Tires are one of the most subject to wear and tear on a car. Tires keep the car in contact with the road surface. Long service life and performance of direct functions and becomes the cause of their wear. The safety of driving on the roads depends on the performance of tires, and for this reason it is necessary to carefully monitor their condition.

What are the dangers of driving on worn out tires?

The condition of car tires affects primarily the suspension. In fact, the nature of tire wear is an indicator of the condition of the machine as a whole. Uneven and increased tread wear are the consequences of various malfunctions that need to be eliminated.

Car tires with even half-worn tread can become very dangerous companions while driving at high speeds. The grip of the car with the roadway in rainy and snowy weather deteriorates several times, which can cause traffic accidents.

Tests carried out using worn tires have shown that the quality and reliability of their adhesion to the surface is two times worse compared to new tires.

The sipes on winter tires help the car “bite” into the snow, providing excellent grip even on icy roads. In the case of a worn tread, small inclined sipes do not cope with their duties: the quality of grip deteriorates, as does the traction of the car as a whole.

When driving on wet roads, the risk of hydroplaning increases: the faster the car moves, the higher the likelihood of this, since the water does not have time to completely drain through the tread grooves. A practically worn out tread worsens the situation significantly, since a large amount of water remains under the tire. A high risk of hydroplaning can lead to sad consequences up to an accident.

In rainy weather, braking distances increase, which can be much more dangerous than hydroplaning. When compared with new tires, worn tires require up to 2 meters or more to come to a complete stop at low speeds - about 64 km / h - taking into account the use of an anti-lock braking system.

Worn tires perform best on completely dry tracks: almost completely worn out grooves and sipes are in better contact with the road surface.

Despite the last advantage of worn tires, driving them is extremely dangerous and undesirable: increased stopping distance, increased risk of aquaplaning and reduced grip on the road can cause traffic accidents.

Reasons for tire wear

There are several factors that have a negative impact on the condition of the protectors:

• Poor track quality. You will have to come to terms with this factor and try to develop a suitable driving style in order to minimize the destructive impact;
• driving style. It affects not only tire wear, but also the technical condition of the car;
• Untimely maintenance of the car;
• Incorrect air pressure in tires;
• Wheel imbalance;
• Failure to comply with speed limits. On each tire there are corresponding indices that must be taken into account when choosing a new rubber;
• Incorrectly selected seasonal tires. Winter tires are more soft than summer tires, which is why it quickly wears out on the track surface and loses studs. Summer tires are hard, at low temperatures they become even harder. As a result, they can be very badly damaged and are not able to provide the necessary level of adhesion to the road surface;
• Incorrect wheel alignment
• Malfunctions of a steering and a running gear of the car;
• Dragging or dragging;
• Tire structure;
• drifts.

An important factor, which is also desirable to take into account, is the banal aging of the wheels. Over time, you will have to change tires anyway: the maximum service life is 10 years. Even if the car has not been used and has been stored in a garage for several years, it is necessary to change the tires. The reason for the decrease in strength and the appearance of cracks in tires can be not only the infrequent use of the car, but also the impact of the environment - a high level of humidity and temperature.

Structural changes in rubber caused by a long service life lead to the accumulation of moisture, which can cause deformation of the metal cord.

The destruction of the cord will cause the tire to burst. Such a breakdown is most dangerous at high speeds: as a result, the car completely loses control, which can lead to an accident.

Types of rubber wear

The specific type of wear is determined using various indicators, individual for each brand of tire.

Normal wear

This view is typical for the standard operation of the machine. It mostly depends on where the wheel is. It is normal for this type of tires to wear unevenly on both pairs of tires.

It is advisable to periodically change the rear and front wheels in places to ensure uniform wear.

The steered wheels have an increased load. The side surfaces are the most worn part of the tires. For a pair of wheels placed on the drive axle, the wear of the middle part is several times stronger compared to the driven pair. This is explained by the fact that the middle of the tire is in greater interaction with the asphalt.

In rear-wheel drive cars, the front wheels wear out mainly on the sides, while the rear wheels wear out in the middle.

The amount of traction force on the driving wheels of a motor vehicle is limited by the adhesion of tires to the road surface.

Left front wheels with normal wear, right rear

Central and bilateral

The cause of both types of tread wear is increased or decreased tire pressure. Central wear is fixed at excessively high pressure, when only the middle of the wheel is in contact with the road surface.

Bilateral wear, on the contrary, is typical for low pressure: the tires are in contact with the track surface with a larger area, which leads to abrasion of the rubber sides.

Spot and circumferential wear

Wheel imbalance is often the cause of abnormal tire wear. Most often fixed on the wheels of the front axle. You can eliminate the defect by ordinary balancing, while it is carried out until the tire completely loses its shape.

If the balancing has been carried out, but the tires are still wearing out, then the problem lies in the suspension. To eliminate it, it is enough to diagnose and repair shock absorbers or levers.

A single wear spot occurs in cases of sudden emergency braking.

Spots can be chaotic and small over the entire surface, and there may be single large signs of braking.

sawtooth

Block wheel treads on the drive axle usually suffer from it. Its cause is the deformation of the wheel, which manifests itself in the case of dragging blocks along the asphalt. In such a situation, the rubber protective coating is completely worn out.

Scaly

Serrated, or scaly, wear characteristic of truck wheels is the result of overloads. If it is, it is advisable to check the inside of the tires for cracks. It is highly likely that this type of wear is the result of incorrect tire selection under maximum load. It is advisable to install tires on trucks with a 10%–15% margin for this indicator. The service life of tires with an underestimated indicator is reduced several times.

Sharp edges on one side of the front wheel

Sharp edges may form on one side of the front wheels. The reason for this is sloppy driving style and poor road surface. On gravel tracks, rubber quickly deteriorates due to high abrasive wear and the appearance of cracks, scratches and tears. An increase in tire temperature during fast driving can cause delamination of its component parts.

Drawing

One of the types of tire wear found on trucks. It is fixed with a difference in outer diameters, pressure or tread depth of a pair of wheels on the same axle. This can cause the smaller tire to drag behind the larger one, overshoot and brake constantly.

The edge of the tire is erased due to dragging

Dragging is also typical for one tire with too high or low pressure and the wrong disc. At normal tire pressure, the contact patch with the track evenly distributes the load. With a deviation up or down from the allowable norm, the size of the spot changes, and the load is redistributed unevenly. Local wear can cause wheel imbalance.

Longitudinal comb

Typical for wheels mounted on the drive axle with a block tread type. It is distinguished by a large wear of the running, rather than the running, edge of the rubber. You can get rid of it by changing the direction of rotation of the wheel.

Sharp braking and acceleration, sharp turns do not have the most favorable effect on the rubber of the car. Such driving leads to longitudinal ridge wear, accompanied by tire rupture and the appearance of cracks in the tread grooves, which is especially characteristic of low-profile rubber. Emergency braking or malfunctions of the brake system can cause the appearance of so-called "sliders".

It is practically impossible to avoid sharp turns in practice: they are fraught with “breaking” of rubber. However, most often the cause of this type of wear is the driver himself and his driving style.

When to change worn tires: norms and calculation

"Bald" tires do not perform their functions and can cause increased braking distances, hydroplaning and skidding, which, in turn, can provoke a traffic accident.

There are many ways to measure wear, but digital gauges are always as accurate as possible.

Regular visual inspection of the wheels of the car will help determine the timing of rubber replacement. It is advisable to change tires in the following cases:

• The maximum wear limit has been reached at which the tread height is less than 1.6 mm (see below for details). Tire sipes and treads usually have wear indicators. Wheels are replaced every 40-50 thousand kilometers. The service life of the wheels may vary depending on the manufacturer, rubber composition, driving style, road;
• Abnormal tire wear. There are several types: wear of the side or central part, working edges or asymmetrical. It can be eliminated only by getting rid of the mechanical malfunction that caused it;
• The groove depth of tires mounted on the same axle varies by more than 5 mm. Affects the handling of the car;
• Tire damage. Any violation of the integrity of the tire can cause it to break at high speed;
• The wheels do not comply with the manufacturer's recommendations: the sizes are incorrectly selected, the speed and load are not observed.

• for passenger cars - 1.6 mm;
• for motorcycles - 0.8 mm;
• for trucks - 1 mm;
• for buses - 2 mm.

For Russia and European countries, uniform tire wear standards apply. For winter tires, they are 4–6 mm, for summer tires - 1.6 mm. Such data is limiting. Summer tires can be safely operated with a tread height of at least two to three millimeters.

How to determine tire mileage

wear indicator

It is a small column of rubber 1.6 mm high placed in the grooves of the tread. Actually, the tire needs to be replaced after the tread height is equal to this block.

You can determine exactly where the wear indicator is located by looking for one of the marks on the side:

• triangle;
• TWI sign;
• trademark logo.

Many manufacturers produce tires with intermediate indicators. Their abrasion indicates that the tires are no longer able to provide any proper traction on wet pavement.

Digital indexes on treads

In the sipes and rubber treads, digital indicators are squeezed out, each of which differs in depth. The largest number (standardly this is eight) is squeezed out to a shallow depth, the smallest (for summer tires two, for winter studded or Velcro - four) to the maximum. As the tires wear out, the numbers are erased and disappear. The remaining tread level is determined by the highest of the remaining digits. Critical wheel wear is fixed after erasing the last indicator.

Manufacturers apply three main types of digital indicators to protectors:

• A number of numbers from "2" to "4", indicators are marked in millimeters;
• A number of numbers, indicators are marked as a percentage of the tread height;
• An indicator that has one segmented digit, made in such a way that each of its segments is extruded to a different depth. As the tire wears, different numbers appear. Such indicators are marked in millimeters.

Tire color change

More recently, wheels have appeared on sale that change color as they wear. When the rubber is abraded, the tread is painted in a bright shade, which makes it possible to find out when the rubber needs to be changed.

Profile Depth Measurement

Indicators allow you to quickly determine the level of wear, but do not give accurate results. To obtain accurate readings, a profile depth gauge is used - a small device that measures the depth of the tread grooves in several places. If the results obtained are less than those specified by law, the rubber should no longer be used.

Manual ways: coin, ruler, caliper

Perhaps the simplest and easiest way to measure tread groove depth is with a ruler or caliper. To do this, the caliper probe is lowered to the bottom of the groove and the value obtained is recorded. Similarly, rubber wear is measured using a ruler - it is inserted into the tread and its depth is checked.

You can determine the level of tire wear with any metal coin - a dollar, euro or ruble. For example, the dollar falls with the president's head into the tread groove. It's time to change the tire if Washington's hair is visible from a perpendicular line of sight. In a similar way, tire wear can be determined with a one-cent coin - only in this case the top of Lincoln should be visible.

Russian coins with a double-headed eagle are also suitable for this method. Two rubles are placed in the groove with the eagle's head down. If the rubber is in good condition and does not require replacement, then the bird's head should not be visible, but tires should be changed if the entire eagle is in sight.

You can find out the condition of the rubber with a coin of one euro. If the gold rim disappears into the tread groove, then there is no need to change the rubber, but if most of it is visible, then you will have to buy a replacement.

How to prevent car tire wear

To increase the life of rubber and reduce its wear, it is enough to follow a few recommendations:

• improper alignment can cause uneven wear or roll to one side;
• After carrying out repair work or suspension bulkheads, it is imperative to carry out the collapse / convergence;
• It is necessary to constantly monitor the level of pressure in the wheels.

Simple rules will help prevent premature wear of rubber and extend its life.

Car tire wear is an inevitable consequence of vehicle operation. Its causes can be various factors - both technical malfunctions and driving style. Nevertheless, following simple recommendations, regular visual inspection of the wheels and timely maintenance of the car will help not only increase the life of the rubber, but also prevent the serious consequences of its wear.

Have you ever wondered how car tires affect safety? In the meantime, the correct use and timely replacement of worn tires can significantly reduce both the overhead costs of car maintenance and save the priceless life and health of people in the car.

Tip #1

The main function of the tread on tires is to remove water from the contact patch for better grip, reduced braking distance and, most importantly, for safe driving on wet asphalt, to avoid hydroplaning. So it is assigned the most important role in the tire, as an active means of car safety. Always remember this!

Tip #2

The degree of wear of the tread. As soon as the residual tread height reaches the minimum value, 1.6 mm, further use of the tires will no longer be safe. However, not all tires will perform acceptably with this degree of wear. So according to unwritten rules, or common sense (call it what you want), it is advisable to change summer tires when the wear depth reaches 2-3 mm, for winter tires the maximum wear will be 4-6 mm..

Tip #3

Methods for determining tread wear.The first and easiest way to check is visual inspection. With it, you can diagnose the most obvious tire damage. Severe or uneven wear, cuts, cracks or other damage. Also find the wear indicator on the tire (this is a protrusion located perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the tire). He will tell you how much the tire has exhausted its resource. If it is flush with the tread, then the tire needs to be replaced. It is not safe to ride on such a tire. Under some weather conditions, the protector is unlikely to perform its functions.

Tip #4

For a more accurate measurement of the residual tread, you can use a caliper or a ruler with a depth gauge. In order to obtain the most reliable data on the condition of the tire, tread measurements must be carried out at 10 different points along the wheel circumference. In the center and along the edges of the tire. If all measurements match and they are more than the minimum allowable values, then this tire can still serve you. Of course, they can also be carried out using a more common method, using a coin, but this will reduce the accuracy of measurements.

Tip #5

These measurements carry another important factor, with the help of which you can diagnose the condition of the suspension, wheel alignment, and how close or far from ideal your driving style is. We will write more about this in the next article.

Tip #6

Replace tires every 6 years. Tires, like any other product, have an expiration date. The maximum service life of these rubber products is 10 years. But this does not mean that they can be safely operated during all this time. Even if there are no obvious signs of wear on the tires and their mileage is far from prohibitive, it is advisable to replace them after 6 years of operation with new tires. These expenses are nothing compared to the possible problems that such tires can deliver. Safety above all!

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We have already written how, when inspecting a used car, check the body geometry, generator, ignition system, battery, engine, chassis. In this article we will tell you how to check the tires when buying a used car.

Some experts argue that the operation of used tires is like Russian roulette - you have to rely only on a lucky chance. And to make the case really happy, you should check the wheels as carefully as possible.

How to check tires when inspecting a car

Tires are a guarantee of safety on the road. When inspecting a car and used tires, check the following:

• Year of manufacture of tires;
• Tire wear;
• tread depth;
• Traces of tread repair;
• The degree of wear of the coupling edges;
• The presence of microcracks;
• Cuts and traces of tire repair.

Each of the parameters is important in its own way, and therefore ignoring at least one of them can significantly reduce the level of safety on the road.

Year of manufacture of tires

We recommend checking first. If the tires have served their allotted time, further operation does not seem rational. This is easy to do - the date consists of two digits: the week number and year of issue, applied to the outside of the rubber. If, upon inspection of the machine, it is found that the numbers on each wheel are different, then this indicates a non-simultaneous replacement of the wheels. The reason for the replacement, if the service life has not yet come up, you should ask the seller.

Tire wear

To check tire wear, a visual inspection is sufficient. It is important that tire wear (if any) is uniform over the entire circumference of the wheel. Uneven tire wear can be a sign of wheel imbalance, and it also indicates a possible sloppy driving style of the previous owner, which can cause several more problems when operating a car. Increased wear on the outside indicates insufficient tire pressure, which should also be checked before a test drive. The operation of such wheels is fraught with the fact that in corners the rubber will not “hold” the road well. If the center part was more subject to wear, get ready for a decrease in acceleration, handling and braking.

Tread depth

When buying a car, be sure to pay attention to this parameter. Tests show that the permissible tread depth should be at least half of the original - for summer tires it is at least 3 mm (1.6 mm by law, but it would be better to leave a margin), for winter tires - at least 4 mm. It is not difficult to check the depth - in car dealerships you can purchase a special probe with marks or use a simple ruler.

Traces of repair

When inspecting the tread, it is not superfluous to check for signs of repair from the inside (on a smooth surface). By themselves, the patches on the tread are not critical, but only if their number does not exceed a couple of pieces per wheel, and their size is a third of the width of the pattern. Otherwise, the operation of the "horse" on such wheels should be abandoned. Pay attention to the nature of the patch - the restored tread pattern (the so-called "grooving") can result in a tire rupture.

The degree of wear of the coupling edges

The grip of the tire with the road surface occurs across the entire width of the tread. The edges of the tire also have an impact on braking performance. The smaller they become, the less grip the rubber has on the road surface, and therefore the risk of driving on wet or slippery surfaces increases. A worn leading edge indicates problems with the car's suspension, which is also worth paying attention to. You can check this part of the tread "by touch" - the problem is present if the teeth on the tread edges differ in sharpness.

The presence of microcracks

Tire microcracks can occur even under conditions of minimal rubber wear and careful storage. The average service life of rubber is 5 years, but, as a rule, by the end of the term, the tire naturally becomes unusable. In the presence of small cracks, it is not recommended to exceed the speed of more than 80 kilometers per hour, otherwise the chances of complete tire wear increase rapidly. Deep cracks appear with a large degree of delamination of the tire. The use of such tires is highly discouraged.

Cuts and traces of tire repair

Defects in the form of cuts and repair marks are a clear signal to stay away from the chosen used rubber. As a rule, tire side cuts are dangerous due to the fact that the repair of such defects is extremely difficult and does not provide further guarantee of the quality of rubber operation. But, in addition, it is necessary to check and make sure that there are no hidden damages. Deformation of the tire carcass in the form of dents and creases can be the result of driving or parking on a flat tire, as well as a strong impact. The end of the service life in this case may come earlier than expected.

The internal delamination of the tire is extremely difficult to detect. A warning can be various types of swelling on the inside of the tire. Visible breaks in the layer are also possible. Check the degree of puncture of the tire - from pressing with two thumbs, the tire should not deform much, but will quickly return to its original shape.

These tire and wheel test parameters apply to both summer and winter tires. But, in the cold season, when the car is “reshod” in winter tires, some other factors should be taken into account.

Buying a car with winter tires

In winter, it is considered correct to buy a car with winter tires, but another situation is possible, so do not neglect the inspection of the wheels. First of all, you should check what the car is “shod” in - it can be idle for a long time, especially if the transaction takes place in the car market. Winter wheels are divided into two types: studded and friction.

• Studded tires are distinguished by the presence of spikes. The presence of all or the vast majority of studs is considered ideal and guarantees good grip on the road, and, as a result, road safety.
• The friction tire is produced without studs. Its difference from studded is a special composition of rubber, which has grip with the road surface like Velcro. This type is more suitable for the urban environment.

Equally important is the tread depth. For 100%, it is customary to take the tread depth of new tires, 0% - unusable, respectively. The minimum permitted tread depth for winter tires is 4 mm, otherwise 0%. From the factory, tires are produced with different depths. Keep in mind that if the initial depth reached 8 mm, then 4 mm is not 50% wear, as some sellers say.

Checking a used car with Autocode

The guarantee of a good deal will be the vigilance of the buyer. Bad tires in the general good condition of the car is not always a reason to refuse a purchase. If the wear is natural and even, and also corresponds to the average life of tires, the option of purchasing a car is worth considering. You can always eventually replace the rubber with one that will inspire confidence.

So that during the inspection there are no doubts about the history of the car being purchased, check the history of the car using the Autocode online service. To obtain a complete report, only the VIN, chassis number or state number of the vehicle of interest is required.

By driving in unique car numbers, you will receive the following data:

• Year of issue;
• Number of owners;
• The true mileage of the car;
• Participation of a car in an accident and an indication of the most damaged parts;
• Finding a car secured by a bank;
• Use of a car in a taxi;
• Carrying out repair work.

Tire wear or other negative factors may be hidden by the seller. So that they do not subsequently lead to problems in other parts of the machine, order an on-site check Autocode. The specialist will arrive at the place at any time and conduct a professional inspection of the vehicle. Checking the machine through Autocode will help to verify the correctness of your assumptions or refute them.

Today, uniform tire wear is of great importance. If there are clear signs that the tire is wearing unevenly, you should urgently find out the problem that lies in the incorrect course of the machine.

The main criteria for wear of studded tires:

1) The first thing you should pay attention to is the tread height. As you know, winter tires have a higher tread height than summer tires. But to determine the degree of wear, the limiting wear height is used. If it is reached, the tire loses the most basic characteristics for movement. Winter tires have an average tread height of nine to eleven millimeters. The minimum wear height of winter tires is four to six millimeters.

2) If the car has shock absorber defects, there will be a seal around the perimeter of the tread.

3) If there is increased pressure inside the tire, the tread wears out from the middle.

4) If the tire pressure is too low, the shoulder sidewalls will wear out.

5) When the car is standing for a long time, flattening forms on the tires. If the owner of the car does not plan to use it in any season, he must remove the tires or install it in such a way that there is no downward pressure on the body.

6) If the driver brakes hard, noticeable wear is found in some places of the wheel.

7) If the machine is often driven off-road, there may be sharp edges on the front side of the wheels.

As a rule, the manufacturer soldered rubber pimples into the base of the tread, by which the level of wear is controlled. With full wear, the pimples wear down to the same level as the tread. And American tires have their own tread wear indicator, designated TWI. It is usually indicated by arrows. They are located around the entire perimeter of the tire at a distance of six to eight centimeters from each other.

When does premature tire wear occur?

1) Insufficient pressure inside the tire;

2) Exceeding the load on the car, non-compliance with the requirements for the load index for a particular car;

3) Incorrect driving of the car;

4) Irregular repair, maintenance of the machine;

5) Failure to comply with the rules for mounting tires;

6) Wheel imbalance;

7) The presence of malfunctions in the steering of the machine and the chassis.

When driving on winter roads, the tire resource is significantly reduced, and the degree of wear increases. If the bead is damaged during incorrect installation, the percentage of tire wear increases by ten percent. If chips, cracks are found on the tread surface of studded rubber, then its wear increases by twenty-five percent. Well, if the carcass is stratified, then tire wear is considered one hundred percent.

Typically, the technical wear process is accompanied by an additional percentage of aging due to service life. If winter tires are used for three seasons, then the degree of wear is ten percent. After five years of active use of winter tires, the wear rate is fifty percent.

And in America, a one-dollar coin is used to determine tire wear. It is inserted into the tread groove with President Washington's head down. If Washington's hair is visible, it's time to change the tires due to the onset of their wear limit.

In Russia, to check the degree of tire wear, it is checked using a two-ruble coin. To do this, the coin is inserted upside down with the eagle's head. If the crown of the bird is visible on the surface of the tire, then it can continue to be used.

Every car owner has their own driving style. The wear of winter tires depends on many factors and various modern methods are used to determine it, including folk methods invented by car owners themselves. But there are rules that are dangerous to neglect, because there is a risk not only to get into an accident, but also to run into trouble on the part of inspectors who keep order on the roads.

The tires of a car are the only element of the vehicle that connects it to the road. Often car owners forget that rubber is the most important element of a car that directly affects. But when the tires wear out, every driver regretfully understands that it's time to spend money on buying new tires. . After all, sometimes tire wear can indicate a possible malfunction of the car. In this case, replacing the rubber with a new one may not help. For example, with some types of breakdowns, your new tires may wear out prematurely in a short time. Let's take a look at ten of the most by which it is quite possible to determine the cause of this wear and tear, eventually finding out the technical condition of the vehicle.

1. Wear of the rubber tread in the center (in the middle)

What it looks like: With this type, as a rule, the tread in the middle of the tire is worn the most (example in the photo).

Cause: If the tire wears the most in the center of the wheel, then this indicates that the central part of the tread had the most contact with the road surface, compared to the tread closer to the edges of the rubber. Therefore, the car on which this rubber was installed did not have sufficient grip with the road surface. Accordingly, the traction of the machine was insufficient.

Most often, such wear indicates that the tire was not properly inflated. That is, the tire pressure did not correspond to the pressure recommended by the car manufacturer. This type of wear indicates that the owner of the car did not check the pressure even with sudden changes in temperature outside, at which the pressure in the tires can change significantly.

The fact is that while the tires are cold (for example, after a frosty night), the tire pressure may be lower than the manufacturer recommends. But after the start of the movement, the pressure in the tires begins to rise from the heating of the air in it. As a result, after a certain distance traveled, tire pressure may exceed the maximum allowable rate recommended by the automaker. As a result, the pumped tire unevenly adheres to the road surface, as a result of which uneven tire wear in the center of the tread will be observed.

Some motorists often advise to improve handling and reduce fuel consumption, on the contrary, to pump over the wheels. But this is not justified. Yes, in this way you can reduce fuel consumption a little and even improve handling a little, but in the end you will pay for it with faster tread wear.

That is, saving a little money on fuel, you will pay a lot more.

2. Tire bulging (bulging) and side wall cracks

What it looks like: Cracks and bulges on the side wall of the tires.

Cause: This usually comes from hitting a pothole (hole) in the road, a curb, etc. Usually the tire is well protected from such impacts. But if the tire is under-inflated or over-inflated, there is a great danger that the tire will be damaged as a result of the impact. Large cracks on the side wall of the tire that run along the rim of the wheel indicate that it has been operated with insufficient pressure for a long time. Small cracks on the side surface of the rubber indicate external damage or the age of the rubber (due to age, the rubber compound begins to chemically break down, causing the tire to begin to crack).

A herniated tire looks like a bulge on the surface of the rubber. Most often, a protrusion (hernia) appears on the side wall of the tire. Herniated rubber is associated with internal damage (rubber layer). This usually happens due to a side part hitting a curb, pole, etc. Most often, after an impact, a hernia (protrusion) of the wheel does not immediately appear. That is, after a stroke, you can see a hernia only after a week or even after a month.

If you notice cracks or hernia on tires, then you need to buy new tires as soon as possible.

Remember that it is very dangerous to use rubber with a hernia..

3. Dents in rubber

What it looks like: According to long-term observations, rubber with dents looks like in the photo. That is, the tire has the form of tubercles and dents.

Cause: This type of tire is usually associated with (wear or damage to the elements of the chassis of the car). Due to a malfunction of the suspension, shock mitigation on bumps is insufficient. As a result, the tire experiences an overload from impacts, taking on the maximum load. But the load is distributed unevenly over the entire tread surface. As a result, some areas of the tread take on more load than others, which contributes to the formation of dents and bumps on the tires.

Most often, this appearance of used tires is associated with poor shock absorbers. Although it is worth noting that any parts of the suspension that have failed can cause this kind of wear.

We advise you in case of detection of such deformation of the tires, to make a complete suspension and racks of the car in the technical center. We do not recommend dealing with a similar problem at a tire fitting, i.e. in order to determine the cause of the change in the shape of the wheels. It is not uncommon when tire workers do not know what can cause irregularities (dents, bumps) on the tread surface.

Most often, tire workers claim and believe that this is the cause of improper camber. But this is not a fact. As we have already said, this reason may be due to the failure of the shock absorber (s).

4. Diagonal dent with signs of tread wear

What it looks like: Diagonal dent on the tread surface with uneven wear on the tire surface.

Cause: Most often this problem occurs on the rear wheels, where the camber is incorrectly set. Also, such a deformation of the wheel may be associated with an insufficient rotation interval, and also, sometimes such a change in the appearance of the tire may be associated with the frequent transportation of heavy loads in the trunk or in the car.

A heavy load can change the geometry of the suspension, resulting in diagonal deformation of the rubber tread surface.

5. Excessive tread wear at the edges

What it looks like: The inner and outer tread has increased wear, while the middle of the tread is significantly less worn.

Cause: This is a sure sign of insufficient. That is, the pressure does not correspond to the norm recommended by the car manufacturer. Remember that this is the most dangerous tire condition. The fact is that with reduced pressure in the tire, it is subject to greater bending. According to the laws of physics, this means that when the wheel rotates, the tire will accumulate more heat. As a result, the rubber will not evenly adhere to the road surface and, accordingly, we will get uneven rubber wear.

Also, insufficient pressure in the tires will lead to the fact that the rubber will not sufficiently soften the blows on the road, which will naturally directly affect the suspension. Over time, this hard impact on the suspension can lead to premature suspension failure, as well as affect the wheel alignment.

How to avoid the problem of under-inflated (insufficient pressure) tires: We again return to the fact that every driver should regularly check the air pressure in the tires, that is, every month or every time after a sharp change in temperature outside. Also remember that cold tires (when parked at night) may show pressures lower than those recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. But during a long trip, due to the heating of the air, the pressure may exceed the norm.

The fact is that this system usually warns you of a change in tire pressure, either when there is a sharp pressure fluctuation (for example, a sharp drop in tire pressure by more than 25 percent), or when there is a significant decrease in pressure for a long time.

In other words, the tire pressure warning system can only be activated when the tire pressure is significantly lower than necessary. This means that you run the risk of driving for a long time on wheels with insufficient air pressure.

6. Convex side tread wear

What it looks like: The side blocks of the tread, usually similar to the plumage of birds, have. The lower edges of the tread blocks are rounded, while the higher edges of the blocks are sharp. Note that you cannot visually notice this kind of wear. This can be understood only when examining the tread from the edge and by touch, i.e. with hands.

Cause: With this type of tread wear, check the ball joints and wheel bearing first.

It is also necessary to check the stabilizer bushing, which, in case of failure, can lead to improper operation of the suspension stabilizer, which will eventually lead to this type of wear on the rubber tread.

7. Flat wear spots

What it looks like: One spot on the wheel has more wear than the other.

Cause: Single spots of increased wear on the surface of the tire are often found when forced to hard brake or skid, or when taxiing out of a situation in order to avoid an impact (for example, if an elk or other animal did not unexpectedly run onto the road). Especially such wear will be visible after heavy braking with simultaneous skidding, if the car is missing.

The fact is that when braking hard and steering away from the impact, a car without ABS is more prone to skidding with locked wheels, which will lead to something like this kind of worn spot on the tire tread.

Also, similar stains can appear in cars that have been parked for a long time.

Remember that when you park your car for a long time, you risk tires where wear spots will appear on the tires of your car due to the uneven distribution of the weight of the car on them. The fact is that during parking, the rubber tread does not completely come into contact with the surface and, as a result, a certain section of rubber is deformed from a long parking.

8. Wear on the leading edge of the tread

What it looks like: The leading edge of the tread block is worn and the rear of the tread has sharper corners. Please note that this type of wear may not be visible during visual inspection. Therefore, check the protector with the edge by hand. If you notice that some tread corners are sharper (like hacksaw teeth) compared to other tread edges that are smoother, then this is real wear and not the norm, as many drivers usually assume.

Cause: This is the most common tire wear. Since this type of tire wear is very common and many car owners think that this is the norm, it is not. In fact, this wear indicates that the wheel has insufficient rotation. Therefore, it is necessary.

Most often, the reason is associated with the wear of the suspension elements (salint blocks), with the wear of the ball bearings, and also due to the wear of the wheel bearing.

9. Unilateral tire wear

What it looks like: One side of the tire is worn more than the other.

Cause: Usually, with this type of wear, the cause may be an incorrect alignment of the collapse of the car. This type of uneven wear of the rubber tread is due to the fact that it does not stand exactly on the road surface due to improper wheel alignment.

In order to set the wheel exactly in relation to the road surface, it is necessary to adjust the wheel alignment.

Also, similar wear can occur with damaged springs, ball joints, suspension bushings. In particular, one-sided uneven wear of the tread may appear when transporting heavy loads by car.

In addition, some models of powerful sports cars have a special wheel alignment, which leads to a similar uneven tire wear. But this is rare.

10. Tire wear to indicator

What it looks like: Many tires have wear indicators between the tread. As a rule, these are special inserts that help you determine when it is necessary to change tires for new ones. Usually the height of these inserts is lower than the height of the tread. As soon as the tire tread is equal in height to the wear indicators, it is necessary to purchase.

Cause: Typically, tire replacement should occur after the tread depth is lower than recommended by the tire manufacturer. It's not always easy to tell by eye. Therefore, many tire manufacturers install wear indicators on tires (between the tread). As soon as the tread height wears down to the height that the indicators have, then it's time to change the wheels to new ones.

A rubber tread with a certain depth is necessary in order to divert water from the tire and prevent the car from hydroplaning on wet roads.

If your tires do not have a wear indicator, then you can measure the tread depth yourself in order to understand whether it is time to buy new tires. To do this, you need to use a coin, which must be inserted into the tread with an edge and measure the depth with it. You can read more about traditional tire wear here or check out our infographic.

Attention! For summer tires, the minimum tread depth must be at least 1.6, 2 or 3 mm (depending on the rubber manufacturer).

For winter tires, the minimum safe tread height should be at least 4-6 mm.