minimum tyre tread depth

[william127]

can anybody tell me what the minimum depth of tread is for tyres to be legal? thanks

[dreadnought110]

1.6mm over 75 % of the tread i think :)

[hairyasswelder]

1.6mm over 75 % of the tread i think :)

Sounds right to me  ;)

[JIMBOBLY]

im not being a big head,but i am a tyre fitter(7 years)and that is correct people,but if the vechiles grose weight is over 7.5 ton,its only 1mm,dame as motorbikes,stupid law,but its true :)

[Gordo]

im not being a big head,but i am a tyre fitter(7 years)and that is correct people,but if the vechiles grose weight is over 7.5 ton,its only 1mm,dame as motorbikes,stupid law,but its true :)

And on mopeds there isn't a minimum, but tyre tread pattern must be clearly visible.

However the advice I've always given is to replace the tyre once it reaches the wear indicators - that's when the manufacturer considers that it's past its best and should be replaced.

[Disco Matt]

Yep - bear in mind that 1.6mm is a legal minimum. That doesn't mean that it's safe in heavy rain (for example), just that the law has to be drawn somewhere.

[william127]

thanks for that iv got a set of rangerover 3 spoke alloys that i took off and replaced with white 8 spokes/mts and want to know if their legal so i can keep them as spares/get a bit more for them, so brought a gauge from halfords but the alarm sticker thing was stuck over the tread requirements bit and it pulled the paper off with it :doh:

[littlepow]

If it's mud tyres, you might want to change them earlier. As at the legal 1.6mm point the will be absolute rubbish in the gluppy stuff.

[william127]

its the road tyres on the alloys im worried about, the mts have only done about 15 miles + a play and play day :)(and i got them with the wheels, 2 miles from the workshop for £200 :D :D)

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

1.6mm is the legal limit, although our patrol cars get their's done at 4mm. Its a bit safer that way.

[SWEETY]

1.6mm is the legal limit, although our patrol cars get their's done at 4mm. Its a bit safer that way.

I'll be binning my AT's when they get to 4mm :D When I had cars I often bined the tyres at 2.5-3mm :roll:

[Range Rover Blues]

Car manufacturers recomand 3mm as at that point the wet grip starts to suffer seriously.  IIRC it's also the law in some European countries which is why we have so many second hand tyres here.

I was told by someone that 4x4 tyres needed to be changed ealry because they were supposed to be deeper, I think it was a fellow member who had been stopped by the fuzz.  Utter hogwash of course but not worth getting into an arguamant over.  Besides, wider tyres need deeper tread which is why motorbikes can function with less tread, some road cycles have no tread but the tyres are so narrow they don't need any.

My advice to my pupils is 75% across the centre 3.4 of the tyre, all the way round (that's the law) and visible at both edges (so you know it's not worn well into the carcase).

My mate is an MOT inspector and QC testing at his station so he goes on all the courses.  Even under the 1.6 mm law there are some dodgy tyres that are within the law.

[Disco Matt]

I can confirm that BFG A/Ts are a bit useless in mud when they get down to 5mm  :lol:

(They are being changed at the end of the month).