How to read photos of used tyres and wheels

Photographs help you inspect details, but cannot replace a condition report or physical inspection. What to look for in photos of tyres and wheels, how to check tread depth and the production week and year, how wear bars differ from winter platforms, and the age guidelines given by the tyre industry association and tyre makers.

Go through the photos one tyre at a time: tread, sidewall and the wheel rim.

Tyres: what to look for in photos

Check each tyre in the photos for cracks and uneven wear.

1Tread 2Shoulders 3Sidewall 4Markings 5Repairs

Use the arrow keys to switch.

Press a number to see what to look for. Inside, compare how a normal part and a faulty one look.

1Tyre

Tread

What to look forRemaining depth, uneven wear, embedded objects

Normal

What you see: The pattern is crisp, the ribs and sipes are not worn smooth, and the groove depth is about even across the width.
What to do: Check the remaining depth against the measurements in the description and the photo of each tyre.

Centre wear

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: The centre ribs are smooth and shiny while the shoulders keep their pattern.
Cause: Most often linked to over-inflation; a rim that is too narrow is also named.
What to do: A photo cannot show the cause — have a specialist look at the tyre. If the cord shows, the tyre is replaced.

Source: Bridgestone, Yokohama, JATMA

Heel-and-toe wear

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: Each block is worn into a step, one edge lower than the other, and from the side the profile looks like a saw.
Cause: Named causes are under-inflation and tyres that were never rotated.
What to do: Have a specialist check the tyre.

Source: Bridgestone, Continental

Spot wear

Have it checked

What you see: On one patch of the circumference the pattern is gone — a smooth, shiny bald spot.
Cause: Named causes are wheel lock-up when braking, abrupt steering and imbalance.
What to do: Have a specialist check the tyre.

Source: Bridgestone

Wear indicator, 1.6 mm

Illustration, not a product photo

Do not use

What you see: The 1.6 mm bridge in the main groove is level with the ribs. The △ mark on the sidewall shows where it is.
What to do: If even one indicator is exposed, the tyre cannot be used. Earlier replacement is advised: Dunlop names 4 mm, Toyo about 3 mm.

Source: JATMA, Dunlop, Toyo Tires

Platform (winter tyres)

Illustration, not a product photo

Do not use

What you see: On a winter tyre a pad with a serrated top sits at the bottom of the groove: sunk when new, level with the blocks when 50% of the depth is left. The ↑ on the sidewall shows where it is.
What to do: If even one platform is exposed, the tyre is no longer used as a winter tyre; as a summer tyre the limit is the same 1.6 mm.

Source: JATMA, Bridgestone, Yokohama

Foreign object

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: A nail, screw, glass shard or stone is lodged in a groove or rib.
Note: Air can leak out slowly.
What to do: Do not pull it out yourself — have a specialist inspect the tyre. Repair or replacement follows.

Source: Bridgestone, Michelin

NoteDepth can vary from place to place

2Tyre

Shoulders

What to look forWear on one edge or on both edges

Normal

What you see: The shoulders are not rounded off; the pattern reaches the edge and the depth is even across the width.

Both shoulders worn

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: Both outer ribs are worn smooth and rounded while the centre keeps its pattern.
Cause: Generally linked to under-inflation; a rim that is too wide and sharp cornering at speed are also named.
What to do: Have a specialist check it: even with depth left in the other grooves the tyre may be unusable. If the cord shows, replace it.

Source: Bridgestone, Dunlop, Yokohama, JATMA

One-sided wear

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: Only one edge, inner or outer, is worn; the other still has its pattern.
Cause: Inner edge: toe-out, a lowered car, negative camber. Outer edge: a high centre of gravity (for example minivans) and cornering.
What to do: Have a specialist check the wheel alignment (camber and toe). Heavy wear means replacement.

Source: Dunlop, Michelin, Bridgestone

NoteWear on both edges is generally linked to underinflation

3Tyre

Sidewall

What to look forCracks, cuts, bulges

Normal

What you see: The rubber is smooth, with no cracks, cuts or bulges, and the markings are legible.

Cracks

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: A net of fine hair-like cracks on the sidewall (weather checking); sometimes a jagged crack runs along the groove bottom. Grown cracks open up and show the layer below.
Cause: Ageing of the rubber: ozone and UV light, under-inflation, overloading, storage in the sun.
What to do: If a crack reaches the cord, the tyre is not used. If not, it can stay in use under observation, but the depth cannot be judged by eye, so have a specialist check it.

Source: Dunlop, Toyo Tires, JATMA

Tyre age guide

Bulge

Illustration, not a product photo

Do not use

What you see: A dome-shaped bulge on the sidewall, most often near the shoulder or the bead; the rubber itself is intact.
Cause: A hard impact (kerb, pothole) breaks the cord inside, and the tyre bulges outward at that spot.
Note: A narrow vertical crease at the cord splice (a sidewall indentation) is normal and is not a bulge.
What to do: Do not use or repair the tyre.

Source: Dunlop, Continental, Toyo Tires

Cut

Illustration, not a product photo

Do not use

What you see: A ragged slit in the sidewall, often across the lettering. “Down to the cord” means the fabric cord layer is visible in the cut.
What to do: A cut down to the cord means the tyre is not used. Even if no cord shows, have a specialist look. The sidewall is not repaired.

Source: Dunlop, JATMA, JAF

NoteA tyre with a bulge or damage reaching the cords is not used

4Tyre

Markings

What to look forSize, production week and year, rotation direction

Size

How to read

What you see: The size is printed along an arc on the sidewall, for example “195/65 R15 91H”.

How to read the size

Date of manufacture

How to read

What you see: The last four digits of the code are the week and year: “1220” is week 12 of 2020. The code may appear on one sidewall only.
What to do: Inspection after 5 years, replacement 10 years after manufacture even if the tyre looks fine.

Source: JAF, JATMA

Week and year

Rotation direction

How to read

What you see: The word ROTATION with an arrow shows the direction of rotation when driving forward. Asymmetric tyres also carry OUTSIDE and INSIDE.

Source: Bridgestone

Wear-indicator marks

How to read

What you see: The △ on the shoulder shows where the wear indicator (1.6 mm) is. On winter tyres the ↑ shows where the platform is.

Source: JATMA

Repairs

What to look forPuncture repairs and other traces

No repair marks

Normal

What you see: No plug ends on the tread and no patch marks on the sidewall.
What to do: Damage on the inside may not show in photos — ask the seller.

Repair in the tread centre

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: A small round plug end may be visible on a centre rib; inside the tyre such a repair is covered by a patch.
Note: Under the JATMA standard only the tread centre is repaired: a hole of no more than 6 mm, no more than two, at least 40 cm apart.
What to do: Have it checked from the inside by a specialist. A repaired tyre is not fitted on the front axle.

Source: Toyo Tires, Continental

Repair at the shoulder or sidewall

Do not use

What you see: Plug or patch marks at the shoulder, on the sidewall or near the bead.
What to do: The shoulder, sidewall and bead are not repaired, so such a tyre is not chosen. A plug pushed in from outside with the tyre left on the wheel is not acceptable either.

Source: Toyo Tires, USTMA

NoteInternal damage may not show in photos

1 / 5

Source: JATMA, tyre handbook for passenger cars

Look at the photos tyre by tyre: a group photograph does not prove that all items are undamaged. Check each tyre's condition in the photos and description.

Tread: remaining depth, uneven wear, nails, metal fragments or other objects stuck in it.
Shoulders: whether wear is on one edge only or on both edges.
Sidewall: cracks, cuts and local bulges. The size and production week and year markings are here too.
Repairs: traces of puncture repairs and the like.

The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) advises against using tyres with damage reaching the cords or cracked rubber. Underinflation is said to wear both shoulders faster and overinflation the centre, but uneven wear has other causes too, such as the different forces at each wheel position, so photographs alone cannot show the cause.

Wheels: what to look for in photos

Look at both faces of the wheel, the rim and the centre bore.

1Face and rim 2Inner side 3Bolt holes and centre bore 4Standard marks

Use the arrow keys to switch.

Press a number to see what to look for on a wheel photo. Inside, compare how a normal part and a faulty one look.

1Wheel

Face and rim

What to look forScratches, kerb rash on the rim edge, corrosion, deformation.

Normal

What you see: The rim edge is smooth and the coating is intact, with no white bloom or chips.

Kerb rash

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: Bright scrapes on the outer rim edge and spoke edges, bare metal showing, with a scuff on the tyre sidewall beside them.
Cause: Contact with a kerb.
What to do: Surface scrapes are cosmetic. After a hard knock check for air leaks and balance; have a specialist look at deep scrapes at the bead seat.

Source: Enkei, Kuruma News

Bent rim

Illustration, not a product photo

Do not use

What you see: The rim edge is wavy or dented. Vibration, pulling to one side and a slow air leak can follow.
What to do: Stop using the wheel. An aluminium wheel cannot be straightened.

Source: Weds, Enkei, JAF

Corrosion and flaking

Illustration, not a product photo

Have it checked

What you see: White bloom and small blisters under the coating, later chips down to bare metal.
Note: Pay special attention to the bead seat (air leaks) and the spoke roots.
What to do: Surface-only corrosion is cosmetic; deep corrosion, or corrosion with air loss, needs inspection or replacement.

Source: Les Schwab

2Wheel

Inner side

What to look forCracks, welding traces, deformation.

Normal

What you see: No cracks, welding traces or deformation at the spoke roots or on the inner side.

Crack

Do not use

What you see: A hairline dark crack at a spoke root or where the spoke meets the rim; the paint around it may lift.
Note: The drawing is schematic: a crack may not show in a photo, so ask the seller about any side that is not shown.
What to do: Do not use a cracked wheel: manufacturers prohibit repairing, welding or heating it.

Source: Enkei, Weds

Welding or straightening marks

Have it checked

What you see: A rippled bead of weld metal on the inside of the rim or at the spoke roots.
What to do: Welding or straightening marks show the wheel was repaired; manufacturers do not allow cracks or bends to be repaired by welding or straightening. Have a specialist check it.

Source: Enkei, Weds

3Wheel

Bolt holes and centre bore

What to look forDamage or deformation around the nut seats and the centre bore.

Normal

What you see: The nut seats and the centre bore are even, without dents, chips or deformation.

Damage at the seats

Have it checked

What you see: Dents, chips or a distorted shape around a nut seat or the centre bore.
What to do: If damage or deformation is visible around the seats or the centre bore, ask the seller and request more photos.

4Wheel

Standard marks

What to look forOn light-alloy wheels, the JWL or VIA mark.

Mark visible

Normal

What you see: A light-alloy wheel carries a JWL or VIA mark.

No mark visible

Have it checked

What you see: The mark is not visible in the photos.
What to do: JATMA advises light-alloy wheels bearing a JWL or VIA mark. If the mark is not in the photos, ask the seller.

1 / 4

Check both faces of the wheel, the rim, the bolt holes and the centre bore in the photos.

Face and rim: scratches, kerb rash on the rim edge, corrosion, deformation.
Inner side: cracks, welding traces, deformation.
Bolt holes and centre bore: damage or deformation around the nut seats and the centre bore.
Standard marks: on light-alloy wheels, the JWL or VIA mark.
If a side is not shown in the photos, ask the seller.

JATMA advises using wheels without cracks, deformation or heavy corrosion, and light-alloy wheels bearing the JWL or VIA mark. Also check for traces of straightening or welding. Photographs cannot reliably establish whether a wheel runs true.

What to check on a wheel

Face and rim: scratches, corrosion, deformation
Inner side: cracks, welding traces, deformation
Nut seats and the area around the centre bore
JWL or VIA mark (light-alloy wheels)
Any side not shown in the photos: ask the seller

Tread depth, production year and week

The tread percentage alone does not tell you how long the tyre will last.

Illustration: the mascot measures tread depth with a gauge

Check the remaining tread of each tyre from its measurements and photos.

With uneven wear, the depth differs from place to place. A tread percentage alone cannot be converted to millimetres or used to determine remaining service life.

The production week and year are the last four digits of the serial code on the sidewall: the first two are the week and the last two the year, so 1220 means week 12 of 2020. Check the production year and, where a production-week marking is provided, the week.

Hub Garage

Hub Garage items

The tread depth in a listing is the value at the time of listing and does not show how long the tyre will last.

Production week and year

Hub Garage store guide

The tread percentage alone does not tell you how long the tyre will last.

Wear bars and winter platforms

The wear limit is 1.6 mm; winter tyres need at least 50% of their new tread depth.

Illustration: the mascot points at the tread pattern of a winter tyre

Tread grooves carry two kinds of wear marker.

Try it

Which marker appears first as the tread wears

Move the slider to wear the tread down.

Wear

The diagram only shows where the markers sit. Check the real depth by measurement and photos of each tyre.

Wear bar (slip sign): found on all tyres, it marks the wear limit. It appears when 1.6 mm of tread remains, and tyres with less than 1.6 mm may not be used under Japan's vehicle safety standards. Marks such as △ on the sidewall show where the bars are.
Platform: found on winter tyres, it marks the limit for use as a winter tyre. It appears when 50% of the new tread depth remains, and ↑ marks on the sidewall show where it is. Some winter tyres have no platform.

A tyre reaches its wear limit at 1.6 mm of remaining tread. On snow and ice, a winter tyre needs at least 50% of its new tread depth. A tyre has several platforms; once any one of them is exposed, do not use it as a winter tyre. According to a tyre maker, if such a tyre stays in use as a summer tyre, its wear limit is the same 1.6 mm.

Even with enough depth, a tyre with extreme uneven wear or exposed cords must not be used. The percentage in a listing does not show on its own whether the platform is exposed, so please ask if the photographs are unclear.

How the two markers differ4 rows

How the two markers differ
Item	Wear bar (slip sign)	Platform
Found on	All tyres	Winter tyres (some have none)
Appears at	1.6 mm remaining	50% of new depth
Sidewall mark	△ or similar	↑
Once exposed	Do not use the tyre	Do not use as a winter tyre

Source: JATMA, tyre handbook for passenger cars

Hub Garage store guide

The wear limit is 1.6 mm; winter tyres need at least 50% of their new tread depth.

Tyre age: guidelines

The production year is only a guide; check the photos and description too.

Try it

When was the tyre made: the sidewall code

Enter the last 4 digits of the sidewall code: the first two are the week, the last two the year.

Last digits of the code

Examples

JATMA recommends replacing a tyre 10 years after production. It is a guideline, not an expiry date.

A tyre is made of rubber, and rubber properties change over time. How much depends on storage and on how the tyre is used (load, speed, pressure).

The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) recommends having tyres checked by a tyre dealer after five or more years of use to see whether they can stay in service, and replacing tyres ten years after production (including the spare) even if they look fine. The vehicle maker may also give inspection or replacement intervals in the owner's manual.

The ten years is a guideline, not the expiry date of a particular tyre: depending on conditions, replacement may be needed sooner. Neither figure is a period during which a maker or seller is responsible for quality.

With a used tyre, it is not always known when it was first put into use. Check the production year together with the photographs and description.

Before you buy: checklist

Note which photo and where something concerns you — it makes your question clearer.

Illustration: the mascot explains wheel condition with photographs

Check in the photos and description

Separate photos of each tyre and wheel
Tread depth measurements and uneven wear
Production week and year
Cracks, cuts and bulges on the sidewall, and repairs
For winter tyres: whether a platform is exposed
Scratches, cracks and traces of straightening on the wheel faces and rim
The item's grade, and anything the description leaves out

Checked 0 of 7

Check these points in the photos and description — it makes it easier not to miss anything.

Note which photo and where something concerns you — it makes your question clearer.

Choosing at Hub Garage

If something matters to you and isn't in the description, ask us before you buy.

Illustration: the mascot presents newly received wheels

We wash and clean tyres and wheels on arrival and visually inspect scratches, dirt, wear, cracks and other visible damage.

Minor marks may be touched up; touch-ups and repairs do not make an item new. Cracks, puncture repairs and wheel straightening, welding or refinishing that we identify are stated in the item description. Internal damage and small air leaks cannot always be detected by visual inspection alone, and the absence of a note does not guarantee that there has been no repair or defect.

Our grades describe condition; they do not confirm fitment or roadworthiness. In a set, check the tyres and wheels separately.

If something in the photos is unclear, or the listing does not show the tread depth or the production week and year, please contact us with the item number before buying.

What to tell us

Item number
Which photo and which spot concern you
What you want to know (tread depth, production week and year, where the damage is, etc.)

Hub Garage

Purchase terms

Report defects in regular items within 7 days of receipt. C/D items have separate terms.

Cleaning and inspection Condition grades

Hub Garage store guide

If something matters to you and isn't in the description, ask us before you buy.

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