When Fall Leaves Drop, Look Down At Your Truck’s Tires

Updated Oct 27, 2014

Measuring Tire Tread Depth On Light Truck TireChecking Tires May Lead To Putting On New Winter Treads

A friend of mine is one of those businessmen who pinches every nickel so hard it turns into a dime. But he’s also smart –and safety minded. 

Nitto EXO Grappler AWTs going on customer’s truck at the Eugene Tire Factory after tread depth on old tires was found to be only 3/32″.Nitto EXO Grappler AWTs going on customer’s truck at the Eugene Tire Factory after tread depth on old tires was found to be only 3/32″.

Every fall he has his employees pull out a quarter to check their company vehicles’ tires. 

If a quarter is placed upside down in the center tread and the top of President Washington’s head shows above the tread surface, the tires are swapped out for new ones. A full set.

“It’s actually a valid way to check a tire’s wear,” says Roy Benson, owner of  Eugene Tire Factory & Automotive Repair.

“The distance from the edge of a quarter to the top of Washington’s head is about 4/32″, which is the threshold where tire performance goes from acceptable to questionable,” says Benson.

The Oregon tire dealer who has been in the tire business for more than three decades says, “When you use a penny to do the same check, Lincoln’s head is about 2/32″ from the edge, and if the tread level is down to that point the  tire is legally worn out.”

Tire performance studies, like those done by Tire Rack, show that braking, cornering, and overall tire performance drastically changes for the worst in those last 32nds of an inch. 

“A better tool for the commercial fleet owner is a tread-depth gauge,” recommends Benson. “It costs a more than a quarter. But it’s also very accurate and a fleet manager can use it monitor a vehicle’s tire wear from oil change to oil change.”

So when the fall leaves start piling up on the road, take a couple minutes to see if the change in seasons is also time to change to new tires.