Penny Or Quarter Test For Your Tires? Which Is Best For Checking Tread
Posted on: 11 January 2018
Maintaining your vehicle can be overwhelming at times. From refueling and changing the oil to keeping the interior and exterior clean, it is easy to see the challenges of maintenance. While certain tasks may seem more important than others, your tires should be at the top of your priority list. Not only are they key parts of your vehicle's operation, but driving on worn tires will increase your risk of an accident. Of course, you may not even realize you have insufficient tire tread. With this guide, you will learn how to use the penny and quarter test to ensure your tire tread is sufficient and safe.
Penny Test
Most people have a few pennies in their pocket, purse, or compartment in their vehicle. Thankfully, this common piece of currency can be used to effectively and efficiency check the quality of your tire tread.
To get started, place a penny between the tread of your tire. Make sure Abraham Lincoln's head is facing down as you place the penny in between the ribs of the tread.
If the top of Lincoln's head disappears between the ribs, you have enough tread on your tires. However, if you can see all of Lincoln's head, your tread has worn down to a dangerous level and it is time to replace your tires.
It is important to remember that your tread will wear down differently over your tires. Because of this, you should complete the penny test on different areas of tread on each of your tires. If you have tread worn on one spot only and the rest of your tires are in good condition, consider having them evaluated by a specialist.
Quarter Test
The penny test is effective, but more and more tire specialists are recommending the use of a quarter when evaluating the safety of your tire tread.
The test is conducted in basically the same manner as the penny test, except you will be using a quarter.
Place a quarter in between the ribs of the tire tread, making sure Washington's head is facing down into the tire. If only part of Washington's head is covered, your tire tread is still in good condition. If Washington's entire head is visible, you do not have a safe amount of tread on your tires.
While the quarter is recommended, using a penny to test your tire tread is still acceptable if that is the only coin you have available. By testing your tread regularly, you will know when and if your tires need to be replaced to ensure a safe driving experience.
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