20p Tyre Tread Test

Stub_Mandrel

I'm very concerned that the latest e-newsletter is promoting using the rim of a 20p piece to test of a tyre tread is legal.

This used to work with an old 10p piece which had a 1.6mm rim, but the rim on a 20p piece is about 2.7mm wide.

The 20p test is con liable to have hundreds or thousands of motorists changing their tyres unnecessarily.

MSE should be condemning the tyre company for promoting this misinformation to drum up more business, not promoting them.

The correct way to judge tread wear is to see if the little bars across the main grooves on the tire are near to becoming level with the surface of the tread. If this is the case, use a tread wear gauge or go to a garage you can trust who will use a proper gauge, not a 20 pence piece.

Stub

rich13348

A lot of independant people suggest you change at 3mm due to the increased braking distances and at 1.6 (where the blocks are level) the braking distances are increased even more and bordering on dangerous in the wet. So the 20p trick would be acceptable.

Rolandtheroadie

Welcome back DM.

force_ten

Stub_Mandrel wrote: »

I'm very concerned that the latest e-newsletter is promoting using the rim of a 20p piece to test of a tyre tread is legal.

This used to work with an old 10p piece which had a 1.6mm rim, but the rim on a 20p piece is about 2.7mm wide.

The 20p test is con liable to have hundreds or thousands of motorists changing their tyres unnecessarily.

MSE should be condemning the tyre company for promoting this misinformation to drum up more business, not promoting them.

The correct way to judge tread wear is to see if the little bars across the main grooves on the tire are near to becoming level with the surface of the tread. If this is the case, use a tread wear gauge or go to a garage you can trust who will use a proper gauge, not a 20 pence piece.

Stub

My tyres come off when they hit 3mm of tread end of

i would not run a tyre down to 1.6mm the legal minimum, when a tyre reaches that low a tread depth the stopping distance is increased and the overall performance of the tyre is greatly reduced

what price safety?

Minrich

Safety first ...... Good advice to change at 2.7mm .

captainawsome

20p test has been around for ages as a rough guide for joe public to check tread depth. If you don't want to change your tyres at 3mm then don't - nobody has your arm up your back. I always have, and will continue to, change at 3mm

fatbelly

A proper tread gauge is better than a 20p piece but the advice to change tyres at 3mm is good

arcon5

force_ten wrote: »

My tyres come off when they hit 3mm of tread end of

i would not run a tyre down to 1.6mm the legal minimum, when a tyre reaches that low a tread depth the stopping distance is increased and the overall performance of the tyre is greatly reduced

what price safety?

Tyres with a 3mm tread have an increased stopping distance also. Get them changed at 6mm to avoid this.

Stub_Mandrel

What I'm objecting to is this text on the MSE website:

"New tyres can be pricey, but it's essential to make sure you keep them above the 1.6mm legal minimum tread depth to let surface water slip through. To measure, use the quick 20p tyre test detailed on the TyreSafe website. Pop a 20p coin on its edge into the main grooves of the tyre tread. If the outer rim of the coin is hidden, your tyres are legal. If you can see it, get them changed."


Now if it said 'its a good idea to change your tyres before they get to the legal minimum', but the above are misleading weasel words that suggest failing the 20p test means they are illegal.


MSE should be at the forefront when it comes to clarity and this just doesn't come up to scratch.


It would only take an extra sentence to reassure cash-strapped people they don't have to panic and buy 4 new tyres if they just fail the 20p test. They could have said something like:

The 20p test shows you when your tyres are getting worn enough for their poor weather performance to start to be affected. Although legal down to 1.6mm of tread over the central 3/4 of the tyre, if they fail the 20p test you should start thinking about changing them when you can.

arcon5

For what it's worth I think it's a valid complaint about MSE

Stub_Mandrel

Interesting to go back to the Government's summary of that research:

For the car and tyre combinations considered, the stopping distance performance at differing tread depths has been measured. The results illustrate that, generally statistically significant increases in stopping distance begin to manifest themselves at tread depths below approximately 3mm, although the magnitude of the increase is not consistent across all the car and tyre configurations.

The stopping distances and the yaw stability of a vehicle fitted, firstly, with an incorrectly oriented directional tyre and, secondly, with a deflated run-flat tyre, were measured. In both cases no significant reductions in either braking performance or yaw stability were evident.

The effects of tyre pressure reductions of 10% and 20% on the stopping distance and yaw stability of a vehicle have been measured. The results demonstrate that, whilst the yaw stability was unaffected, the stopping distance increased by between 5% and 11%.

Seems that keeping your tyres well pumped up is almost as important to stopping distance (it also saves you fuel and makes your tyres last longer, moneysavers... )