How do I recognize worn tires?

How do I recognize worn tires?

With every kilometer that you cover in your car, tiny particles are detached from the car tire. If you hit the brakes hard or accelerate too hard when pulling away, you will accelerate the process. Worn tires, however, represent a high safety risk. But when is the right time to change tires? In this blog article you will learn how to measure the tire tread and determine when to change it.

Worn tires - a high safety risk

The tires transmit the power of the engine to the road when starting, they change direction when steering and they ensure that the car comes to a stop quickly when braking. For all of these tasks, however, a good tire tread is necessary. However, small rubber particles constantly detach from the tire while driving. If you brake hard or start off with screeching tires, the wear is considerable.

If the profile is no longer large enough, this can have serious consequences. This makes the braking distance significantly longer. The vehicle can also break away in a curve. Both factors can cause serious accidents. Therefore, the legislator prescribes a minimum depth of 1.6 mm (as of August 2018). If you do not adhere to these, you not only pose a great danger to road traffic. You can also expect significant fines.

How long does a tire normally last?

How long a tire in Qatar lasts depends on various factors - in particular the driving style and the air pressure. The quality of the tire also plays an important role. In any case, they should have a mileage of around 30,000 km. Some drivers report that they have covered 60,000 km or more with their tires without falling below the minimum tread depth. However, this is a major exception. Because of the differences, it is important to check the profile regularly. Not only the kilometers driven play a role, but also the time frame. For example, the ADAC recommends changing the tires after six years at the latest, even if the tread is still intact.

Front or rear: where are worn tires particularly dangerous?

Tire wear depends heavily on whether it is the drive axle or the axle that is not connected to the engine. In most cars, the front tires are worn much faster than the rear tires. Many drivers assume that they can delay the tire change a little longer if they simply attach the worn front tires to the rear of the vehicle and use the rear tires at the front. However, this only applies to braking behavior and aquaplaning. The rear tires in Qatar are much more important for behavior in bends or when changing lanes. If these are worn, the rear can break away, making the vehicle uncontrollable. Since this harbors a particularly high risk potential, it is very important to pay attention to a good tire profile, especially with the rear tires.

Winter and summer tires and the tread depth: Are there any differences?

Many drivers wonder whether the tread depth has to be the same for winter and summer tires. According to the law, there are no differences here: the profile of both types of tires must be at least 1.6 mm (as of August 2018). In order to ensure optimal safety, however, a significantly higher profile depth is required. However, there are differences between summer and winter tires. The ADAC recommends changing summer tires with a tread depth of 3.0 mm and winter tires with a depth of 4.0 mm.

Measure tire tread: How to tell when the tire has worn off

You can recognize worn tires by their driving behavior. With summer tires you will notice a longer braking distance and poor steering response in wet conditions.

With winter tires, the car often breaks out of its track. In addition, the traction is worse. This is clear from the fact that the wheels spin when starting off. In order to know exactly when the tires have worn out, however, it is important to measure the tire profile. There are several ways to do this. In the following sections we will introduce you to different methods. This is a good way of checking whether your tires still meet the requirements or whether you already have to change them.

Visual inspection: how do I recognize worn tires with the naked eye?

The simplest method is to do a visual inspection. By looking closely at the tire, you can often see at first glance whether the tread is still in good condition or whether it is already badly worn. It is also important to watch out for damage. On some models there are small ridges in the grooves. As long as the profile protrudes beyond this, keep to the minimum height.

Easy measurement with a coin

Another easy way to spot worn tires is to use a coin. The brass edge of the one euro coin is around 3.0 mm high. If this disappears completely in the tire tread, it is still high enough. However, if you can still see the edge, you should change the tire soon.

Special measuring devices for the profile depth

If you want to know exactly, you can get a tester for the tread depth. This gives the value very precisely. This enables you to reliably identify worn tires. You must press the tip of these devices into the profile groove. You can then read off the exact value. There are digital and analog versions for this.

When measuring the tread depth, it is important to repeat this process in several places. Oftentimes, the wear and tear varies greatly in different areas. It is therefore important to measure in several places. The road traffic regulations stipulate that the minimum profile must be achieved consistently.

Simply order new tires

It is important to act quickly when the tires are worn out. Otherwise your vehicle represents a great danger to road traffic. You can easily find a suitable dealer via our platform. All you have to do is read the required tire size on the vehicle and enter this value in the search bar. You can find suitable offers for most sizes for around 200 to 400 QAR.

For mor automotive blogs visit: https://www.orienttech.com.qa/blog/