DIY: How to Check When You Need to Change the Tires?
As a vehicle owner, it's important to be informed on how to check the tire's condition by yourself, without calling up a mechanic. Here, we compiled a list of manual tire checks you can do at home, so you'll know when it's time to change the tires.
Tread Depth Checks
First thing, check the tread depth of the tires, one by one. This method is the quickest and easiest method you can use. We recommend that you run the penny test and visual inspection to see its real condition.
The Penny Test Still Works
This is the quickest, most accessible check to place a penny upside-down into a major tread groove with Abraham Lincoln's head facing the tire. If you can see the very top of his head, the tread is too low, and replacement is urgent. It's simple, it's accurate, and everyone can do it right now.
Visual TWI Check
Look for those small rubber bars in the tread grooves. Check them in several spots across the tire, both inner and outer edges, to account for uneven wear.
Sidewall and Surface Check
After you've checked the tread, check on the sidewall to inspect the dry dot and to feel if there's bulges. Also, ensure that the tire has no sharp objects embedded in it.
Inspect for Dry Rot and Cracking
Run your hand along the sidewall and tread. Tiny surface checks are common, but if you see long, deep fissures, especially near the bead (where the tire meets the rim), that rubber compound has lost its flexibility.
Feel for Bulges or Blisters
A bulge, no matter how small or where it is on the tire, means the internal structural belts are damaged. The internal air pressure is only being held by the remaining rubber layers. This is a non-negotiable, serious defect that could lead to a sudden, dangerous blowout.
Embedded Objects
Look for nails, sharp stones, or other debris lodged in the tread. Even if it hasn't caused a pressure leak yet, it can eventually work its way deeper and cause a catastrophic failure.
On-Road Indicators
When you're out on the road, pay attention not just to what you see but also to how your vehicle feels. Subtle changes in the drive, like light shaking or needing to correct the steering often, are sometimes the earliest warnings that something's wrong with the tires.
Persistent Vibration
If you feel an unexplained shaking in the steering wheel or the seat while driving, it might be an alignment or balancing issue. That could be a sign of internal tire damage or cord separation that is throwing the wheel out of round. If you feel your car is vibrating, call up a mechanic to inspect and fix it as soon as possible.
Pulling to One Side
If the vehicle consistently drifts when you're driving straight, it often suggests a severe alignment issue, which will rapidly create uneven wear on one tire and reduce its life dramatically.
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