10 Signs You Need to Buy New Tires

Blain’s Farm & Fleet gives you the 10 signs that you need to buy tires.

Your tires put you in contact with the road, and when you have old, worn-out tires, you’re pretty much an accident waiting to happen. Blowouts and bad traction are just some of the things that can happen when you have bad tires, so it’s important to be able to tell when you need new tires. In this blog, Blain’s Farm & Fleet provides you  with 10 signs of when you should buy new tires.

1. Your tires are bald

The most obvious sign is bald tires. It is not safe to drive on bald tires as they are prone to tire failure, and not just in snowy or icy conditions. Your tires need tread to brake, corner, and overall drive safely.

2. Your sidewalls have cracks or gouges

Damaged tires are unsafe and unfit for driving. Sidewalls get worn down over time from natural aging, rain, and ice. Poor alignment can also cause harm to the sidewalls, which can cause a blowout, resulting in an accident.

3. Your car is constantly shaking

Some shaking on poorly-paved roads is common, but if your vehicle is constantly shaking, even on pristine highways, you may need to buy new tires. The shaking can stem from bad tire alignment or balance, but can also mean there’s a problem with the interior of the tire.

4. Your tires have passed the tread wear warranty

Most tires come with a tread wear warranty, guaranteeing them to last a certain amount of miles or years. When your tires have passed that warranty date, it’s a good idea to have them looked over and consider buying new tires.

5. You’ve been driving with a spare tire for a while

A spare tire is great when you get a flat tire and need to change it as a quick fix. However, driving on a spare for a long time is bad for your car. It’s meant as a temporary solution until you can buy tires. Spare tires aren’t as durable as your regular tires, and they provide less traction, less cornering ability, and are overall not meant for permanent use.

6. Your tread is worn down to the wear bar

Most new tire models have built-in wear bars in the tread of the tire, which is a rubber bar that’s perpendicular to the tire tread. As the tread wears down, the wear bar becomes more visible. If your tread is even with the wear bar, it’s time to buy tires.

7. Your have cords showing

If cords are showing through the rubber on your tires, you need new tires. The tire is unsafe for driving and will ultimately result in tire failure.

8. You live in an area where it regularly snows during the winter months

Your regular tires are not meant to drive in the snow. While you can get away with it, it will ultimately wear down your tires, so it’s best to buy snow tires if you have to drive on snow before the roads are plowed.

9. Your tires show uneven wear

Uneven tread wear can come from improper tire pressure or a bad alignment. Regularly checking your tire pressure is good way to keep an eye on your tires and determine if you need new ones.

10. Your tires have 4/32″ of tread or less left on them

If your tires get down to the wear bars (at 2/32″) or go bald (at 0/32″), you need to buy tires. Preferably, you want to replace them as soon as they hit 2/32″. You can test your tire tread depth with a penny. Take the penny, with Lincoln’s head facing down, and place it in the tire tread. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head above the tread, your tread is below the 2/32″ mark and you need new tires. You can also use a tire tread depth gauge.

When you’re ready to buy tires, head over to your local Blain’s Farm & Fleet tire shop, or you can search for tires online using our tire lookup feature. Our tire service is second to none, with passenger and light tire truck mounting, tire repair, and more. You can even ask one of our associates about an ongoing tire sale and other auto repair services. With name brands like Cooper Tire, BFGoodrich and Michelin, you can buy tires and find value at Blain’s Farm & Fleet.