When to Replace Your Tires

When should you change your tires?

Often, the answer is about wear indicators. But this does not always meet safety requirements.

It's not worth forgetting about the basic requirements for a tire that should be replaced when they occur. Today, we will tell you about the signs when you should change your tires immediately.

Wear

Wear to the limit, or rather to the indicators?

Leading automakers and tire manufacturers do not recommend bringing it to this point. Legal norms allow you to wear tires down to 1.6 mm in the summer and down to 4 mm in the winter, but whether it's worth bringing it to this point is up to you to decide. The criterion for replacement is one - resistance to aquaplaning. If your speed outside the city is 100 km/h or more, then it's not worth driving on tires with a depth of less than 3 mm. Even if you rarely drive outside the city, it's not worth the risk, because it only takes one emergency braking to crash a car and put yourself at risk.

Cracking/Flaking of Rubber

Take a close look at your tires. If you see cracks wider than 1-2 mm, then the tire should also be replaced. Flaking of the rubber deserves special attention. If the cracking or flaking of the rubber is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the tire, then the problem is most likely due to improper storage conditions, and if this type of damage is localized, then the cause may be contact with fuel or lubricants.

Change in Rubber Color

This can also often occur in case of contact and prolonged exposure to technical fluids. It should be noted that a change in color is a frequent sign of physico-chemical changes in the properties of the rubber, and during operation, it can behave unpredictably.

Deformations of the Tread or Sidewalls

Any deformation of the tire is a sign of its damage, and if you see deformation on the tread, then in 99% of cases, this tire is to be discarded. If the sidewalls of the tire are deformed, then it can probably still be repaired by a competent master. In any case, we do not recommend operating tires with deformations. It's simply not safe!

Is it worth delaying the replacement of tires? Of course not, there is no economy, the tires will still have to be bought, and the risks are colossal.