Tuffy Grand Rapids Tire Safety: Washington vs. Lincoln

Welcome to the Tuffy Grand Rapids automotive blog. Today, let's talk about the effect of tire wear.

Let's focus on stopping in wet Grand Rapids conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can't move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That's called hydroplaning. If it's really bad, Grand Rapids drivers can actually spin out of control - endangering themselves and the other drivers around them. At best, you won't stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at your vehicle tire and you'll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They're designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new Tuffy Grand Rapids tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop your vehicle on wet Grand Rapids roads.

So that's why it's so important for Grand Rapids drivers to replace their vehicle tires when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

At Tuffy Grand Rapids, we want our customers to know that the deeper recommended tread depth makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet Grand Rapids streets. A safe stop from Michigan  speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There's an easy way to tell when a tire's worn to 4/32 of an inch.

Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn't cover George Washington's hairline, it's time to replace your vehicle tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

Many Grand Rapids residents have heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln's head - the old method. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount. Of course, vehicle tires are a major purchase. Most of us in Grand Rapids want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there's a real safety trade-off. It's your choice.

Tuffy Grand Rapids
610 28th St. SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49548
616.452.4425