Warm weather and just quickly put on the summer tires? Not a good idea. Before starting work, the stored tires must first be checked.
The sun is shining, temperatures rise in double digits during the day and there is seldom ground frost at night either. For many motorists, the switch from winter to summer tires will soon be an issue. However, before the actual change can begin, the tires must be carefully checked. After all, tires are an important safety factor. The tires with their postcard-sized contact areas are the only connection between the vehicle and the road. How short or long the braking distance is, for example, also depends on the condition of the tires.
Drivers who have their tires stored by a workshop can rely on the employees there to examine the tires in good time before the change date. If a tire is damaged or the tread depth is too low, the owner is informed so that a replacement can be ordered.
If you store your tires in your home garage or in the basement, you have to inspect the tires yourself. Checking the tire tread is comparatively easy. Either with special equipment or with simple aids. If you use a tread depth gauge, hold the measuring stick in the longitudinal grooves of the tread - ideally in the middle of the tread - and read the result directly. Of course, the profile depth can also be measured with a folding rule or linear. Or you can take a 1 euro coin to measure. If the golden edge is no longer visible, the tread depth is sufficient for summer tires. Good to know: The legislator prescribes a minimum profile depth of 1,6 millimeters. If the tread depth is too low, the water on the road cannot be displaced sufficiently, so that aquaplaning can easily occur. Whoever reaches this lower limit must replace the tire. Often the tires on the drive wheels run down faster. Then it is enough to just change these.
The overall condition of the tire is also checked. Anyone who sees dents, bumps or cracks on the tire should not use it. A look at the flank also provides information on the age of the tire using the four-digit DOT number. The first two numbers stand for the week of production, the two last for the year. 1317 means that the tire was manufactured in the 13th calendar week of 2017. The tires should not be more than eight to ten years old, as rubber becomes brittle over time, so the tires are also subject to an aging process.