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Tire tread depth

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Old 12-06-19, 04:21 AM
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william489
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Default Tire tread depth

I have 6/32 left on the stock Michelin latitude tour hp tires. Would this survive next 3 months of winter driving safely? I figured about 1.5/32 wear for each 10k miles driven. I normally have tire psi set at 38 to 40 range.

Plan to switch ltx defender soon. Love that one.
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Old 12-06-19, 05:40 AM
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Guess it all depends on what you expect your vehicle to do when the snow does come.

Want it to rip through snow/slush like a tank? Get some dedicated Nokian snow tires.
Want it to be a little twitchy, less confidence inspiring whilst stopping and accelerating? Keep running the stockers.

My father in law loves his Defender LTXs for all the driving conditions he encounters. Being in Minnesota, a good do it all tire is a popular choice since most seem to be allergic to dedicated winter tires
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Old 12-06-19, 06:35 AM
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Originally Posted by natehack
most seem to be allergic to dedicated winter tires
absolutely correct statement.

not sure whey people neglect proper tires
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Old 12-06-19, 07:22 AM
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You're in the northeast? Get new tires!
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Old 12-06-19, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by william489
I have 6/32 left on the stock Michelin latitude tour hp tires. Would this survive next 3 months of winter driving safely? I figured about 1.5/32 wear for each 10k miles driven. I normally have tire psi set at 38 to 40 range.

Plan to switch ltx defender soon. Love that one.
As per your approach, math is a good thing in the decision making process. Maximum tread is obviously best to deal with winter conditions. If you were going into summer then your logic is good, but you are going into winter ... so factor an insurance deductible ... plus living with the (repaired) damage ... assuming no one was hurt or even worse ... why take the risk ???

Get new tires. The Michelin Defender LTX will easily last 60,000 miles so are beyond cost effective ... and will potentially avert the above.
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Old 12-06-19, 09:06 AM
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I replaced my OEM latitude at around the same wear bar too. They were still ok for normal driving but I could feel they were a bit slippery during heavy rain. Since I also take it to ski trips, I swapped them a bit sooner.
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Old 12-06-19, 11:07 AM
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Yona
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Originally Posted by william489
I have 6/32 left on the stock Michelin latitude tour hp tires. Would this survive next 3 months of winter driving safely? I figured about 1.5/32 wear for each 10k miles driven. I normally have tire psi set at 38 to 40 range.

Plan to switch ltx defender soon. Love that one.
I was in your exact same shoes. Swapped the Latitudes out when they had 5/32 for Defender LTXs and could not be more pleased. In my opinion they aren't as smooth or quiet as the Latitudes on pavement but I couldn't tell the difference after a week. You may be able to squeeze 10k more out of the stock rubbers but I personally would change them out sooner for driving in the snow. I live in the south now so take that for what its worth lol.
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Old 12-06-19, 06:43 PM
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While the legal limit is 2/32nds, tires lose hydroplaning resistance at about 4/32nds, so we tend to say that 4/32nds is the new 2/32nds. In the upcoming wet, snow and icy season, I'd opine that 5/6 32nds is required - just like the other posters have said.

that said, if you plan on staying home in inclement weather, then 6/32nds shoult be fine for now.
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Old 12-06-19, 07:44 PM
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Originally Posted by cb1111
While the legal limit is 2/32nds, tires lose hydroplaning resistance at about 4/32nds, so we tend to say that 4/32nds is the new 2/32nds. In the upcoming wet, snow and icy season, I'd opine that 5/6 32nds is required - just like the other posters have said.

that said, if you plan on staying home in inclement weather, then 6/32nds shoult be fine for now.
Thank you all for all the advice, I already checked costco, it is about $900 for a set of 4 defender ltx, will pull the trigger whenever tread depth goes to 5/32. I find costco tire service the best, not only they do hand-torque, they also put in nitrogen for free.
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Old 12-08-19, 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by william489
Thank you all for all the advice, I already checked costco, it is about $900 for a set of 4 defender ltx, will pull the trigger whenever tread depth goes to 5/32. I find costco tire service the best, not only they do hand-torque, they also put in nitrogen for free.
Just remember that nitrogen is a marketing gimmick. It doesn't hurt, but it also doesn't help. How does Costco evacuate all of the air already in the tire or do they just add nitrogen?

Air is 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and 1% Argon. Maybe they just suck out the 22% and add nitrogen.
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Old 12-08-19, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by cb1111
Just remember that nitrogen is a marketing gimmick. It doesn't hurt, but it also doesn't help. How does Costco evacuate all of the air already in the tire or do they just add nitrogen?

Air is 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and 1% Argon. Maybe they just suck out the 22% and add nitrogen.
Very true ... total marketing BS ... but hey, nothing better than green valve caps to say "you're special" ... with the added bonus that green anything is politically correct.
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Old 12-08-19, 01:54 PM
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I have been using nitrogen to prevent rust that I have had before with chrome wheels.

Air is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with the remainder being trace gases. Oxygen can retain moisture inside your tires and eventually can oxidize the internal tire wall casing, causing premature tire aging. In extreme cases, the moisture can even cause the tire’s steel reinforcing belts to rust. If the wheel’s paint protection is damaged, this can also promote rust in steel wheels.

Nitrogen, on the other hand, is an inert, dry gas and does not support moisture. The use of 93-95% pure nitrogen will prevent premature tire aging and wheel corrosion due to internal moisture. However, some experts say that under normal driving conditions, a tire’s tread will reach its minimum usable depth long before any effect of oxidation on the tire wall or wheel rust. Although nitrogen has the technological advantage here, the practical benefit is minimal under normal driving conditions. It may be beneficial if your car is not driven regularly or is placed in storage.
https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/nitrogen-vs-air
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Old 12-08-19, 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by tecman
I have been using nitrogen to prevent rust that I have had before with chrome wheels.


https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/nitrogen-vs-air
Great. Were they serving grape or cherry Kool-Aid?
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Old 12-08-19, 07:55 PM
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Costco Tire Center wait time sucks! Just tires rotation will be at least 2 hours or more.


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Old 12-08-19, 07:58 PM
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Originally Posted by bbqsoup
Costco Tire Center wait time sucks! Just tires rotation will be at least 2 hours or more.
My local Costco takes reservations so I've been in and out in 45 minutes or so.
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