5/32 too early to replace my tires?

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i have a CRV and rav 4 . all the tires measure about 5/32 depth. being in the PNW its the beggining of the rainy season which will last till next april or so. We don't get too much snow each year , but this years summer was really nice and i think its gonna be a hard winter.

i am thinking of getting new tires for both rides. i want to catch the sales at discount which usually happens on thanksgiving. So is 5/32 too early to replace them? using 2/32 as the limit they would be about 2/3 worn .
 
Originally Posted By: WhyMe
i have a CRV and rav 4 . all the tires measure about 5/32 depth. being in the PNW its the beggining of the rainy season which will last till next april or so. We don't get too much snow each year , but this years summer was really nice and i think its gonna be a hard winter.

i am thinking of getting new tires for both rides. i want to catch the sales at discount which usually happens on thanksgiving. So is 5/32 too early to replace them? using 2/32 as the limit they would be about 2/3 worn .

How old? 5/32 is fine.
 
I generally buy my tires (Light truck) "used"... at 10/32 or 11/32 and change them once they are clearly at 4/32 or below
 
You also need to consider how old the tire is, and how good the tire is. As the tire ages the rubber gets harder.


If the tires are 4years old or less, i would say keep it through the winter.
If the tires are 5+ years, i would say switch them out.

Also is the tire a cheap budget or oem tire or premium tire?
If it is a premium tire, more technology is in it to maintain performance and decrease the effects of aging and wear. For example the Primacy in particular has uniquely growing grooves to maintain performance. Other michelins even without the Primacy grooves use different compounds in the lower layers to make up for decreased tread, (Other premium brands do this too). Cheaper tires won't do that. Maybe you'd keep a premium tire through year 6 at 5/32s.

Also, if your cars are AWD and not just the FWD models, that will also make up a little bit for poor performing tires and you can "get away with it".

We also don't know your financial situation, and if new tires are going to cause you to miss out on something else. Also if you pushing your car or drive conservatively.
Finally, if you "enjoy" having new tires, or you are happier being frugal. Will you use up your 2nd set or you plan on getting rid of the car in the next year or two and possibly can avoid getting new tires?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: raytseng
You also need to consider how old the tire is, and how good the tire is. As the tire ages the rubber gets harder.


If the tires are 4years old or less, i would say keep it through the winter.
If the tires are 5+ years, i would say switch them out.

Also is the tire a cheap budget or oem tire or premium tire?
If it is a premium tire, more technology is in it to maintain performance and decrease the effects of aging and wear. For example the Primacy in particular has uniquely growing grooves to maintain performance. Other michelins even without the Primacy grooves use different compounds in the lower layers to make up for decreased tread, (Other premium brands do this too). Cheaper tires won't do that. Maybe you'd keep a premium tire through year 6 at 5/32s.

Also, if your cars are AWD and not just the FWD models, that will also make up a little bit for poor performing tires and you can "get away with it".

We also don't know your financial situation, and if new tires are going to cause you to miss out on something else. Also if you pushing your car or drive conservatively.
Finally, if you "enjoy" having new tires, or you are happier being frugal. Will you use up your 2nd set or you plan on getting rid of the car in the next year or two and possibly can avoid getting new tires?



2014 Rav4 has the oem tires which are bridgestone . 2011 CRV has falken tires on them both are less than 5 years old and both are AWD i am not hurting for money , but if i can catch something on sale i would like to . gonna keep the rides for a while
 
Originally Posted By: WhyMe
Originally Posted By: raytseng
You also need to consider how old the tire is, and how good the tire is. As the tire ages the rubber gets harder.


If the tires are 4years old or less, i would say keep it through the winter.
If the tires are 5+ years, i would say switch them out.

Also is the tire a cheap budget or oem tire or premium tire?
If it is a premium tire, more technology is in it to maintain performance and decrease the effects of aging and wear. For example the Primacy in particular has uniquely growing grooves to maintain performance. Other michelins even without the Primacy grooves use different compounds in the lower layers to make up for decreased tread, (Other premium brands do this too). Cheaper tires won't do that. Maybe you'd keep a premium tire through year 6 at 5/32s.

Also, if your cars are AWD and not just the FWD models, that will also make up a little bit for poor performing tires and you can "get away with it".

We also don't know your financial situation, and if new tires are going to cause you to miss out on something else. Also if you pushing your car or drive conservatively.
Finally, if you "enjoy" having new tires, or you are happier being frugal. Will you use up your 2nd set or you plan on getting rid of the car in the next year or two and possibly can avoid getting new tires?



2014 Rav4 has the oem tires which are bridgestone . 2011 CRV has falken tires on them both are less than 5 years old and both are AWD i am not hurting for money , but if i can catch something on sale i would like to . gonna keep the rides for a while

AWD is not going to help you with handling and braking. Tire will.
2014 are fine, however Falken, I would not go with them pass 4 years.
 
Well, now I live in the snow belt and value safety and mobility so I replace tires a little early. Did the 255/50r20's on the wife's explorer just this week. Had about 5/32 on the rears but was just over the wear bars (3-4/32) on the front. Figured with her driving, the kid and the fact that our jobs don't accept "its too snowy to come in" calls... plus the super wide spec... it was better safe than sorry.

That said, on my summer cruiser (Mustang in sig) I have no problem wearing tires bald first
smile.gif
 
I am getting rid of my tires(Michelin MXV4) at 5/32nds because they didn't do that great last winter in the deep(er)/grease(ier) stuff. As the matter of fact, they didn't do that great when they were frikken new. AND, I thought that TR & CR rated them quite good for winter use. Could be the weight distribution of the car itself(Altima in my sig).

I will probably get Pirelli P7 Cinturato A/S+ as they show to be decent in the snow and the Mazda3 in my sig has them. This Mazda3 also has AltiMAX Arctic for the winter however, the car was driven in a snow storm(between PA & NY states, 6 hrs) with the P7 and did quite well.
 
Originally Posted By: WhyMe


2014 Rav4 has the oem tires which are bridgestone . 2011 CRV has falken tires on them both are less than 5 years old and both are AWD i am not hurting for money , but if i can catch something on sale i would like to . gonna keep the rides for a while


The Tire Rack and Walmart have great tire sales all year long. How many miles do you drive a month?
 
You may be better off to buy a second set of wheels and tires for winter use and then run the OEs down to nothing next summer. Even if you don’t have a lot of snow, winter tires are great in the cold rain. The key is using them at 45F and below or they will wear excessively.
 
The consensus within the tire industry is that tires should be removed from service when they reach 5/32nds of an inch for snow traction reasons, and 4/32 for wet traction reasons.

Although it sounds like wet traction is the issue for the OP, he did admit to some snow - ergo, I think he ought to get new tires.
 
Originally Posted By: WhyMe
So is 5/32 too early to replace them?


They are your tires, you can replace them whenever you like.

However, 2/32 is extremely low for wet weather traction - too low for my tastes. I don't like them getting below 4/32 for anything but dry, hot weather.
 
If you don't get that much snow in the winter then what are you worried about? Here in Minnesota we can get 12+ inches of snow overnight. That is where you want good tires with plenty of tread.
 
I find with good tires, wet weather traction doesn't fall off too much with tread depth. Snow traction on the other hand does fall off significantly even with snow tires as tread depth decreases.
I suppose you could find a set of lightly used all-seasons at near full depth mounted on rims for less than a new set of tires, and then keep them for winter and run your other tires down to the bars for summers, but that's only a good plan if your summers grip well as they wear.
I'm going to run my summer tires to the bars, as they work very well at 4/32 now, as they did new at 9/32.
 
Tires generally start at 8-10/32.

So yours are less than half worn.

Seems like a big waste to me. There will be sales next year.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Tires generally start at 8-10/32.

So yours are less than half worn.

Seems like a big waste to me. There will be sales next year.


But half worn does not mean they have half of their useful life still left. If you start out at 10/32 and consider that at 4/32 they are done, then at 5/32 they only have about 17% life left in them.
 
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