. It’s also important because legally the minimum tire tread depth for vehicles in the United States must be no less than 2/32nds of an inch. Although 2/32nds of an inch may be the legal minimum, it’s a good idea to replace a tire at around 4/32nds of an inch, since at 2/32nds it’s already unsafe to drive on, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
When driving in the rain or on wet roads, the ideal tread depth is deeper to prevent hydroplaning and give increased traction. Experts recommend that your tires have at least 4/32nds of an inch of tread depth if you’re driving in rainy, wet weather, and at least 5/32nds of an inch for winter tires in snow, but in both cases 6/32nds or more is ideal.
How to Check Tire Tread Depth
There are a few ways to check tire tread depth, and fortunately, all of them are simple and inexpensive! The most accurate way to measure tread depth is with a tread depth gauge. These are widely available, and cost between $10-$30 on average, although professional gauges may cost much more.
How to Check Tire Tread Depth with a Tread Depth Gauge
First, place the gauge on a flat surface so that the measuring pin is fully inserted in the tube, and the gauge measures 0/32nds.
Next, insert the gauge into the deepest part of the tread groove. Make sure that the base of the gauge is held firmly against the tread of the tire. Then, you can remove the gauge, being careful not to move it, and read the measurement.
How to Check Tire Tread Depth with a Penny
It’s not the most accurate, but you can quickly and easily check to see if your tire tread has more than 2/32nds of an inch using a penny.
Hold a penny with Lincoln’s head upside down, and insert it into the deepest part of the tread groove. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tire is worn down to 2/32nds or less of tread depth, and it’s time to replace your tires.
How to Check Tire Tread Depth with a Quarter
If you’d rather check your tires to make sure they have at least 4/32nds of an inch of tread, you can quickly check the tread depth using a quarter. To do this, hold the quarter so that Washington’s head is upside down, then insert it into the deepest part of the tread groove. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, your tread depth is at, or less than 4/32nds of an inch, and it’s time to start considering replacing your tires.
Tread Depth Indicators and What They Mean
One final way to keep an eye on your tire’s tread depth is actually built into the tire itself. Tread Wear Indicator Bars are molded rubber strips placed intermittently around the tire’s tread within the tire’s main grooves. Check periodically to see if the tread of your tire is flush with the Tread Wear Indicator Bars. If the bars are flush with the tire’s tread, this means that the tread has worn down to 2/32nds of an inch (or less), and the tire should be replaced as soon as possible.
Watch this quick video showing how to easily check your tire’s tread depth:
When is it Time to Get New Tires?
Make sure to regularly check your tire’s tread depth, and replace your tires as soon as possible once they reach 2/32nds of an inch, however if you are driving in rain or winter weather, make sure your tires have at least 4/32nds, and ideally 6/32nds of an inch of tread depth for safe handling and traction. If not, it’s worth considering replacing your tires.
It’s also important to note that tire construction deteriorates over time, even if they aren’t used much and their tread depth may still look acceptable. For this reason, if your tire is 6 years old or more, you should replace them even if the tread is not worn down. You can check the age of your tire by checking the D.O.T. number.
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