Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Vice President of Development at SafeSourcing.

If you or your company own or lease vehicles, you may need to know when you should replace your tires.  Recently, I had a tire that had a slow leak and had to be filled every few days so that the car could be driven safely.  When I took it to the mechanic to get it repaired, I was told that the tread was too low and that they were unable to patch the tire that was giving me the issue.  They also checked the tread on the other tires, and they were also low and needed to be replaced as well.  Because the one tire was unable to be fixed, I decided to go ahead and replace all four tires.  The main concern with the tread being low is that your tires tread depth directly impacts your vehicle’s ability to stop.  When the tread of your tire is at or below 2/32” it is time to replace them.  But you may also consider that studies have shown that 4/32nds of tread or less will require more distance to stop, especially when the roads are wet.  Having low tire tread can also lead to a higher risk of your vehicle hydroplaning.  Also, when it comes to driving in snow, the chances of losing traction is even more significant and a tread of 6/32” or less can cause major problems.  So, if it is winter you will want to replace your tires if your tread is 6/32” or less.  If you want to know if you need new tires, you can test this using the old penny check.  To do this, take a penny and place it with Lincolns head upside down between two ribs on the tire.  If part of the head is covered, your tires are still good.  If you can see his entire head, your tread is worn to 2/32” or less and it is time to replace them.  Make sure to do this on various points on the tire to help look for uneven tire wear.   Another reason for the replacement of your tires is the age.  It is also recommended that you replace your tires if they are more than 6 years past the date that they were manufactured.  Some places will not service your tires if they are more than 10 years of age.  Below are some of the benefits you can expect from purchasing new tires.

• Safety
• Performance
• Traction
• Noise and Comfort
• Better Gas Mileage
• Extended Vehicle Longevity

If you need help sourcing items for your company, feel free to contact SafeSourcing.   We can gather all the necessary information for you and help you decide which company and product meets your needs.  If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help you, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative.  We have an entire team ready to assist you today.