The tread of a car tire is often an indicator when to replace the round rubber. If the tread feels good or the tread profile is still good, the vehicle owner is usually reluctant to replace it with new tires. Especially if tire production is still under 5 years.
Even though the tire tread still looks thick, this component should be replaced every five years. All for the sake of maintaining optimal grip of the tire surface on the asphalt or other road medians.
However, the question that is often asked is, what is the assessment of the surface condition of these tires like? Because maybe you have ever heard of the term car tires in condition of 95%, 90 &, 80% and so on at used tire sellers.
Well, quoted from Bestcarweb, it turns out that there is a measurement of the condition of the profile of the tread surface of a car tire to determine whether it is still suitable for use or not.
Car Tire Tread Safe Limits
Seeing the tread condition of a car tire can actually be seen from the Tire Wear Indicator (TWI). They can be small triangles on the side of the tire, or stripes running across the outer surface of the tread.
If the tire tread surface is equivalent to the TWI line, then that is the maximum tolerance limit for the tire used. Or you can also measure it manually. If the tire groove profile is still 1.6 mm (millimeter) high, then the tire is still safe to use.
With a note, its use is only in the city with a speed of not more than 80 km / hour. If you often or want to drive out of town via toll roads at speeds above 80 kph, then you should use tires with a groove height of at least 3 mm.
Especially when you find the road surface conditions are wet. Due to the possibility of hydroplaning, tires with grooves more than 3 mm high can apply braking for about 30 meters. But if the height of the tire tread is only 1.6 mm, then you need a distance of more than 60 m to stop the vehicle.
The surface of the cracked tires is still safe
Some car tires may have small cracks on the tread surface. These cracks generally appear around the tread pattern or maybe on the tire wall. Are these tires still usable?
If the tire tread is still thick then the tire is still safe. With notes, the cracks were only subtle cracks and not deep. But when on the way the cracks are getting bigger, it's a different story. Because water can get into the gaps that are tenuous and damage the tire structure. So replace it immediately if the crack gets bigger.
Old tires should be checked more often for air pressure
Checking tire pressure is something that must be done regularly. Especially if you want to travel long distances. And keep in mind, for tires that are more than 1 year old, you should check them more often.
This is because the structure of rubber as the main ingredient in tires will change over time. New tires tend to have rubber that is still soft so that the tire structure is still perfect. But for old tires, the rubber has become harder so that tire air can come out of the tire pores.
And make sure the tire pressure is as recommended by the manufacturer. If the tire pressure is too high, the tire surface will experience uneven wear. Conversely, if the tire pressure is low, there is a risk of the tire bursting on the road.
