# Tire Tread Depth Question **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [January 7, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131 "2024-01-07T22:15:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/1 "2024-01-07T22:15:38Z")
I have a set of winter tires. Two of the tires have 6/32 tread depth, the other two have 8/32 tread depth. I know the guidance is “best tires go on the front of the vehicle”. [EDIT: I mistyped that phrase. The guidance is the tires with most tread depth (the best tires) - in my case the tires with 8/32 of tread depth - should be mounted on the rear of the car. I didn’t realize my mistake at first] What about in this case? Are the tires close enough in tread depth that I should put the tires with 8/32 of depth on the front to even out the tire wear? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/2 "2024-01-07T22:19:28Z")
> [@kcac\_1\_157641](#): > > I know the guidance is “best tires go on the front of the vehicle”. No the best tires go on the rear, not the front. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/3 "2024-01-07T22:21:10Z")
> [@kcac\_1\_157641](#): > > I know the guidance is “best tires go on the front of the vehicle”. Actually the guidance mostly heard here is to put the best tires on the rear. Confusing I know. Tom and Ray have said on the show & podcast to put the best on the front. But the radio shows were taped some years ago, and somehow the advice must have changed for some reason. What is the make/model/year/engine/transmission/AWD vs FWD vs RWD configuration of your vehicle? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/4 "2024-01-07T22:39:15Z")
Another for better to the rear… ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/5 "2024-01-07T22:42:58Z")
The car is a 2005 Pontiac Vibe: 1.8-liter four-cylinder, automatic transmission, front wheel drive. Tires are Michelin X-ICE XI3 winter tires. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/6 "2024-01-07T23:00:48Z")
If that 6/32 is a bit over 6 and not under… and the 8/32 are equal or a bit under, I’d go ahead and put the 8s on tbe front to even out the wear on this FWD car. You are a bit late mounting them aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/7 "2024-01-07T23:09:19Z")
It has been snow-free so far in Milwaukee. That is going to change this week. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/8 "2024-01-07T23:16:06Z")
Folks here seem to like those tires for winter driving, seems like a good choice. You can probably see those comments using the forum search feature, upper right this page. If I had this issue myself for my front wheel drive Corolla, I’d put the new tires on the front. Being new & exactly the same diameter, that should help prevent abnormal wear on the transmission’s final drive (differential). Years ago I always put the best tires on my VW Rabbit’s front for snowy Colorado mountain driving, seemed to work ok. Here in Calif I usually buy all four tires at the same time, so not an issue. ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/9 "2024-01-07T23:17:56Z")
The difference in tread depth is due to me being late in rotating the tires. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/10 "2024-01-07T23:21:16Z")
> [@kcac\_1\_157641](#): > > The difference in tread depth is due to me being late in rotating the tires. Have all four tires been used previously ? Last winter? And now your are remounting them again for this winter? I was wondering why new tires would only have 8/32. Do you have separate rims for your winter tires? That’s what I did, made everything easier. ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/11 "2024-01-07T23:40:32Z")
Sorry for the confusion. These tires were purchased new in November, 2018. I store them in the basement when they are not on the car. They are in good shape. No cracks on the tread or sidewalks. The tread depth when new was probably 11/32. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/12 "2024-01-07T23:46:11Z")
This may be the last season for these tires. They are approaching 6 years and tread depth that is becoming marginal. > **[Make Sure Your Tires Have Enough Tread for a Snowy Winter  - Consumer...](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/tires/make-sure-your-tires-have-enough-tread-for-winter-a6082176624/)** > > In wet and wintry weather, all-season tires begin losing traction long before they appear worn out, according to Consumer Reports testing. Here's what you need to know. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/13 "2024-01-08T01:02:19Z")
> [@kcac\_1\_157641](#): > > I know the guidance is “best tires go on the front of the vehicle”. That’s wrong. If the front end loses traction, the car will understeer, in which case the natural reaction to slow down (which transfers weight to the front) will recover control of the car. If the rear end loses traction, the car will oversteer, in which case the natural reaction to slow down will make the situation worse and put the car into a likely unrecoverable spin. ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/14 "2024-01-08T01:19:43Z")
You are right. I mistyped my post. I meant to say the better tires go on the rear. I will put the tires with the 8/32 tread depth on the rear and abandon the idea of trying to even the wear out between the 6/32 tread depth pair and the 8/32 tread depth pair ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/15 "2024-01-08T01:36:20Z")
> [@kcac\_1\_157641](#): > > It has been snow-free so far in Milwaukee. Same here in Central Maryland. It has been more than 800 days since total snowfall was over 1” and there is no expectation that will change anytime soon. I know that Milwaukee is way far north compared to us. The only time I travelled to Milwaukee there was a driving snow storm. Didn’t keep our plane from leaving that afternoon though. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/16 "2024-01-08T01:42:48Z")
what’s the date code on these tires . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/17 "2024-01-08T01:53:24Z")
The date codes are 0816 and 0916. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/18 "2024-01-08T01:54:50Z")
Those tires are kind of old . . . I’d be tempted to get a fresh set The tires on my sister-in-law’s tires are from 2016 and they’re garbage . . . badly cracked and they’ll be replaced within the next few weeks ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/19 "2024-01-08T01:59:21Z")
I feel I should be good for one more year. The tires do not have any cracks on the treads or sidewalks, and they are stored in a basement out of sunlight 7 to 8 months of the year. ---
**Author:** ![kcac\_1\_157641](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@kcac\_1\_157641](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kcac_1_157641)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131/20 "2024-01-08T02:07:48Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > The only time I travelled to Milwaukee there was a driving snow storm. Didn’t keep our plane from leaving that afternoon though. A guy who lives on the flight path near the Milwaukee airport decided it would be humourous to prank passengers of aircraft descending into Milwaukee by painting “Welcome to Cleveland” on the roof of his building. I guess a snowstorm or snow on the roof would have temporarily negated his prank. > **[‘Welcome to Cleveland’ sign’s 15 minutes of fame lasts 37 years](https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/15-minutes-of-fame-for-welcome-to-cleveland-sign-lasts-37-years-b99627742z1-360471381.html)** > > One of the morning news shows wants to fly Mark Gubin to New York for an end-of-the-year celebration of the funniest moments of 2015. The rooftop sign he painted in 1978 is still an attention-grabber. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-tread-depth-question/194131.md?page=2)