Just been wondering what the minimum recommended depth for optimum performance in winter and soft off roading. I have Wrangler HP AWs at present.

The fronts are about 3mm and the rears nearer 5mm.

I normally change around 3mm for standard road tyres but not sure for a FL2 when it goes on tracks and into grassy fields.

Thanks

My local dealer won't sell anything with under 4mm. After that the wet weather grip drops off quite steeply. Plus your Wranglers may well get noisy. From memory, 5mm is the minimum for proper winter tyres. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

off road tyres have 8mm+ when new, some have 15mm and some.
the more meat, the better.

Anything around 5mm and less will be next to useless in mud in my experience 

The fleet folk wont change them until they are at 2mm and they are down right dangerous at that especially at motorway speeds in the rain,

No doubt these days some hard up folk will take them down beyond that to the limit too, just hope they arent driving anywhere near you.

You have to be careful getting near the limit - and not just with your driving! The maximum fine is several thousand per tyre, for driver and owner. Maybe a few prosecutions would change the fleet owners' minds. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

Landiroamer wrote:

The fleet folk wont change them until they are at 2mm and they are down right dangerous at that especially at motorway speeds in the rain,

No doubt these days some hard up folk will take them down beyond that to the limit too, just hope they arent driving anywhere near you.

2mm!!!! -bl00dy dangerus.
I change all mine if any one hits 4mm, and 6mm for my winter tyres 

Looking around the internet for some evidence based advice, I've found these so far....

- The AA recommend a 3mm minimum for winter

- Michelin have a 4mm tread wear indicator on their winter tyres, but say that the tyre will still perform below that (though they dont say how much below)

There is probably a good clue in there somewhere.

Quote:

2mm!!!! -bl00dy dangerus.
I change all mine if any one hits 4mm, and 6mm for my winter tyres

Browny90 wrote:

1.6mm has to be across 75% of the tyre to fail. so technically you could have less than 1.6mm over most of your tyre and still be perfectly legal..

Apologies, yes, I wrote that wrong.. you NEED 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre so you could have 25% at 1mm and 75% at 1.6mm and still pass as long as there were no cords, bulges etc.. but you have to admit, the laws on tyres are very loose and even barely legal tyres are still dangerous in my opinion..

Taken from AA Website:

Quote:

Fit for purpose means that a tyre must:
be compatible with the types of tyres fitted to the other wheels
not have any lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of the structure.
not have a cut or tear in excess of 25mm or 10% of the sectional width of the tyre, whichever is the greater, and which is deep enough to reach the ply or cord.
not have any part of the ply or cord exposed

At least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band in the centre 3/4 of the tread and around the entire circumference

It alway shocked me on HGV's that you could have 25% with no tread at all (as long as you can see the tread pattern) and the rest at 1mm as long as no cords were showing etc.. Madness for something that can weigh 40 ton+ MY2011 Freelander 2 GS Santorini Black
MY2004 Freelander 1 Sport Java Black
MY1986 Defender 90 Stornoway Grey - Fully Rebuilt this Year

In most of Europe the limit is 4mm for winter or all season tyres.

Is that just in winter? Given that our car has M+S tyres as standard, that would apply to us if going abroad. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.