Checking to See if You Need New Tires in 3 Quick Steps

The most serious reason to fret about the condition of your tires is your safety. You must be aware of three things when determining if you need new tires: tread wear, vulnerability to the elements and tire age. Let your buddies here at Malloy Ford help you determine if you need new tires.  

Tread

When your tire treads are worn out, your car may react poorly in disadvantageous weather conditions such as rain and snow. With quality treads, your car will grip the road properly. In addition to that, having insufficient tread is illegal in many states. And lastly, worn treads can make other parts of your car wear out early. Here is how you can check your tire tread in 3 quick steps:

1) Get a penny…yes, a penny.

2)  Put the penny head first into several tread grooves across the span of the tire.

3)  If you always see the top of Lincoln’s head, your treads are shallow and worn out.

If this happens to be the case, your tires need to be renewed. If a portion of Lincoln’s head is consistently covered up by the tread, you have more than 2/32 of an inch of tread depth left. This indicates you mostly likely don’t need new tires.

Vulnerability

Vulnerability to heat and the ultraviolet rays of the sun may cause structural damage to your tires. These changes are not usually an issue in moderate climates.

Tire Age

How old are your tires? Regardless of tread wear, vehicle manufacturers recommend you replace your tires at six years. Most tire manufacturers recommend you replace your tires every ten years. Make sure you check the manufacturer’s recommendations on your specific tires.

When it’s time to change your tires, your friends at the Malloy Ford service department want to make buying a new set as easy as possible. We have the finest selection of quality tires at an affordable rate. We are currently running tire specials and other parts specials to get your vehicle ready for winter. Whether you’re driving to visit family for the holidays, taking that annual ski trip, or preparing for the usual winter storms, please use these quick steps as a guide to ensure your tires are safe and ready!