Every time you drive, the tires on your car get worn down. It's not a sign of bad driving but rather something that's inevitable. Over the years, tires get old.
A tire failure while you're driving in the middle of the road can be problematic. It can cause your car to go out of control. It can also leave you stranded in unfamiliar places.
Therefore, before something goes wrong, you might want to know when your tires are in bad shape so you can replace them. If there is a mechanic who can look at your car periodically, he or she can tell you if the tires need to be replaced.
But here are several things you can check by yourself to make sure your tires are still in good shape.
1. Tread Depth
According to How Stuff Works, your tires' tread should never be below 1/16 of an inch (1.6 millimeters) in depth. It's even better to have twice this tread if you regularly drive on slick, wet surfaces.
One way to measure the tread depth is to get a gauge the way professionals do. However, there's a trick called the penny test that will give you an idea of how much tread depth you have left.
Just take a Lincoln-head penny, and insert its head down into the tread. If Lincoln's entire head remains visible, this only means you don't have enough tread. The best thing to do is to get a new set of tires.
2. The Tread Wear Indicator Bar
You'll find tread wear indicator bars built into the tires themselves. The bars are invisible or barely visible when tires are new. But it will gradually start to appear as the tread wears down.
The tread wear indicator bars look like flat rubber bars running perpendicular to the direction of the tread itself. If you can see one or two of these, it means the tread is getting low. You could spot this on the wet tracks that your tires leave after you drive through a puddle.
If the bars are starting to appear on any of your tires, it's once again a sign to get your current tires replaced.
Read Also: 5 Must-Know Tips for Driving During the Winter Season
3. Cracks in the Sidewall
Problems in cars' tires can also appear in the sidewall. It's a good thing that it's easy to do a visual check of sidewall problems. To do this, simply look for tracks or cuts in the sidewall. The cracks should be distinct enough to be visible to the naked eye.
A visible crack is a sign that your tire is developing a leak, or even worse, it's nearly ready to blow out. It's something that you want to avoid. Thus, if the cracks in the sidewall are starting to appear, have your tires replaced.
4. Bulges and Blisters on the Tire
A bulge or blister that extends outward from the rest of the surface will start to appear when the outer surface of the tire starts to weaken. This weak spot may cause a sudden blowout. So, look out for those tire bulges and blisters. Once you spot them, it's a clear sign that you have to replace your tires.
5. Car Shakes When You Drive
When you notice that your car shakes when you drive at both fast and slow speeds, it indicates that there's a problem with your tires, according to Viking Motors. What's causing the vibration is the metal belts inside your tires that slip. Getting new tires is the only way to fix this.
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