Huntington Beach Ford
May 7, 2019

The tread on the tires of your Ford Edge in Costa Mesa are responsible for providing your vehicle with traction. These grooves shift water, snow and other slippery things away from your tires, keeping you safe while driving and preventing your vehicle from slipping all over the road.

Your tires need to be changed and rotated over time in order to both ensure an even wear and prevent bald spots from putting you at risk. In the United States, your tires need to be replaced when the tread depth is 2/32 of an inch or less.

Some tires feature tread wear bars that provide an instant visual reminder that you need to replace your tires. Otherwise, one of the easiest ways to do this is to measure your tire tread using either a gauge ruler or conducting the penny test.

Penny Test

Take a penny and stick it in between the grooves of your tires. The coin should be upside down, with the head facing you.

Check and see where Lincoln’s head lines up with the groove lines. If his head is buried, your tires have more than 2/32 inches of tread left and should last you awhile longer. However, if the head is visible, head to your local Ford dealer in Costa Mesa to have your tires changed right away.

Quarter Test

Don’t have a penny handy? The same test can be carried out with a quarter. In the same way, take a quarter and stick it into the tread grooves, making sure it’s upside down and facing you.

If the tread is touching Washington’s head, you have at least 4/32 inches of tread left, which is good. However, if you can see space between his head and the tire, your tread is likely wearing thin.

When To Do It

Once your tire depth reaches 4/32 inches, you should be monitoring it closely to make sure your tread remains in safe territory.

Check to see if all four tires are wearing evenly. If not, you should consider having your tires rotated. This helps extend the lifespan of your tires and prevents you from needing to shell out cash for a replacement too soon. On average, drivers should have their tires rotated every 6,000 miles.

Balancing your wheels will also prevent uneven tire wear and minimize wheel vibrations to provide drivers with better handling. This should be done every 6,000 miles or whenever you replace your tires.