How to determine tire wear: causes and service life of car tires

There are various reasons for tire wear, which depend on the technical condition of the car, the brand of rubber used, road conditions and driving style. The most common reasons why a tire wears out are:

1. 1. Asphalt temperature – as the road surface temperature increases, the degree of rubber wear increases during driving. When the car is moving, friction is created between the wheel and the road, which leads to an increase in the rubber temperature. If the asphalt is heated by the sun, the temperature increases even more, and at such values, the abrasion of the top layer occurs more intensively. On average, critical parameters are 70 degrees Celsius and above.
   2. Grainy asphalt is another reason why tires wear out, as the road surface in this case has an abrasive effect. Often in such situations, small sharp parts stick out of the asphalt, leading to an increase in the degree of wear of the surface.
   3. Driving at high speed – when moving fast, the service life of car tires becomes shorter, which is due to the increase in mechanical load. As a rule, this effect is combined with an increase in temperature. Here, there is a direct proportional dependence on the increase in speed. For example, when moving at a speed of 60 km / h, the service life of a passenger car tire will be twice as long as at a speed of 120 km / h for the same distance.
   4. Pressure – high pressure in the wheels leads to uneven wear and most of the rubber layer is worn out in the central part. If the pressure is less than the norm, then the greatest degree of wear will affect the side parts.
   5. Problems with the operation of shock absorbers – if this element is faulty, there is no uniform and smooth distribution of the load on the car wheels, so in some places a higher degree of surface wear will be noted. A faulty shock absorber increases the load on the rubber. This is especially noticeable when moving on an uneven surface, for which shock absorbers are intended. In this case, different types of tire wear may be observed, depending on the characteristics of the road.
   6. Wheel alignment angle – in the standard working position, the wheels should be in a strictly parallel position, for which each wheel must be at an angle of 90 degrees to the ground. This ensures the fullest possible contact with the road across the entire width and a stable contact patch. If the wheel alignment is not adjusted, the sidewall will face the highest possible loads, which will lead to increased surface wear in one place.
   7. Wheel imbalance – if there is no balance, one of the parts will have a greater mass. In this case, bald spots appear on the surface and if everything is not balanced, then quite quickly this can lead to complete wear of the surface, while the rest of the coating will be in a usable condition.

The service life of a passenger car tire depends largely on the characteristics of use, load, tire brand and intensity of use. It is better to determine everything not in travel time, but in the distance traveled. On average, wear becomes noticeable after 60 thousand kilometers. With normal load, this is about four seasons of use, if you change the tires in a timely manner with the change of season. But this does not mean that if the tires have not been used for a long time, they will be like new. Products of this kind lose their properties after 7-10 years, regardless of the frequency of use. Therefore, old tires can wear out faster.

The service life of car tires is a relative indicator, while wear can be calculated using more precise methods. The main ones are:

• Wear indicator – it is marked by a special jumper, which is located on the central ditch. The layer is sufficient for safe driving until the indicator touches the asphalt. When the protectors wear out to such a state that the jumper also begins to wear out, then the tires need to be changed.
• Digital indexes – tire models may have numbers in the range of 2-8 for summer tires and 2-4 for winter tires. The higher the number, the less wear depth. When using the tire, the numbers wear off, which is how you can track the wear level.
• Colour indicators are another way to determine the degree of wear of tyres. New models periodically use a change in the colour of the inner layer. A suitable tyre has a normal colour, but when it wears to a critical level, red rubber will be visible.
• The profile depth gauge is made of plastic and has a thin tip . The end of the device is immersed in the tread to find out its depth level.

Using additional tools is one of the most common ways to measure tire tread depth, as it is a universal technique. The measurement of the indicator in question can also be carried out using a caliper, a regular ruler or other measuring devices. They are immersed in the groove and in this way you can find out the tread height. It is enough to compare the indicators with new tires to understand the degree of wear.

There are several features of how tires wear out and how to keep them in working condition longer, but it is worth remembering that different types can also wear out differently depending on the location, duration of use and brand of the manufacturer. Experts note that on the front wheels, products become unusable much faster. The reasons for uneven tire wear are that the wheels turn and this leads to additional loads. This effect can be compensated for by changing tires in the next season.

When comparing which tire wears out faster, a new one or one manufactured several years ago, you should give preference to new products. Rubber loses its properties over time and this leads to rapid wear. Thicker and harder models will last longer than soft ones.

Various types of tire wear and their causes impair the car’s handling. When driving, its behavior becomes less responsive, which creates the risk of an emergency. Also, with serious wear, there is a risk of a puncture of the wheel, since the tube is protected from a dangerous object on the road by a smaller layer of rubber. With critical wear, the tube in the wheel can explode even on a smooth road, which creates a danger for all road users.