how do you know when your tyres are below the legal limit ?
{multiple posts of the same question deleted, and any replies moved here - DD}
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Tread depth should be no less than 1.5mm across the central three quarters of the bredth of the tyre.
Or something like that.
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Mike Farrow
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it's 1.6mm ;o) over 3/4 of the tread width. Most tyres have wear indicators built in - little rubber bumps in the gap between the tread.
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it's 1.6mm ;o)
I knew 1.5 didn't sound right somehow!
Don't forget 3/4s means you only get 1/8th of the width at the inside and outside of the tread 'let off', which makes the 3/4s rule a lot stricter than you think.
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Mike Farrow
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thanks i wasnt sure if it was all over or 75%
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Plus there are usually 2mm wear indicators moulded in the bottom of the tread grooves. When the indicator is flush with the tops of the grooves you are getting near the legal.sensible limit.
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Measure with tyre tread depth gauge & see if below 1.6mm across 2/3 or 3/4 of tyre (can't remember which) or if tread wear indicator blocks moulded into tread at intervals around circumference are flush with tread then tyre is knackered.
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Nicked from somewhere (bikes are different)
Tread Depth
The legal minimum tread depth for cars and light trailers (including caravans) up to 3500 kgs gross vehicle weight and/or 8 seated passenger vehicles including driver is:
A minimum of 1.6mm in a continuous band throughout the central three-quarters of the tread width, throughout the whole of the circumference
Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) or gross train weight (GTW) over 3500kgs or a motorcycle above 50cc must, either:
1. The grooves of the tread pattern must have a depth of a least 1 mm throughout a continuous band measuring at least three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and round the entire outer circumference of the tyre, OR
2. if the grooves of the original tread pattern of the tyre do not extend beyond three-quarters of the breadth of the tread (i.e. common with motorcycle tyres) any groove of the original pattern must have a minimum depth of at least 1 mm.
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You'll be losing most of your grip when you get below 2.5mm. let alone the legal limlt of 1.6mm.
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In the wet- I wouldn't drive on a tyre less than 2mm, and I don't like to think of the person behind doing the same really, sorry , the legal limit seems very low for wet conditions.
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In the wet- I wouldn't drive on a tyre less than 2mm and I don't like to think of the person behind doing the same really sorry the legal limit seems very low for wet conditions.
It depends on how fast you want to go, what the road is like, how wet it is, and how close the idiot behind is.
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You'll be losing most of your grip when you get below 2.5mm. let alone the legal limlt of 1.6mm.
Only if it's wet.
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on the shoulder of the tyre you will see the words "twi" these indicate where the tread wear indicaors are located on the tread at 1.6mm high [car]. hope that helps.
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I change my tyres when the tread gets below 3 mm on the central 3/4 of the width. I know it may seem wasteful and harmful to the environment buying new tyres more often, but what's the point of saving the planet if I'm not here to enjoy it due to lack of grip on a wet road. Does anyone else change them this early or am I being paranoid ?
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Once under 4mm tyre performance drops off significantly, braking takes a lot longer in both wet and dry. I've seen the test results for car tyres with less than 4mm and it's horrorfying to see that both wet and dry weather stopping is increased by several metres when compared with newer tyres, that's the difference between life and death. I change tyres all round once they fall below 4mm, peoples lives are worth a lot more than trying to save a few quid on tyres.
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Does anyone else change them this early
I do, but I have to confess that in my young and foolish days I happily (and legally!) drove with no tread whatsoever!
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L\'escargot.
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I could never understand the logic or sense in cars having a legal depth limit of 1.6 mm and HGV 'S only having a legal limit of 1.0mm?
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I do but I have to confess that in my young and foolish days I happily (and legally!) drove with no tread whatsoever! --
Worse than that - tyres were commonly re-cut to make new grooves!
Has anyone noticed that new tyres don't seem to have as much tread as they used to? I thought it was just my imagination, but I happened to unearth a virtually unused Dunlop 5.00 X 13 crossply recently and it has about 1/2" of tread.
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tyres were commonly re-cut to make new grooves!
They still are. www.work-zone.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=614
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>> tyres were commonly re-cut to make new grooves! They still are. www.work-zone.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=614
That's for lorry tyres, isn't it? I don't think they still re-cut ordinary bald car tyres?
If a tyre starts with say 10mm and can be worn down to 1.6mm, that's 8.4mm of use.
If it starts at 7mm and is condemned at 3mm, that's 4mm of use. That's a bit like selling things in packets that are only half full.
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Has anyone noticed that new tyres don't seem to have as much tread as they used to?
Yes modern tyres only seem to have about 7 or 8mm deep tread, presumably its for tread block stiffness reasons?
My car tends to wear the shoulders of the front tyres quite heavily to start with (known issue on Saab 9-3 diesel); but I had some Dunlop SP Sport 9000's and when I bought them I did not notice that the outer tread blocks are about 1.5mm shallower than the middle of the tread. Which may be good for grip but is not good for tyre life, they only lasted 12k miles of not overly enthusiastic driving (70% motorway driving).
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The recommendation to replace tyres at 3mm is general among road safety organisations. Given a general reduction of new depth from 8 to 7mm, I can't "afford" to change after just 4mm use so I change at 2.5mm as a compromise.
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Yup I change at ~2.5mm. The grip is noticeably worse by then on wet roundabouts with severe understeer appearing.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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Would I be correct in saying that the condition of a tyre deteriorates due to environmental factors. That is to say the effects of sun and other road pollutants will "age" the tyre.
With this, a 5 year old car car may have all of its original tyres that are still well within the legal limits. People will expect these to be just fine. Think of it this way, would you be happy to buy a "new" tyre that had been sitting out in the sunshine for 5 years. Tread depth will be as new, but what state are the sidewalls etc. in.
Particular problem for spares on 4x4s when displayed for all to see - better to have a cover!!
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