At what tread depth do you replace your snow tires

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
249
Location
Conn
We have a separate set of rims with Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 mounted on them for our family minivan (2015 Sienna front wheel drive) We had this set up for the last 2 1/2 winters, not sure of the mileage on these tires but they all measure between 7-8/32nds.

Last winter was very mild but you never know what mother-nature has planned for us in the Connecticut. Anyhow at what tread depth do I replace these tires and pick up new snow tires as the tires still look like they have some decent tread left on them.
 
Discount Tire has told me that the general rule of thumb is "more than halfway worn and they're basically like all-seasons". While there probably is some truth in that, they're also in the business of selling tires so they are obviously wanting you to buy more often.

When the sipes are mostly worn away, the traction will be considerably reduced and you should start looking for new ones. Snow tires do still work well as they wear since the rubber compounds are designed to work better at low temps.

Something else to consider is the timing of replacing them. By the middle of winter, most shops will have very low stock or might even be sold out. If you're unsure if the tires can make it through a whole winter, buy four new ones just in case and stash them in the basement. It will sure beat scrambling to a dozen different shops or websites to find a set in January. If you're at 7/32, I'd say you have plenty of tread left for this winter.
 
Sounds like youll get at least this season out of them, maybe next year as well. Id say probably around 5mm would be my minimums for snows, but if its nearing the end of the season Id ride them out until it was time for summer tires.
 
All winter tires that I had had two sets of wear bars.
First one were snow and the other DOT 2/32.
Quite often these snow wear bars are at 6/32.

Krzys
 
Normally at about half the original tread depth, but sometimes I'll replace them due to age, even if there is still lots of tread. After some years, the soft winter rubber hardens to the point where it is no longer pliable and grippy in low temps.

My current Altimax Arctics are now 8 years old, and they don't handle snow as well as they used to, despite having most of their tread still left. I've been procrastinating, thinking I'm going to get rid of this car and therefore did not feel like buying new winter tires for it, but I really should.
 
Kind of a related question, say your snow tires wear down to the snow wear bars/half way/6/32", whatever point you choose to take it out of winter service. Have you ever run the snow tires for spring into summer, say down to 4/32"?
 
Originally Posted By: krzyss
All winter tires that I had had two sets of wear bars.
First one were snow and the other DOT 2/32.
Quite often these snow wear bars are at 6/32.

Krzys

What he saId. Although the set of Xi3 that I just had for three years and 25k miles were sketchy last year at 8/32”. I would have had to replace them but got a new car so I had to.

Michelin puts snow wear bars at 6/32”
 
Originally Posted By: krzyss
All winter tires that I had had two sets of wear bars.
First one were snow and the other DOT 2/32.
Quite often these snow wear bars are at 6/32.

Krzys

+2
 
5/32. My last winter barely wore 1/32 so was probably into the harder rubber. But they still worked well.
01.gif
 
unless this winter is terrible, I'd say you should be fine this winter, run them late into the spring for a few extra miles on them.. then replace.

The blizzaks in particular lose their multicell compound at 6/32 and underneath is a "regular" winter compound.
 
How deep is the snow you're expecting. On my truck that I plow with I need maximum tread, but the Mini Cooper gets by with half worn studded snows because I only drive it in the winter if the roads have been plowed.
 
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
After much research, I was able to testify in court that the consensus within the tire industry is that Winter tires should be removed by 5/32nds of an inch (4 mm) and 4/32nds (3 mm)for All Season and Summer tires.

Here's one reference: Continental Tire - Tread Depth


Interesting how it appears everyone but Michelin now believes 3.0mm should be the minimum legal depth, at least in Europe.

The fight to increase the limit from 1.6mm to 3.0mm boiled to the surface again recently, but seems to have been going on much longer.
 
Having driven snow tires in every stage from new to bald, I can definitely agree that the performance falls off badly after they are about 50% worn. Some test demonstrated how the sipes only work when the tread block is tall enough to allow them enough material to bend and deform. Once the tread get a too short the sipes lose their ability to open deform.

It's like the opposite of the saying that you would rather have 50% used name brand all season tires instead of new chinese all season tires. I agree wkth this but I'd much rather have new Chinese snow tires than 50% used name brand ones.
 
A few careful minutes with a utility knife can re-sipe your snow tires, but in some places its illegal.
I had some 155/80R13's on my Neon and the re-siping worked pretty well, you could see where they opened up the tread and wore a bit on the edges of the cuts. Got another year out of them being able to climb my driveway before the car went to the wreckers so it was worth doing instead of getting another set of tires for it.
 
Seems like all of my snow tires have simply worn badly. Hakka 2's and Nordman somethings, both developed flat spots on a tire. Wife's car will get its snows for one more season, but they've decided to wear the center faster than the outer tread, despite OEM inflation. I think we get too many warm days, and thus our snows tend to wear fast, as they have been going on early and coming off late (Thanksgiving to April, something like that).
 
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Kind of a related question, say your snow tires wear down to the snow wear bars/half way/6/32", whatever point you choose to take it out of winter service. Have you ever run the snow tires for spring into summer, say down to 4/32"?



I would advise against running snows once it warms up. They'll be extremely loud, have awful grip, and be ungodly loud.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top