Interpreting Tire Tread Wear
 

The best guide I've seen thus far. The guide is done for big truck / fleet owners, but applies in main to personal vehicles also:

KAL TIRE
Tire Wear Conditions

Diagnose Tire Wear

A $5 MILTON Tread Depth Gauge is adequate to most service.

Use of the gauge is shown in this link.

On my pickup truck (sig) I rotate about every 25-30k miles, and use the gauge to take [16] readings per tire annually as rotation is nearly two years apart per service.

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How often do you measure your tread depths?

...I keep a log-book entry and graph-plot of every tire-depth measurement, just to "see" what the wear pattern(s) are telling me. Also gives me an estimated "life" until wear out depth (3/32"--Lincolns' head).

. . On my pickup truck (sig) I rotate about every 25-30k miles, and use the gauge to take [16] readings per tire annually as rotation is nearly two years apart per service.



an estimated "life" until wear out depth (3/32"--Lincolns' head).

Agreed. Somewhere around three to four 32" remaining. Also, age. MICHELIN sez seven years for a tire in service, and up to ten for a spare never on the ground.

Eyeballing the tires is almost daily, or before being driven. Walkaround. Part of keeping the truck washed weekly (mostly) is also the opportunity to look underneath and all around. If there is gravel in the tread I'll pop it out. Same for fueling. I haven't -- until later today -- filled the truck since August. But I have kept an eye on fluid levels, etc, under the hood without needing the excuse to fill up.

I may only run 8-12k miles per year. Same for oil. I'll be below the miles needed for an OCI as a year comes up. Time or miles, whichever comes first. I'm due for all other fluids to be changed (time & miles) but have been unconcerned about it as the use has been so light. Calendar 2012 I'll bring it to par, and get ahead on some items showing wear, but not yet worn out (some bushings and links) and start acquiring some parts to help spread out the wallet pain.

As to tires, I'll need to get a better air pressure gauge this year. I know how far off mine is, but would rather have a top-quality piece. If I need other tires I have also researched what I would use.

Same for a TPMS. I'll be doing a fair amount of towing this coming year, so a TPMS for truck and trailer is needed. I may also need to epoxy paint trailer wheel interiors to forestall leakage, but will also be sure to have tires installed with bead sealer to do keep that slow leak problem away.

If you are asking about the most general rule of thumb for service, I always try to cram them all into either April/May or October/November as the weather is good, and any work I undertake can be checked by a shop when I take it for some forms of service. Folks don't spend much on cars at April 15 or Thanksgiving. A good time to have things done.

I wish to maintain a good relationship with those businesses, and if they see me twice-yearly, they don't forget me when I need that little something extra . . another set of eyeballs looking out for the vehicle. So inspections, registrations, minor services are all combined where possible.

Tire life, brake life, checks for fluid leaks are all part of ECONOMY where, for me, FE is in third place for importance after longevity and reliability. 100k miles plus on tires and brakes thus far with this truck (and getting longer, although I may not push it as far as possible), and excellent FE is all part of a package.

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