Feet First: The Basics of Buying Tires (Tread Life)
"You get what you paid for." College, weddings, dating someone new, buying new tires - there are some things in life that make your eyes glaze over with dollar signs and a thinning wallet. Sticker shock frequently makes it difficult to wave off those dollar signs floating in your periphery and focus on the long-term benefit, particularly for the first three points on that list (because it usually doesn't exist). The last one, though, might warrant some explanation.
If we dove straight into how the prices of tires are assessed, it would be a lot of mumbo-jumbo, calculations and figures and images of crazy-haired Einstein sticking his tongue out at you as though he knows its all going straight over your head. What we can do, though, is focus on one of the 19-25 components tire manufacturers say make up a quality tire - and it happens to be the biggest defining factor in price. (See the introduction to Feet First: The Basics of Buying Tires for more components.)
Tread Life is the longevity of the tire before it starts to crack or "bald." If you haven't been living under a rock, you've heard about the Lincoln's head trick - the one where you apologetically shove the top of a penny into the tread of your tire and if you can see the top of Lincoln's head, you need new tires. You have heard of that right? How about the George Washington trick? Or the Lincoln Memorial trick? No, this isn't a history of coins lesson, put away your notebook and get out your coin purse (or raid your kid's piggy bank).
"The Penny Trick" works in more than one way: If you're testing for snow ready tires, you shouldn't be able to see the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial on the tail-side of the penny.
Flip that penny over and look at the tail's side. When the penny is turned upright, take a peek at the bottom of Lincoln's Memorial. If your tread is just grazing it, your tread is at 6/32", which is a reasonably safe tire under most circumstances in the southeast. But if you're planning on trekking to the Great White North anytime soon (or Jay Jeffries is calling for another Icemaggedon - we miss you, Jay!), it might be time to consider some new tires. This is the bare minimum tread your tire can grip snow. (Read about the right tires for inclement weather in the next Feet First Post!) Use a quarter to test for wet-weather ready tires. Since it pretty much rains everywhere, this is also a good way of preparing for an impending tire purchase.
Now it's time to whip out good ole Georgey. Slap that quarter upside down into the tread and squint at Washington's crown. If your tread is at the top of his head, it's brushing 4/32" - respectable, but not great. Wet weather conditions become tricky at this much tread. You have a little time left before it becomes downright dangerous, but not long.
These tires are in (goat-like voice) baaaaaaaad shape. No, they won't grip anything. They basically make your brakes into "more of a guideline than actual rule." Time to break down and buy new tires!
Then there's the one everyone knows: If you can see the top of Lincoln's head on a penny, that means your tires are at less than 2/32" - and they're downright dangerous. The tread has worn so thin, it has virtually no traction in any variety of wet weather. Your risk of hydroplaning and losing control of your vehicle go up exponentially. It's time to go tire shopping.
Well, if it's that time - how do you pick a tire that will last longer next go round?
Uniform Tire Quality Grading (or UTQG) is the trusted resource for how quickly a tire's tread will bald. The grades are based on percentage to wear to bald compared to a control tire in experimentation. So if it wears 50% faster than the control tire, it would have a 150 pt rating. These tests, however, are conducted in a lab, so other factors like weather, road conditions, and temperature could also contribute to tread life, and they should be considered when you're looking at tires with no mile warranty.
You can find UTQG on the sidewall of any tire, broken down into how quickly the tread wears down, the quality of grip on the tread, and how well the tire can withstand extreme temperatures.
Still, having a warranty isn't a completely care-free world. Tire manufacturer's warranties come with caveats. For example, warranties don't carry from owner to owner, nor do they carry from vehicle to vehicle (this is why it's important to hold on to those pesty papers documenting tire's being installed on your automobile). Warranties will also void if you didn't pencil in some regular maintenance (checking tire pressure and ensuring proper inflation, regular rotation and alignment, replacing suspension if it wears, etc.)
Yep, you're seeing dollar signs again, aren't you? Perhaps a little perspective will rest that panic.
Although we keep inexpensive lines to fit any budget, most of the time, the tires that seem to be the easiest on your wallet come without a mileage warranty. Those tires don't always last very long, making the mid-shelf and upper-shelf tires more of a long-term investment - not to mention safer. (Cue E-Trade baby talking about easy investing!)
Milton Ruben's parts departments carry a variety of tires to meet your needs and budget.
We aren't discouraging you from purchasing those lower-end tires. (After all, they can be practical on an older vehicle that's just a temporary fix.) We just want you to be prepared with the necessary pros and cons to make an informed decision.
Of course, our parts departments are all trained on this information - they could save you some hassle and help you pick out the tires that will meet your needs - and your budget.
As always, if you'd like to stay informed on future posts about tire buying, or anything else vehicle-related, Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or take a peek at our Instagram.
This post, including graphics, was created by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.
