How to Check for Tread Wear on a Tire on a Geo Tracker

The Geo Tracker is a Japanese made miniature SUV, and a fun get-around-town vehicle. While the Geo Tracker is light on its tires, the propensity of the Tracker to tip makes it imperative that you keep good tires on it. Here is how to check the tire tread on your Geo Tracker to help keep the tires on the road where they belong.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tread wear gauge

1. Look for a "TWI" (tread wear indicator) or special symbol around the outside of the sidewalls of your Tracker. It may be a symbol with an arrow, the letters "TWI" or the words spelled out in the rubber of the tire.

2. Examine carefully the tire tread across the width of the tire at the place indicated. This tread is more shallow than the rest of the tread and will wear down more quickly.

3. Buy a tread wear depth gauge from your local auto parts store and insert the actuator in the crease of the tire tread.

4. Push the gauge down, fully engaging the spring mechanism, and measure the amount of tread you have left on the Geo Tracker tires.

5. Repeat this process four or five times across the width of the tire, noting any uneven wear. Jot down the smallest number and repeat the process for each tire.

6. Replace any tire that has a tread depth reading of less than 1/16 of an inch at any point with 205/75-15 tires for the 4-wheel-drive model and 195/75-15 tires for the 2-wheel-drive model Tracker.