Tire Tread Depth Gauge, Preciva LCD Digital Tire Tread Depth Gauge Tool with Decimal Inch and MM Conversion of 0-1 Inches/ 0-25.4mm(NO 32nds Fraction Inch Display).

I can’t really comment on the product’s performance as a tire tread depth gauge, because I used it for a completely different purpose: a gauge to measure the flatness of the bottom of a skillet. And it proved very effective.Unfortunately, many skillets are far from flat, causing the oil or other fat to run off to the sides. It’s easy enough to lay a straight edge across the bottom of a pan and look at the concavity, but to speak meaningfully of flatness, one must be able to quantify it, and I could not find a ready-made tool for making such a measurement. Most depth gauges—including expensive ones—have fairly short bases; what’s needed is to combine a depth gauge with a straight edge; in this case, the tread depth gauge was combined with a piece of aluminum angle; total cost was under $30.As can be seen from the first photo, there is a serious problem with that skillet; suffice it to say that a 2.07 mm bulge in the center causes almost all of the oil to run off to the side. The skillet in the second photo has a bulge of 0.46 mm, and it works fine. What’s an acceptable bulge? This tool cannot answer that question, but it is possible to measure what works and what doesn’t; in this case, the answer is clearly somewhere in between. The manufacturer of the first skillet claim they have no flatness spec; I have no reason to not believe them. Unsurprisingly, the manufacturer of the second skillet use an industrial-grade flatness tool—which also looks bespoke—but it’s clearly far more expensive than what I put together here, and far more than I ever could justify.FeaturesAmong other things, I chose this model because of fairly small diameter of the depth bar tip, which allows measurement of the center of a pan.The dynamic zero—probably standard on digital gauges of this type—is essential in my implementation because the bottom of the gauge is 1/8 inch above the bottom of the straight edge; accommodating this offset with most mechanical gauges would be awkward. The gauge seems to retain its zero after the display times out, saving the need to re-zero on a good, flat surface.Although it’s not indicated on the box, the gauge can be turned on by slightly moving the depth bar, which is slightly easier than pressing the on/off button.I honestly don’t see a big audience for this application; a consumer should not need to function as a manufacturer’s final inspection. But for someone who’s fussy about cookware, this could be a useful tool. And perhaps there are other, similar applications.Getting back to the product’s intended purpose: were I to use it as a tread depth gauge, as others have mentioned, I’d probably want a model that also indicated in 1/32’s of an inch, because that’s what’s used in many US state laws. Amazon offer quite a few versions of essentially the same product that offer that feature. But in this case, that feature wasn’t necessary.Several other reviewers have complained about durability; I haven’t had the product long enough to comment.

As a claims adjuster I inspect vehicles involved in auto accidents every day. Many of them are deemed total losses and in order to determine what their value was prior to being damaged, it is important to rate the vehicle's condition in many areas. Most of this is done visually and through photo documentation. However, I must also measure the tread depth of all 4 (or more) tires. A totaled vehicle with 4 bald tires will have a bit less value than one with 4 new ones. This tool can also assist when selling your car on line and will help the buyer know more about the vehicle's condition. The product itself is compact, lightweight, slim and fits easily in any pocket. It can be switched from metric to standard measurement and has a button to clear the prior measurement. Since I photo everything the best part is the digital numbers are easy to read and see in pics. It comes with a battery installed as well as an extra and since the product is only used a few seconds at a time, it should last a very long time. Great product for auto body and service centers as well as insurance appraisers. The every day Joe may not need this much but very nice product for the money. Keep in mind this is not an air pressure gauge, just tire tread depth.

Haven’t had one of these in a while, but bought one after having service work done of my vehicles and the shop said I needed to buy new tires since the tread wear was down to the minimum. Didn’t look like it to me. I measured them in several places and they all were about 5/32”. I’m pretty sure this is not the “new normal”.

The Preciva depth gauge is just one small step away from perfect. For the price of a mocha latte I now have a well-made, accurate depth gauge that will let me check my tire's tread wear before taking it to the mechanic. In the past, come inspection time, I would always cross my fingers, hoping my mechanic wouldn't fail me for worn tires. More times than not, I would get a call informing me that I needed new tires for inspection. Then, instead of being able to get a new set from Costco where they are both cheaper and come with a warranty, I would be forced to buy them from the mechanic. No more.The depth gauge is made of high-quality, impact-resistant plastic. It has a large easy-to-read display and a metal probe. It even comes with batteries installed. All-in-all it is a high quality instrument at a ridiculously low price. Why just short of perfect? Well, I wish it had a fraction setting like some other gauges. In Pennsylvania, the standard is for 32nds. So, I have to convert the reading when using. Not a big deal, but it adds a step to an otherwise ultra simple process.

It definitely works but is so sensitive that the very slightest movement in any direction will change the reading. Also the base of this is a little too narrow so when you place it perpendicular to the tire groove there is too little of the plastic setting on the tire to keep it steady and level. I had to take a dozen or more readings on each tire to get a good average. Overall I ended up with each front tire at 6.66 mm average between all 4 grooves which is 8.5/32. My manual gauge was between 8 and 9/32 which comes out to the same.Once I get the hang of it, I'm sure it get better, but it's frustrating to take many readings in the exact same spot and getting a different result each time due to the sensitivity of the unit plus it needs a wider base to stabilize the unit level on the tire. Not wider from left to right but in the thickness of the base from front to back. It's over 1/2 inch from side to side but 1/8 to 1/4 inch front to back.