Quote:
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Originally Posted by HummBebe
Take a penny a stick Lincolns head in the groove of your tread. If you can't see the top of his head, your tires are fine, if you can see the top of his head theyr'e worn.
Now keep in mind that is a "dated" way to check your tires for wear.
Now a days most tire manufacturers have "wear bars" in the tires, so when your tires are worn you see a bar running across the tread.
If they aren't worn, embarass the guy who is trying to sell you new tires at 20K.
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That's the penny test, but it is no longer a valid test. The penny test is basically the required wear bars; 2/32" of tread remaining. However, if you are running a tire with only 2/32" of tread remaining, understand you will hydroplane while stopping. Not enough groove to allow water to flow through. Most advocate 4/32" as the minimum. (If you are driving on dry pavement only, then 2/32" is probably ok.)
I have almost 25K on my two back tires, I rotated at 8K, then around 16K, then I had the two front tires replaced due to some scum bag who owned a knife, and they will be rotated sometime this month. The back tires which actually have 25K on them are at around 11-12/32" (being truck tires they come with over 15/32" of tread depth versus car tires which come with around 11/32". The tires in front that were replaced at approx. 18K at 13/32" of tread left.
I'm impressed with the wear on these tires.
My advice is have someone other than the person who recommended replacement look at the tires. Possibly the front alignment was off and they wore on the inner or outer, or the air pressure was too high and they wore on the inside.
You could also go to a local auto store and purchase a tire tread gauge, they are only a few bucks. Then take some measurements on the inside/outside/inner treads at four locations around the tire.