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Full Version: Spare Wheel Tread Depth
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Sorry if this has been mentioned before but I couldn't find a similar query.

My 2014 VTR Airdream 90 Blingo has just had its 2 year service at the local main Citroen dealer, having done 15K miles. The dealer's given it a 32K service and it seems to be OK.

But, I looked at the tyre tread measurements on the service sheet and something isn't right.

The first annual service last year showed the spare wheel tyre tread depth as Outer/Middle/Inner all being 8.0mm. Now this week, the depth is listed as 6.2/6.8/6.4mm, which is odd as I know the spare wheel has never ever been used.

I've phoned and complained to the dealer, but they can't explain it.  As I'm not agile enough to get under the car to look at home, I'm taking the car to the dealer next week and want to see it up on the ramp so I can see whether the dealer has swapped my unused new spare wheel with someone else's.

Has anyone else had a similar experience ?
If you have 5 identical steel wheels then possibly wheels have been swapped around at service so they all get worn down at same rate? This would be the sensible thing to do. If spare is left untouched & not removed & repositioned several times a yr the sidewall will become damaged from the steel carrier frame & spare will not be usable when required. Also carrier retaining bolt should be greased or it can seize in place.
If it's of any use to anyone, I found that my Berlingo van consumed an average of one millimetre of tread depth per 10,000 miles of driving, when I used to regularly swap the wheels around every 10,000 miles (to bring the spare wheel into use). If you don't swap your wheels around (I can't swap now because I use directional Michelin CrossClimate tyres), then expect your front tyres to wear at 4 times the rate of your rear tyres.
I can't swap mine around due to the spare not having a TPWS.
Eight years old and the spare has only a couple of hundred miles on it Grrr.
(09-05-2016, 07:41 PM)doofer Wrote: [ -> ]The answer to the original post is probably just that the tread depth gauge isn't accurate.  These things usually cost about a quid - they're not scientific instruments.

I just look at the bumps inside the tread groove, as they are far more accurate.  They're usually level with the face of the tyre at about 2mm, so you get enough time to buy some more before they're illegal.

Yes, you're right. When I took the Blingo back to the dealer he used a different device, an accurate MOT digital gauge, and the readings were different.  I had been thinking that maybe someone had swapped my new spare wheel for a used one, but I saw that the tyre is still the new one as it has a maker's sticker on it and a yellow line around the centre circumference.

Thanks for all the replies anyway.