5/32 tread remaining on OEM tires - should I replace now?

Yes.

 

Well now, that depends how much you want to continue hydroplaning and skidding.

 

Buy winter tires, get 1-2 more summers out of these ones?

Kind of defeats the purpose of LRR tires as a savings if you are going to discard them with 40% of their life left.

 

Minnesota .... Winter ... Get 4 snow tires on some oem rims ... Spring time put
The old ones back on ...

 

yes. why in the world are people typing answers other than yes!!!

 

If you switch to snows, your borderline all seasons will be ok for one more summer, but all seasons will have lost all their shallow siping by 5/32" remaining tread depth, will be treacherous in snow.

 

Because some people keep a second set of rims for the three-season tires.

 

Like what Bingee said, replace it with winter tires, and use the 5/32" tires for summer. Tire's are replaced at 2/32" and not so soon as 5/32", since you are hydroplaning and skidding and winter is coming, I would suggest with Bingee option and switch it back in the summer. Good luck.

 

How much does the seasonal tyre switch cost, presuming only one set of rims ?
Is a re-align required ?

 

Cost of mounting and balancing 4 tires is typically about $60-80. For that reason, if you intend on keeping the car more than 2-3 years, it's usually worth mounting them on separate rims.

No alignment required.

 

If the switcheroo is only going to gain one more season out of the OEM tyres, then OP is not going to save money.

I have always liked the idea of a winter tyre set for safety in poor conditions, not for money savings.

 

Beside the more aggressive tread, snow tires have a rubber compound that stays softer and more grippy at low temperatures. The threshold is 7 centigrade I think. Anything lower and the snows have the advantage. If you've got both in your garage, with a smooth concrete floor, try running both around the floor by hand, you can hear the difference.

Having the snows on their own rims has 2 big advantages from my perspective:

1. I'm not dependent on pros to mount the tires twice yearly.

2. With the OEM (or the snows) tires and rims off the car and out of the weather, I can clean and detail them thoroughly. Last winter I did a plug repair on one too.

 

He gets another year or two out of this set of tires, which then extends his next set that much longer. The alternative is tossing tires now that are really just over 1/2 worn because they don't have enough winter traction. If that's a policy most people follow rather than using their tires to 2-3/32, the cost of two sets is even less than I thought.

I agree it's for safety and confidence first and foremost, but the total extra cost is much less than most people think if you keep your cars for a few years or longer.

 

One additional upside:

1. If you're doing your own swaps, you do the tire rotations at the same time.

Downsides:

1. Extra storage and hassle.

2. If you trade in frequently, the snows-on-rims may not be wanted. OTOH, they may be transferable to the new vehicle.

 

3. Far fewer tire remounts to give opportunity for more rim damage and tire bead stress.

 

Also, steel rims for the snows might be less expensive than alloys, but not sure if they will be prone to rust if they sit in the garage for too long...

 

5/32" DOES NOT equal 40% of tread life left if you believe as I do that 4/32" is the safe minimum (2/32", while legal, could well mean legally DEAD in rain or snow). To me, 5/32" equals 5/6 of useful tread life (6/32") used up and 1/6 (17%) remaining. Given the fact that tires become oxidized and lose traction with age, and in view of approaching winter, the safe and sane choice is new tires, hopefully with better characteristics than OEM.

 

Depends on the tire. I've had high-end Michelins that were absolutely stable in heavy rain right down to 2/32". My Nokian Hakka RSI's still had excellent winter traction at less than 4/32" and I considered them good for another winter season when I sold the car this fall.

I maintain that throwing away tires with usable tread on them because you are afraid they won't have enough winter traction is asinine. Two sets of proper tires is a virtually insignificant cost in the overall expense of owning a car, and it's one of the most important things you can do from a safety standpoint.