UK tyre depth

takman

sevenhills wrote: »

From independent research, RoSPA recommends that tyres are changed once the tread reaches 3mm in depth.


I would think a car tracking requiring adjustment would have a large effect on braking distances too. But the MOT test seems to ignore that.


https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/vehicles/tyre-tread-depth.pdf

I don't think the tracking being out would affect the braking by very much (Unless something was really bent and the wheels were facing sideways). Other alignment issues such as camber will have a far greater effect on braking because that can actually reduce the treys contact with the road.

Jackmydad wrote: »

Yes, I've seen that before, and knew about the 3mm .
If I was regularly driving distance on the motorway etc. then I'd change at 3mm.
In fact last time I went any distance I changed the 2 rears a couple of weeks before, which were just under 2.5mm at the time, and so getting to around where I (honestly!) change them anyway.
Tyre fitter seemed to think I was bonkers that time!

That seems a backwards way of doing it. Motorways are usually pretty straight and also are well maintained which makes it unlikely to have issues that cause standing water.

On the other hand A and B roads are less maintained and i often see standing water on these roads, they have far more bends (where grip is needed) and their speed limit is only 10mph less than a motorway. So these are the kinds of roads that you need to make sure you have sufficient tread.

Jackmydad

takman wrote: »

I don't think the tracking being out would affect the braking by very much (Unless something was really bent and the wheels were facing sideways). Other alignment issues such as camber will have a far greater effect on braking because that can actually reduce the treys contact with the road.



That seems a backwards way of doing it. Motorways are usually pretty straight and also are well maintained which makes it unlikely to have issues that cause standing water.

On the other hand A and B roads are less maintained and i often see standing water on these roads, they have far more bends (where grip is needed) and their speed limit is only 10mph less than a motorway. So these are the kinds of roads that you need to make sure you have sufficient tread.

Yes, but when motorways are wet, they are truly 'orrible, and seem to have a lot of water sat on them. Coming back from that trip it rained really heavily most of the way as it happened.

Ectophile

The only time I have ever encountered aquaplaning was on the newly-opened M25 (that's how long ago it was), driving at only about 50 MPH in heavy rain.

Luckily, that section of motorway was straight, so I could just take my foot off the accelerator to regain control.

I don't know if modern tyres are better at displacing water than they were in the late 1980's. I must have driven rather faster than that over the years, and never had the same problem.

oldagetraveller

"Motorways are usually pretty straight and also are well maintained"

You have obviously not driven on the M6 through Staffordshire, Cheshire and South Lancashire recently.:)

seatbeltnoob

oldagetraveller wrote: »

"Motorways are usually pretty straight and also are well maintained"

You have obviously not driven on the M6 through Staffordshire, Cheshire and South Lancashire recently.:)

everything feels smooth on an expensive car made in 2015+ (made recentlly). A lot of the newer cars are insulated so much you feel like you're floating on air. The same cannot be said for cars that are 10+ years old and aren't luxury cars.

On my old golf you can hear every squeak and rattle on the road. This also does give you a more realistic feel of the limitations of your car.

The feeling that a luxury car gives you is that it can almost defy physics and people drive accordingly (tailgate, late braking, drive the same whether wet or dry etc)

BeenThroughItAll

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

everything feels smooth on an expensive car made in 2015+ (made recentlly). A lot of the newer cars are insulated so much you feel like you're floating on air. The same cannot be said for cars that are 10+ years old and aren't luxury cars.

On my old golf you can hear every squeak and rattle on the road. This also does give you a more realistic feel of the limitations of your car.

The feeling that a luxury car gives you is that it can almost defy physics and people drive accordingly (tailgate, late braking, drive the same whether wet or dry etc)

Cobblers. What a gross and inaccurate generalisation.

My 13yo Accord doesn't feel rattly, harsh or squeaky. Neither did the majority of my >10yo cars on modern roads even in rural Durham where there is no investment at all in the infrastructure.

I posit that your Golf is a) neglected b) worn or c) on stupid suspension. Neither of my old Golfs were ever horrible rattly, squeaky, bumpy, harsh, bouncy, pitchy things to drive.

neilmcl

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

everything feels smooth on an expensive car made in 2015+ (made recentlly). A lot of the newer cars are insulated so much you feel like you're floating on air. The same cannot be said for cars that are 10+ years old and aren't luxury cars.

On my old golf you can hear every squeak and rattle on the road. This also does give you a more realistic feel of the limitations of your car.

The feeling that a luxury car gives you is that it can almost defy physics and people drive accordingly (tailgate, late braking, drive the same whether wet or dry etc)

And a lot of new, expensive cars drive on thin, rock hard, unforgiving run flat tyres with stiff, sporty suspension. hardly giving you the feeling of "floating on air". What experience do you have of driving luxury, or even new cars?

oldagetraveller

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

everything feels smooth on an expensive car made in 2015+ (made recentlly). A lot of the newer cars are insulated so much you feel like you're floating on air. The same cannot be said for cars that are 10+ years old and aren't luxury cars.

On my old golf you can hear every squeak and rattle on the road. This also does give you a more realistic feel of the limitations of your car.

The feeling that a luxury car gives you is that it can almost defy physics and people drive accordingly (tailgate, late braking, drive the same whether wet or dry etc)

Absolute claptrap.
I'd like you to indicate which "2015+" or "luxury" car will float over the numerous deep and large potholes that exist in all three lanes of the M6.
Have you driven your luxuy 2015+ car through that stretch? Is it in your imagination or an aspiration?

sevenhills

neilmcl wrote: »

And a lot of new, expensive cars drive on thin, rock hard, unforgiving run flat tyres with stiff, sporty suspension. hardly giving you the feeling of "floating on air". What experience do you have of driving luxury, or even new cars?

A smaller sized tyre will feel the bumps more than a large tyre, maybe the Golf has small tyres/wheels.

Joe_Horner

oldagetraveller wrote: »

Absolute claptrap.
I'd like you to indicate which "2015+" or "luxury" car will float over the numerous deep and large potholes that exist in all three lanes of the M6.

The Daf 33 Deluxe does relatively well over them. Not "2015+" but claims luxury in its model name.

But that's probably to do with lots of suspension travel, big cushiony 80 profile tyres, and weighing so little that at motorway speeds it hits the leading edge and almost literally flies over the rest :eek: