Tire Tread Depth – Washington vs. Lincoln
Today’s Brackens AutoCare article discusses the effect of tire tread depth on braking. When talking about stopping power, Enterprise area drivers tend to focus on brakes. But our tires are where the rubber meets the road. So having good brakes isn’t enough. Enterprise motorists have to have tires with enough traction to translate braking power into stopping power.
Let’s focus on stopping in wet Enterprise conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.
That’s called hydroplaning. At Brackens AutoCare we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.
So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.
And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Enterprise roads. So that’s why it’s so important for Enterprise drivers to replace the tires on their pickups when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.
By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.
And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from UT freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.
There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.
You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.
Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Enterprise car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.
At Brackens AutoCare in Enterprise UT (84725) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 435.878.2251. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.
Posted by Lee Bracken 
