How and when to check the tire tread?

The condition of the tire tread is a key issue for the safe driving of any car.

Find out how to check the tire tread to ensure road safety and comply with the regulations in force in Poland and other countries where you can travel with your vehicle.

Why is checking tire tread important for road safety?

The point of contact between the tire and the ground is responsible for maintaining the correct driving track and proper braking. If the minimum tread depth is not maintained, it will have a huge impact on the correct handling of the vehicle. Perhaps on an even, dry and clean road it will not be noticeable, but as soon as more difficult conditions appear, the car can completely lose control and driving it will become a huge risk.

How to check the tire tread condition?

There are several basic methods for checking the tire tread - both visually for defects or damage, as well as more or less precise measurements to check whether the minimum tread depth is maintained.

Coin method

If you do not have any measuring devices, you can check the condition of the tire tread using the most ordinary 5 zloty coin. This is quite a popular solution, willingly used by many drivers. Insert a coin into the recess in the tread. If the silver part surrounding the darker center is completely hidden in the groove, it means that everything is fine and the tread is more than 4 millimeters.

Use of tread wear indicators

Most tires have special tread wear indicators. In English, they are called TWI, or Tread Wear Indicator. These are small protrusions at the bottom of the tread grooves, 1.6 millimeters high. It is worth changing the tire as soon as you see that they will soon come into direct contact with the ground. There are also manufacturers that use an even simpler system that uses similarly placed numbers that accurately show the condition of the tire tread. If the number 6 is partially worn and the 5 is not yet, you know exactly that the tread is in this range.

The use of specialized measuring instruments

The best and most accurate tire tread check is possible with the use of specialized measuring instruments. On sale there are solutions designed specifically for this purpose. A depth gauge is used for this, which you can find in an automotive store, hypermarket or gas station. It is worth doing it, because it costs a dozen or so zlotys, and allows you to easily obtain reliable measurement results. Just like a depth gauge, you can use a standard caliper.

What is the legal minimum tread depth?

Polish law requires that the minimum tread depth should be at least 1.6 millimeters. This applies to both summer tires and winter tires. The exception to this rule are buses, where the regulations say that the tread must be at least 3 millimeters. Similar laws apply in most neighboring countries. Remember, however, that in northern or more mountainous countries, an additional specification of the tread height in winter tires is often found. And this is it:

• 3 millimeters – in Estonia, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Lithuania;
• 4 millimeters – in Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Czech Republic and Luxembourg.

When should tires be replaced due to tread condition?

The minimum tread depth required by law is one thing, maintaining the highest safety is another, and it is worth changing tires sooner.

Legal criterion

The law requires the replacement of tires when the minimum tire tread depth is less than 1.6 millimeters. The condition of the tire tread is not the only criterion - mechanical damage, tears, cuts or deformations are also unacceptable.

Manufacturers recommendations

Tire manufacturers provide their own recommendations to ensure maximum road safety. They urge you to replace your tires when the tread wear indicators show 3 millimeters and in the case of winter tires 4 millimeters.

weather and seasonal conditions

New tires have a tread height of about 8 or even 9 millimeters. And as it wears off, the water resistance and snow resistance of the tires gradually decreases. When a tire reaches the legal minimum tread depth, its performance in severe conditions can be halved. This means that driving the vehicle properly in such a situation will be very difficult and may end up going off the road, with very serious consequences.

What to do if the tread is too worn?

If you have checked the tire tread and decided it is time to replace the tire, you should do it as soon as possible, for example very good Barum tires .

Tires swap

Changing tires is an activity that is better entrusted to a professional workshop, although there are people who do it themselves. However, the tire should be balanced and optimised, i.e. finding its best position on the rim in order to reduce uneven weight distribution. Such services are offered only by professional garages, but after performing such activities, your road safety and travel comfort will increase, as well as the possibility of premature wear of tires and other suspension components will decrease.

Choosing the right tires

In order to choose tires that match your car, you need to know their most important parameters, such as:

• tire diameter;
• tire width;
• speed index;
• load index.

The easiest way is to order tires exactly as provided by the manufacturer, although of course the speed or load index may be higher and this will ensure longer use of the tyre. An example of a tire with higher than average parameters is, for example , Uniroyal Rainsport 3 .

How to care for the tire tread?

Taking care of the tire tread is an important thing that affects both the comfort of driving, its safety and the state of your finances, allowing you to change tires less often. The most important things are:

• taking care of the correct tire pressure;
• balancing wheels after changing tires, rims or when noticing any irregularities;
• setting the correct wheel alignment and axle geometry;
• less tire wear is also helped by eco-driving principles, such as the lack of sudden accelerations and braking;
• many people also forget that standing the vehicle in one position for too long can lead to tire damage.

Regularly check the condition of the tread

Regularly check both the tread wear indicators and the visual condition of the tires. He can use one of the measurement methods described above or go to a workshop that will assess the condition of the tires. It's also important that you check your tires yourself if you know there's been a situation that could have harmed them, or if you sense any problems with your car's handling. When checking the condition of the tires, also check that the tire pressure sensors are working properly. If you need to replace them, also order the TPMS programmer , which will allow you to freely replace the sensors.

Avoiding dangerous driving habits

Many factors related to your driving style affect the accelerated wear of the tire tread, as well as the general condition. These are the already mentioned fast acceleration or sudden braking. There is also a large number of parking maneuvers. Turning the wheels on a concrete surface, for example in an underground garage, also wears the tread heavily. When parking in the city, it is also very easy to damage the tire very seriously, if you hit the curb too hard.

Tire care

Proper tire care can significantly extend their lifespan. The most common treatments used here are dressing, i.e. the application of preparations that protect the tire against UV radiation or road salt and at the same time improve its appearance. These formulations are only applied to the side wall. Of course, tires should be washed regularly, which also allows them to maintain good performance for longer.

Where can I get professional help checking my tire tread?

You will receive the fastest professional help in checking the condition of the tire tread and their general condition in professional repair shops or vulcanizers. If you change your summer and winter tires in the right place, the employees there should also inform you when something is wrong with the tires that may affect the correct driving or compliance of the vehicle. When ordering new tyres, focus on reputable manufacturers and top models such as Bridgestone ER300 tyres . This is a guarantee of good use of the tire for a long time.