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Tire tread depth and legal limit

A tire is designed to meet performance requirements. But beyond a certain level of wear, it needs to be changed. What is the role of the tread? Up to what level of wear does the tire remain effective? And what is the legal minimum tread depth for changing your tires? Find out the answers to all your questions.

The performance of a tire

The primary functions of a tire are to carry a load and to allow the vehicle to accelerate, brake and turn. But beyond its functions, a tire is chosen for the performance you expect from it, which is relative to your use.

It is the way a tire is designed that will make it perform better under certain conditions than others. And to achieve specific performance, it is the tread that plays a decisive role.

The sculpture's grooves on the tread surface are essential to perform. Depending on their design, they will be more effective in certain conditions, on snow, on dry or wet roads.

The tire's tread depth also plays a role in performance. For example, it is important for water drainage when driving on wet roads. This ensures that the tire maintains contact with the ground and postpones the aquaplaning effect to higher speeds.

tyre tread water

What is the tread depth of a new tire ?

This will depend on the tires and the choice of manufacturer, but here is what is important to know: the tread pattern should be thick enough to ensure a long life for the tire.

However, if the tread is too deep, it will also consume too much energy during driving, and therefore fuel, because of the heat released by the rubber when it deforms.
This is why the tire's tread depth is designed by the manufacturer to find the best balance between the life of the tire and the fuel consumption related to tires.

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