Used Tires Buying Guide!
1. Tread
The amount of tread on a tire is an important factor to check when you are buying used tires. The average new tire has about 12/32 of an inch of tread on the tire, and once they have 4/32 of an inch left, it might be time to replace them. So, if the tire you are looking at is closer to 4/32 of an inch than 10/32 of an inch, it may not have much life left in it.
The simplest way to сheck the tread depth is to insert a penny into the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down; if you see the whole head, the tire is worn out. You can also use a quarter, a tread depth gauge, or look at the tread indicator on the tire.
2. Age of Tires
One of the most important factors to consider when you’re looking at used tires is the age of the tire. According to manufacturers, after six years of frequent usage, the rubber starts to break down and dry too much. The US Department of Transportation suggests that 10 years is the longest age for a working tire when it’s had excellent maintenance. Usually, in the 7th year, the rubber starts to break down from exposure to the sun, weather elements, and road conditions, so be cautious and look for cracks from dryness.
Every tire produced after 2000 has a number that indicates the week and year the tire was manufactured (as shown in the video). For example, 1918 means that the tire was made in the 19th week of 2018. 2118 means that the tires were made the 21st week of 2018. Use this numbering system to determine how old the tire is.
3. Tire Seams & 4. Check for Patches
As soon as you have determined the remaining tread and age, look over the tires thoroughly for any defects in the seams. You want to look for any bubbles, splitting seams, or signs of patches or plugs. Those are all signs that the tire might not hold air well. Damage to the seams can even lead to a blowout, so you want to ensure the seams are in good condition and don’t have any apparent signs of wear or damage. Again if you aren’t sure if your seems are in good condition, we mentioned in the video that you can get a spray bottle with water and soap and that can expose bubbles and if so, the tire isn’t good.
If you follow all of our steps from the video I think you could find yourself some pretty good inexpensive used tires and save yourself about 50% of the original retail price. Again, make sure you study up on the tire that you’re purchasing to make sure what tread you’re supposed to be having and how it’s supposed to look, and so on. If you guys like this type of content let us know on our video’s comment section! And if you haven’t subscribed to Talking Mods please do so, it always helps us out.
