Not all owners take into account the wear of car tires. Such inattention can turn into serious problems. It is very risky to save on tires, not only during their selection but also during use. Some imperfections in fresh tires, or the level of wear on old ones, can be compared to a slow-release bomb. It is noteworthy that individual critical flaws are not detected in any way during the ride. Still, at a specific moment, they can be the reason for a significant accident.
You should never forget that rubber is an everyday consumable with its own limited resource. Often, due to excessive loads and high wear and tear, it "dies" ahead of time, and the sooner you notice the signs of a fatal "disease", the better. So let's find out the tread pattern on the car, what affects the tire wear, and when urgent replacement of tires is required.
It is essential to consider the wear of rubber, as it affects the safety of movement, the serviceability of the vehicle as a whole, and its individual components. There are several arguments:
Car tires have their own lifespan. It depends on the type of tires, seasonality, used trucks, or cars.
It is worth remembering! Tires on trucks should be changed when worn by one mm, and on buses - when they are worn out by 2 mm of rubber.
For summer tires of passenger cars, wear of one and a half mm is allowed. With an indicator of 1.6 mm, replacement is already required.
The service life of car tires reaches 5 years. However, some manufacturers say that it is permissible to operate for 10 years.
Winter tires have a relief tread, the depth of abrasion is greater. When driving in the cold season, the allowable wear is 4 mm.
The duration of service should not exceed 5 years. Sometimes manufacturers give a warranty for a more extended period - up to 10 years.
Important! You shouldn't ride for more than 5 years. Whenever possible, the tires on the car should be changed regularly. After 5 years, it is recommended that a specialist check the rubber on the vehicle every six months.
Some factors lead to faster tire wear. Among them are the following:
Better to buy new tires. If you plan to buy used, you need to be guided not only by words but also take into account the wear of the car tires. It will be able to determine the condition of rubber from different manufacturers.
It is evidence of proper storage, correct operation of the machine without overloading.
We indicate that the tires have been inflated. In other words, the contact patch was precisely in the center, so the tread pattern was erased in that place. It is often observed on winter tires. The reason is the temperature difference.
Here the pressure in the rubber cylinders was below the required one. As a result, the tires rested on the outer ribs in contact with the road surface, and there the tread pattern was erased.
Usually, appear on rubber if the geometry of the axles was violated or deformed discs were used. Also, one-sided wear on the inside can be observed due to the negative camber and outside due to the positive camber.
Indicates improper wheel balancing. Sometimes the problem is more profound - in the faulty condition of the levers or shock absorbers.
Mostly appear on rubber, where the cylinders are from different batches. You can check by the date of manufacture. Another reason is wheel alignment.
The reason for the appearance of the rubber is systematic driving on a poor-quality road tread. Usually seen on tires that have a block-type tread.
This is an indicator that a poor-quality cord is being used in the wheel. Because of this, under strong shock loads, the tire loses strength since the cord threads simply break.
This could be caused by hitting a pothole or curb. The problem occurs when there is insufficient protection, for example, due to insufficient or excessive pressure. Large cracks indicate long-term operation with the wrong volume of pressure.
The reason is a malfunction of the vehicle's suspension, as it does not cushion shocks. Accordingly, the tire takes them over.
The problem occurs on the rear wheels, especially on a front-wheel-drive vehicle. The reason is incorrectly set camber, insufficient interval rotation, transportation of heavy loads.
It is important to check the health of the ball joints. Also, the problem may be with the wheel bearing.
They are an indicator of forced hard braking. They can also appear when skidding or trying to steer from a blow.
It is considered the most common type of tire wear - a front edge. It indicates insufficient wheel rotation. The solution to the problem is to check the performance and correctness of the car in the technical center.
It is considered a standard option. Wheel wear up to the indicator on the tread indicates the need to replace the tires with new ones.
In general, all this indicates that sometimes even a visual assessment of the condition of the tires is sufficient to obtain valuable information about the correct operation of your vehicle. Additionally, you can conduct a deeper analysis. Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid unpleasant situations on the road, restore the regular and full-fledged operation of the car, and figure out and remember when to change tires for safety while driving.
Five critical criteria indicate when rubber is worn out. If there are at least two, it is worth replacing the wheels.
The most common event that actively exploited rubber is exposed to is tread wear. Following the road rules, the minimum height on summer tires of passenger cars must be at least 1.6 mm. It should be noted that initially, this parameter is 7.5 - 8.5 mm. In fresh winter tires, the tread depth ranges from 9 to 15 mm, and the minimum acceptable value is 4 mm.
It is also worth taking into account that tires are often subject to uneven wear, therefore, measuring the tread height is required along the entire length of the pattern, and this must be done by specialists using special devices. When your rubber has the above indicators less than the standard, then we recommend getting rid of it as soon as possible.
It should be noted that a breaker is placed between the tread of the tire and its base, which consists of a multilayer cord. When it becomes noticeable through the wear on an old tire, this indicates the maximum level of rubber production, which means it is time to change it. On a new version, a cord from some severe damage can also appear. In both situations, further use of the tire is hazardous because a defective belt will provoke deformation and slow delamination of the entire tread.
Any damage to the base of the splint from the inside can cause a hernia. As a rule, it begins to form from powerful impacts of wheels on potholes, bumps, and curbs. However, sometimes this happens due to industrial defects, under the influence of which the destruction of the frame began. At the same time, the presence of a hernia indicates a gradual transition of air from the inner part to the tire carcass, which can always result in instantaneous rupture.
As a rule, such defects appear on worn-out tires when driving over potholes and bumps. Even when they are small and not very deep, this is the first bell for replacing the rubber. Under the influence of various circumstances, they gradually increase and get to the cord. As a result, rust acts on the breaker layer, and subsequent delamination occurs. Therefore, every crack indicates the need for an immediate tire replacement.
Increasingly, tire manufacturers equip their own products with a unique wear indicator. It comes in various forms. Most often, the conversation is about a small transverse rubber strip, which has a height of 1.5 mm and is located in the groove of the tread itself. After the tread depth is one level with it, you should immediately change the tire. In most cases, the presence of the indicator is marked on the side of the tire using the TWI letter symbols, a triangle sign, or using a different logo.
Hmin is the maximum permissible height, which differs depending on the type of tire - summer or winter:
The actual minimum height will be within these limits.
It can be located at the bottom of the grooves, on the sidewalls, on the tread blocks. Given the location of the indicator, how tires wear can be shown in different ways. Also, the indicator can be of different types:
The easiest way to determine the mark's location is by the triangle, which is located on the sidewall. It clearly demonstrates where to look for an indicator on the tread.
There is nothing complicated in measuring the tread. It is necessary to determine the value from one axis using a ruler with a depth gauge or a vernier caliper. If there are no such instruments, an ordinary coin will do, but then the measurements will not be accurate.
The tread height or depth should be measured at 6 different points as a minimum. Ideally, measurements are taken at 12 or at least 9 points along the entire circumference of the rubber. Although with proper operation, the values should be the same everywhere, the opposite indicates uneven wear.
Keep in mind that measurements must be taken on both tires at once. For further calculations, it is the minimum that is applied for the main one.
When figuring out how to determine tire wear, you should use the formula:
To determine the balance as a percentage, subtract Z from 100. This is an optional step in the calculation. However, it is required for convenience and an easier understanding of how much more you can ride on a unique rubber.
It is not always clear where to look for the tread height of a new tire. Therefore, it is better to stick to the values of the averaged form from the notable series Hn:
Based on the results of calculations, we find that with a balance of 58%, it is already recommended to perform a replacement. But if there is 16% left, then this is a critical value. It says that driving is categorically unacceptable and new tires are required. Remember that wiping rubber to 0% is life-threatening. In practice, this practice fails, but it is better to exclude all attempts to achieve this and adhere to the rules of traffic rules, as well as take care of your own and the safety of passengers when driving a car.
Remember that wear and tear will occur much faster if you misuse your tires, which means you will spend more money on regular tire changes. Consider what affects tire wear, look for reasons, find a way to prevent this, and bring everything back to normal. Or just give preference to vehicle rental. In this case, a company specializing in car rental will take care of everything. It is offered to rent a car on favorable terms, and the trip will be as comfortable as possible. You can go on a trip to Ukraine, use the vehicle for work or for other personal purposes.
