Very quick question. Is it OK to run the front tyres down to the tread blocks then change them or are they dangerous by this point?

None of my cars have ever worn tyres out before - they usually get a puncture before they wore out so I am not sure on this.

Cheers, TH

I always wear them down to the tread blocks, but you've got to remember that they will not be as good at dealing with standing water when they are worn out or near worn out!

In an ideal world your tyres will be on the tread blocks in the summer and you will have fresh ones for the wet winter months

Some people say you should wait untill they are at the legal limit of 1.6 mm until you change them. Others say that at that limit the tyres will loose a lot of their performance, especially in the wet and therefore should be changed at 3 mm when there is still enough tread to give wet weather grip.

As metioned by Yegnold, it is preferable to change them in Autumn so you have full tread for the wet winter weather and in summer you will have less tread for good dry grip.

I'd agree; I usually change at 2 to 3mm, depending on time of year, preferring to change sooner if it's Winter and I'm mostly driving in the dark so can't see standing water.

Some people say you should wait untill they are at the legal limit of 1.6 mm until you change them.

2-3mm for me. The legal limit seriously reduces your grip.

Surely it only reduces grip in wet conditions. Mine are nearly at the tread blocks on the front and since its getting to be summer and dry (bar the odd rain shower) i'm just going to be putting them on the rear to extend their life a bit. Now I know for wet conditions the best tyres should be on the rear but i'm just going to take it steady in the wet. By the end of summer i'll just change all 4.

i change mine when i can see wires,gets the best value for money

i change mine when i can see wires,gets the best value for money

pah theres another 1000 miles in those bad boys

1000? More like 10k as one lease co I've had experience of at a previous employer would say! :eek:

pah theres another 1000 miles in those bad boys

was tempted, rather skint that month

how high are the tread blocks?

Tread blocks are 1.6mm (or 1.0mm on some older tyres before the change in the law).

TH

Surely it only reduces grip in wet conditions.

Old tyres are less grippy in all conditions, but worst in the wet, of course. The trouble is, you can hardly rely on it staying dry in the UK...

All the tyres I've had since the OEM ones (bar a set of P-Zero Neros that I $hagged going round Bruntingthorpe) have had wear markers of some description on the shoulders, and no matter what, the shoulders seem to wear a lot faster than the middle of the tyre. What I tend to do is run them until the fronts' shoulders are just above the wear marker, which means IME there's a good couple of mil across the middle of the tyre. Then I replace just the fronts. Once I'm in that situation again, it's time for both the fronts and the rears to go. I appreciate it's often suggested that you should put your best tyres on the back, however doing it my way means you still have plenty more than 3 mil on the back when you get the new fronts on, and anything above that doesn't make a massive difference in terms of grip.

(Plus, the Fabia's such an understeery beast that only time I've ever spun mine was when the handbrake was pulled mid-bend during said spell at Brunters... )

Was there a reason why you didn't inflate the tyres further if the shoulders consistently wore more than the centre of the tyre? (Genuine question, not meant to be patronising )

Well I already put them up to 35-36psi on the front and 32-33 at the back (hence, 'no matter what'), but any more than that would put me within 10% of the max. rated BEAD SEATING pressure of 40psi, which I'd be wary of. Added to that is the fact the internal pressure increases as they get hot, and - perhaps most importantly - the fact that hard tyres have a smaller contact patch then softer ones, so they might not wear as fast, but you don't get as much grip...

HTH

Good point - if you go into in detail it turns out that OEM pressures can only be recommendations unless they are made for a specific make, model and size of tyre.

Good point - if you go into in detail it turns out that OEM pressures can only be recommendations unless they are made for a specific make, model and size of tyre.

I refer the honourable gentleman to my post of 13:23! :P

35-36psi on the front and 32-33 at the back

:eek: i run mine at 30 on the back and 32 on the front?! cos that wot it says inside the fuel filler!! :confused:

perhaps most importantly - the fact that hard tyres have a smaller contact patch then softer ones, so they might not wear as fast, but you don't get as much grip...

It's an interesting point! To counter that, it's worth bearing in mind that a softer tyre will be slower to react to changes of direction because there will be more flex in the sidewall. They might also muddy the feedback you're getting through the wheel.

Chris

I refer the honourable gentleman to my post of 13:23! :P

Which crossed with my 13:24. :P

34 all round here. im pretty sure theres a whole thread on tyre pressures

34 all round here. im pretty sure theres a whole thread on tyre pressures

Same here, and I think you're right

This is true - pressure is a bit OT...

(Must say, though, even at 36psi up-front, my old Proxeses felt distinctly stodgy in comparison to the tyres I've had since...)