Why You Need To Replace Bald Tires This Winter

Recently, bald tires caused a customer to experience a rattling noise coming from their car while at highway speeds (70-75 MPH). Upon completion of our technician's inspection, we came to the conclusion that the customer's vehicle needed four new tires! Unfortunately, their car's tires were out of balance and bald which was causing the vehicle to vibrate.

Saying tires are "bald" is just another way to say your tires are worn out. How do you tell if your tires are worn out? It all depends on the tread. You can easily tell if your tires’ tread is too worn by using a penny or a quarter. To perform the quarter test, put a quarter between the tread blocks of a tire with Washington’s head upside down. If you cannot see the top of his head, your tire's tread is at 4/32 inches or more which is recommended! Any tread depth under 6/32 inches should be monitored as your tires will need attention in the near future.

Tires are designed with treads in order to provide your vehicle with traction. The grooves in between the tread blocks are what pushes water and snow away from the tires allowing the tires to maintain traction with the road.

Tires are a consistent component of every vehicle that keeps your car grounded—when they're worn or out of whack, they will cause vibration at the same speed every time. If you notice that your car consistently shakes at a particular speed, your tires are the first thing to check.

Not only do bald tires cause shaking but bald tires increase your vehicle's stopping distance, especially when roads are wet. That's why it's so important to replace bald tires once you detect your treads are too low.

Do not risk being in an accident due to bald tires. If your vehicle is showing any of these symptoms, bring it to the service experts here at V&F Auto and allow one of our technicians to inspect your vehicle.