Hand on heart: When you talk to friends, acquaintances and work colleagues about cars, the focus is always on the brand, the engine performance, the pros and cons of electric or combustion engines, the design, etc. It's easy to forget what all cars have in common. from inexpensive small cars tooutrageously expensive luxury sedan: the tires. Every car runs on four tires, and these must fulfill one purpose above all: to keep the vehicle safely in the lane and on the road in hot and cold, in snow, ice and rain, in tight curves and when braking suddenly. The following article deals with what makes good tires, what the tire tread should be like, how much tread depth winter tires must have and which defects can pose a danger.
What makes a good tire?
First is between categoriesSummer, winter and all-season tiresdifferentiate. They have to fulfill different purposes and therefore have different construction methods.
A summer tire is designed more simply than the other two types because it only has to work on dry or wet roads. Winter and all-season tires, on the other hand, also have to safely handle snowy and icy roads.
When it comes to all-season tires, it should be noted that they can only ever represent a compromise. They meet neither the requirements of a good summer tire in summer nor the requirements in wintera good winter tire. The advantage is that the driver is more comfortable and does not have to worry about changing before the respective seasons. If you travel a lot and often cover long distances in summer and winter, you will need a set of summer and oneSet of winter tiresnot over. All experts agree on this. All-season tires are ideal if you mostly only move around your city and only drive your car to work or shopping.
Basically, a good tire must be balanced. For ice and snow it needs sufficiently deep transverse grooves for a firm grip. Deep longitudinal grooves are required for wet roads so that water can drain away quickly and safely. Of course, the wear should not be too high so that the tires can be used for a long time. However, this factor always depends heavily on your personal driving style.
How can you assess the tire tread yourself?
The law stipulates one for passenger cars and motorcyclesTread depthof at least 1.6 mm. If you are checked by the police with a less deep profile, a fine will be due and there will be a point in Flensburg. The fine is staggered and increases depending on the situation as follows:
- 60 euros for a routine police check
- 80 euros if you hinder other road users
- 100 euros if you endanger other road users
- 120 euros in the event of an accident
However, experts recommend higher values of for safety on wet, snowy and icy roadsthree millimeters in summerandfour millimeters for winter and all-season tires.
You can do thatTread depth of your tiresmeasure yourself quickly and easily. On every tire approved in Germany there are six small bars in the relevant grooves spread over the entire circumference. They are called wear indicators or Tread Wear Indicator (TWI). The measurement is taken next to these bars. If the height of the bars is the same as the height of the tread blocks, you are no longer allowed to drive with the tires. It has proven to be a simple “measuring device”.1 euro coinproven, because its golden edge is exactly three millimeters wide. This won't allow you to measure the tread depth exactly, but it will give you a good first impression. If the gold edge disappears completely into the profile, you are on the safe side. If it is visible, you should carry out a more detailed check or have it carried out by a specialist company.
Do you need to run in new tires?
New tires are like new shoes: they need some time to bring their optimal performance and safety to the road. Dealers and well-known tire manufacturers therefore recommend that you wear the tires over a distance of 200 to 300 kilometers when buying a new car or after purchasing a fresh setenter carefully, not on the highway at full throttle, but at a medium speed. So-called cavalier starts and emergency braking should also be avoided.
When running in, the separating lubricant required during production is removed and the surface is roughened. This develops the necessary grip. In addition, the break-in phase ensures an overalllonger lifespan.
How dangerous are unevenly worn tires?
The fact is that car tires do not wear evenly. The tires on the drive axle are generally subject to greater wear than the other two. This increases the risk of skidding and the risk of accidents. In addition, the braking distances can no longer be reliably calculated. If the wear and tear varies greatly, experts recommend buying onecompletely new set. An axle-by-axle replacement after 10,000 to a maximum of 15,000 kilometers is also recommended. However, the rule of thumb is to always mount the better tires on the rear axle.
Key message
Check your tires regularly for their tread depth and any signs of wear, because the tires are, despite everythingmodern assistance systems in the vehicleone of the most important factors for greater safety on the road. You are doing yourself and other road users a big favor.
Also read:Get rid of icy windows: With these home remedies and tips it works in a flash!
