Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Wheels & Tires At what wear point are BFG G-Force KDW's unsafe?

I was eyeing up my G-Forces (stock 215-50-16)standing in a row while the SVT sits on its winter rubber. The tread on the BFG's are relatively even with no abnornmal wear patterns. The tread depth is about 5/32's on all of them. At what point do these tires become unsafe in the rain? I haven't hyroplaned with these but then again I haven't really driven in any nasty rain. Opinions please!

thanks,
eric

I drove my Firehawk SZ-50's until the tread cap came off one (on the highway at 80 MPH something went BUMP , didn't come apart until I exited and came to a stop). Belts showed on all four. Was trying to get a little less miles on the winters. Don't do that.

2/32" is the standard minimum depth on treads BTW.

Umm ok good advice, no driving on belts. Got it. I know that 2/32 is the limit but is it pushing it getting to that point? They also seem to rumble more at low speeds than they used to when they had tread. I think tire rack just recently bumped the price on the KDW's.

I replaced my wifes Dunlop SP Sport 4000s on her van with between 4/32nds and 5/32nds tread remaining. Had it been April, I would have run another 5K miles on them, but with winter arriving, I didn't want to get them worn down to nothing and then have some snow arrive.

Thats just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

TB

Good words so far. It really depends on what kind of driving you do and how much tread @ the time of year. I ran leagally bald tires all summer on one of my cars but I didn't drive it much in the rain and only put about 5k miles on it since Spring. Next summer when my KDW's are legally bald I'll run them as well as I'll have new tires for the other car for when it rains.

If you do a lot of hihway driving in the rain, get new ones sooner. The first time you hydroplane and understeer into a curb, you'll know that it's time to call Luke.

That is what I was thinking, run them down to bald and just use the truck when it rains. However I use the CSVT on road trips and you never know when you'll be in the middle of nowhere in a cloudburst. If it was just me I would probably run em down, but my wife drives it too and I don't want to put her in a situation. If she hydros the car she will want a different one. This is how it would go:

Wife: "That car is no good in the rain, I don't want to drive it anymore, lets get something different."

Me: "Its not the car honey its the bald KDW's tires that are on it."

Wife: "You let me drive around on bald, unsafe tires?"

Me:" I'll be in the garage...."


clearly a no-win situation. Now I got to find some cheap KDW's