"100 years of combined experience in the automotive industry"
Certified Technicians Available
All Makes & Models - Foreign & Domestic
Fast, Friendly Service
Locally Owned & Operated
February 2, 2020
Welcome to the Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall automotive blog. Today, let's talk about the effect of tire wear. 
Let's focus on stopping in wet Whitehall conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can't move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.
That's called hydroplaning. If it's really bad, Whitehall drivers can actually spin out of control - endangering themselves and the other drivers around them. At best, you won't stop as fast.
So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at your vehicle tire and you'll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They're designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.
And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop your vehicle on wet Whitehall roads.
So that's why it's so important for Whitehall drivers to replace their vehicle tires when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.
At Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall, we want our customers to know that the deeper recommended tread depth makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet Whitehall streets. A safe stop from Ohio speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.
There's an easy way to tell when a tire's worn to 4/32 of an inch.
Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn't cover George Washington's hairline, it's time to replace your vehicle tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.
Many Whitehall residents have heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln's head - the old method. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount. Of course, vehicle tires are a major purchase. Most of us in Whitehall want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there's a real safety trade-off. It's your choice.
Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall
4744 E. Main Street
Whitehall, Ohio 43213
614-864-5215
http://www.tuffywhitehall.com
November 17, 2024
You may be fanatical about keeping the outside of your vehicle clean. But what about what's under the hood? Have you ever thought about how dirt and grime may be affecting your engine's components? One of the most important parts under your hood to keep clean is your vehicle's battery. With a d... More
November 10, 2024
When's the last time you thought about spark plugs? You probably don't remember. That's because spark plugs usually last a long time and don't need much attention. But they don't last forever, and when they start going bad, they'll send you a few clues. Vehicle is hard to start. Fuel economy ... More
November 3, 2024
Recently, Nissan introduced the latest version of its Leaf, the company's electric car. It has many new features, including something called e-Pedal. It allows the driver to let up on the accelerator and, unlike a gasoline engine car, the Leaf doesn't just slowly lose speed; letting off the throt... More
