Tires tread life

Tires tread life considerations: What's your idea of how long a set of tires should last? Keep in mind that in some instances, a tire's wear rating is done through manufacturer testing and may not be the most accurate representation of a tire's true life expectancy. One way to get a handle on a tire's projected life expectancy (besides what they're warranted for, say, 40,000 miles for example) is to look at part of the UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grading)rating. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires each manufacturer to grade its tires under the UTQG labeling system and establish ratings for tread wear, traction and temperature resistance. These tests are conducted independently by each manufacturer following government guidelines to assign values that represent a comparison between the tested tire and a control tire. While traction and temperature resistance ratings are specific performance levels, the tread wear ratings are assigned by the manufacturers following field testing and are most accurate when comparing tires of the same brand. Tread wear receives a comparative rating based on wear rate of the tire in field testing following a government specified course. For example, a tire grade of 150 wears 50 percent longer than a tire graded 100. Actual performance of the tire can vary significantly depending on conditions, but the tire's UTQG tread life number can help you get in the ballpark as to how long a tire will really last.