I'm shopping around for new tyres to replace my disintegrating Bridgestone Turanza 001 tyres.

I think I'll probably end up going for Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 or 6, depending on price/availability.

However while shopping around, it's emerged that tyre manufacturers are reducing the starting tread depth, with reduced aquaplaning resistance as one of the trade-offs.

Time was, tyres started with about 9mm tread. This has slowly dropped and now some tyres start with less than 8mm.

 

So with this in mind, I thought I'd have a shop around and try and see which of the selection of tyres I would be happy to fit starts with the most tread depth, and add that as a factor in determining my decision, as I usually change my tyres somewhere between 3-4mm tread depth. (Michelin state this is unnecessary, and tyres can be safely relied on right down to the 1.6mm legal limit, though other tyre makers disagree.)

But I can't find a resource that tells me what the new tyre tread depths are, for any given tyre.

 

Is it marked on the tyre somehow?

Is there an online resource giving all the details?

Can anyone help?

I have had two new tyres and yes, I only have 7mm depth from new. Another example of shrinkage.

Edited 26 July, 20223 yr by edbostan

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/116307/new-tyre-tread

 

Talked about way back in 2016, new tyres are coming with less "meat" on them.

 

As for an actual database of tread depths, rare as rocking horse droppings, might find something with more googling time.

I don't actually remember seeing an "as delivered tread depth" stated in magazine group tyre reviews.

6 minutes ago, varooom said:

As for an actual database of tread depths, rare as rocking horse droppings, might find something with more googling time.

Yeah, I'll keep digging.

It seems to be something that's mentioned in passing, rather than something that's specifically stated.

2 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

I don't actually remember seeing an "as delivered tread depth" stated in magazine group tyre reviews.

No, I wonder if that's a simple omission, or something the manufacturers would rather gloss over.

I found this, mooching about looking for tyre tread depths. It's from 2005 but seems to strongly disagree with Michelin's "Nah! You'll be fine right up to the 1.6mm legal limit."

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

I think Continental wanted to set 4mm as legal minimum tread, and yes Michelin said 1.6mm is good.

 

But Joe public wouldn't really want to fork out so often.

 

I changed mine between 2-3mm, but was definitely more in tune with the car and anything off I noticed.

The changes with generation / evolution of tyres and tread depths for different applications and even world regions is something that is not discussed that often.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/473898-tyre-tread-depth-changed

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/493035-at-what-tread-depth-do-you-change-tyres

 

3 hours ago, edbostan said:

I have had two new tyres and yes, I only have 7mm depth from new. Another example of shrinkage.

What tyres are these?

You tend to get slightly deeper tread on all season tyres than summer tyres

 

(note this is a generalisation, can find examples that doesn’t apply to)

 

 

I can't remember 9mm depth but I might not have been aware or looking at the time.  8mm was my usual thought but I do know it varies even in the same make, model and size of tyre with width/ratio plus I think has changed over the more recent years with different materials in the compounds, also I guess less 'rubber' on the tyre hlps with manufacturer's profit too.

 

The starting depth is one thing but it does depend on the wear rate too and this seems to vary too depending on the tread depth worn to.

 

I bought some Continental EcoContact 6 for my car and I knew the tread was 6.5mm from new by all the whinging I saw about that (I think it was lower because thread block was soft feeling and loose with road use so less block less wobble until the tyre wears in and the driver gets more used to the tyres, well with me anyway).

 

I find it difficult to get some information about tyres especially from the manufacturers but some give more info than others.

 

Only as an example, Toyo NANOENERGY 3, 13" size the tread depth varies from 6.3 mm to 7.4mm depending on width/ratio (so I'm out of date with 8mm here). - https://www.toyo.co.uk/tire/pattern/nanoenergy-3

 

 

Edited 28 July, 20223 yr by nta16

2 hours ago, nta16 said:

Continental EcoContact 6 for my car and ... (I think it was lower because thread block was soft feeling and loose with road use so less block less wobble until the tyre wears in

It's also well known (at least in the circles I move in) that Conti's have a harder substrait from about 3mm (German wear limit) on down.

51 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

It's also well known (at least in the circles I move in) that Conti's have a harder substrait from about 3mm (German wear limit) on down.

I did not know this, but I have experienced it and that's part of why I change tyres early as I always got the feeling Conti Premium Contacts changed characteristics when they were getting low.

Now I know that's a thing, it seems to give me about 4-5mm of useful tread for the life of the tyre, which doesn't seem like a lot for my £80-£90 a corner.

6 hours ago, EnterName said:

which doesn't seem like a lot for my £80-£90 a corner.

Compare that to the other costs with a car and consider that the tyres are part of the braking, steering and suspension systems and the only physical contact with the driving surface.  Workout the cost per mile compared to less important expenditure on the car.  You can get budget tyres that will do the job (possibly/probably not as well) and are harder wearing.

 

Personally I like more tread for more 'grip' on roads that are not warm and dry, I'd never go down to the legal limit as it's the same as MoT requirements, that of a minimum statutory requirement not necessarily what is best.

 

7 hours ago, KenONeill said:

It's also well known (at least in the circles I move in) that Conti's have a harder substrait from about 3mm (German wear limit) on down.

I didn't know, I usually change tyres at 3mm (if not well before).  The Conti were my 4th choice as I bought the tyres last summer when supplies weren't good, either not available or out of stock, and I needed to have them within a few days, a "distress purchase".

 

Though I've only done about 4k-miles on them I've already lost 1mm front and 1.5mm rear and as they're not over grippy I have to consul myself with the fact they do give comfort and not too much noise, being a city car size tyre I have to accept compromises, however the Yoko a-drives years back were great handling and ride.

 

The following are the tyres I've been recommending to others with very old over-priced, over-valued, "classic" cars like mine as you can't go wrong, I've meet the chap at the NEC (a real character) and he told me he stands by his warranty and I believe him.  How's this - you take it steady on the radial tyres for the first 30 miles to scrub them in they drive as you like for up to 1,000 miles and if you are not convinced the Blockley are the best tyres you've ever driven on, you can return them for a refund the purchase price of your tyres!

 

https://www.blockleytyre.com/articles/radial-quality-guarantee

 

Edited 28 July, 20223 yr by nta16

If you go to tyrerack.com and choose the tyre then specifications it will give you the tread depth. You just need to convert from retards to millimetres.

1 hour ago, Legion said:

If you go to tyrerack.com and choose the tyre then specifications it will give you the tread depth. You just need to convert from retards to millimetres.

Is that a typo? 🤣

 

On 28/07/2022 at 15:12, KenONeill said:

It's also well known (at least in the circles I move in) that Conti's have a harder substrait from about 3mm (German wear limit) on down.

 

I was wondering about this. I checked on the RAC site and according to them the law on tread depth is the same in all EU countries and the same as here, 1.6mm. It may be that there are different limits for winter tyres and different recommendations on wear limits for summer tyres. 

What happens is that in Germany they strongly advise that winter tyres have a minimum 4 mm depth and since they must legally be fitted you really want to be following the advise just incase you are in an accident and the winter tyre tread is less than the 4mm.

 

I have Michelin Alpin 6 on with 25,000 miles covered and no wear, but if they were down to 3 mm by winter they would be replaced as summer tyres they might be OK to 2 mm.

 

Edited 5 August, 20223 yr by roottoot