If you’ve ever had a tire blow out while driving you know how scary that can be. Willoughby Hills Auto Repair works tirelessly to ensure our customers remain safe on the road, which is why we offer tire inspections, tire rotations, balancing, wheel alignment, and tire replacement services. Do you have enough tread on your tires? Grab a penny and head out to your garage.
Adequate Light
Make sure you have enough light to see each tire clearly. If your garage lights are not bright enough, open the garage door. If you still can’t see all four tires easily, pull your vehicle out of the garage and park it in the driveway. Turn the vehicle off and set the emergency brake. Make sure all four tires are pointed straight ahead. It’s best to check your tire tread in broad daylight, so choose a time when the sun is shining on your driveway so you have adequate light to see underneath your automobile.
Visually Inspect Your Tires
Get down on your hands and knees and visually inspect your tires first. Look for areas where the tread has worn down unevenly. You should never see
- Tread worn down in the middle but not on the tire shoulders
- Tread worn down on the shoulders but not in the middle
- Tread worn down on either tire shoulder but nowhere else
- Scalloped or feathered tread wear
If you notice uneven tire wear, your tires may be overinflated, underinflated, your wheels may be out of balance or alignment, or you may have suspension problems. Any of these things should be rectified as soon as possible to avoid further damage. If your tire wear looks even, all is well so far.
Penny Test
Grab your penny, or a quarter if you prefer to use a larger coin, and turn the coin so that the head side is facing you. You want to see President Lincoln or President Washington’s profile. Insert the coin between each tire tread row in several places along with each tire with the top of the president’s head toward the tire. If you can all of the president’s head anywhere on the tires, you do not have enough tread.
If you have low or uneven tire tread, bring your vehicle into Willoughby Hills Auto Repair. We are located in Willoughby Hills, OH, and we would be happy to inspect your tires and recommend the appropriate course of action to keep you driving safe. Set up an appointment by calling us today.