Milton S-448 Tire Tread Depth Gauge

Works as intended. It checks the tire tread in 32nds of an inch up to an inch from 1/32 to 32/32. The gauge is sleek and easy to use; and it does not feel cheaply made. Definitely worth the extra couple of dollars--I only just purchased it but I can tell I will have this a very long time. Also, the edges on the support that the tire rests on are fairly sharp... If you're handy you'll find a use for it, I was able to use it as a box cutter for my other Amazon packages.

Being in the auto industry for years, tire tread depth gauges are literally the basic necessity when completing multipoint inspections for the tire section. Full weighty metal construction, PERFECTLY accurate out the box, and has a lush movement up and down. Just fyi for you mechanics out there, the Matco truck does sell these same ones. Their price is about $60 per unit! I bought this in a pack of 10 for $38 :D. Trust me if you want an accurate professional grade tread depth gauge that's going to last you for a long time these Milton gauges are it. Don't waste time with those cheap plastic ones that get less accurate the more you use them

Milton S448 Tire Tread Depth GaugeThere are many reviews that state that this device is hard to use.I think if you understand my explanation belowyou will find that it is not hard to use,and turns out to be a fairly convenient device.Parts of the Milton S448Barrel - The measuring barrel (the part with the numbers on it)Bar - The tire depth bar (the part that goes into the tire tread)Flanges - The flanges (the two flat pieces of metal that press against the tires surface)Understanding the BarrelPush the bar all the way up to the flange (thus all the numbers are showing on the barrel).Find the column whose bottom most number is 0 (zero) with a line under the number.This column counts up by 0, 4, 8, ..., 28, 32That is the first column. Each successive column rotating to the right is the next column.There are 4 columns of measurements on the barrel.They all work together as one measuring device.The units are in 1/32 of an inch.Rotating right from the first column is the second column starting with 1 (one) and counting up 1, 5, 9, ...Rotating right from the second column is the third column starting with 2 (two) and counting up 2, 6, 10, ...Rotating right from the third column is the fourth (last) column starting with 3 (three) and counting up 3, 7, 11, ...Rotating right from the fourth column is the first column again.When I say rotate right, that means to move your eyes to the next number that is to the right.[Note: I guess technically that is rotating the barrel to the left (or clockwise).However, I feel it is easier to explain using your eyes as the reference frame of rotation.]Begin with the first column, at zero,and rotate right one column, to one,and rotate right one column, to two,and rotate right one column, to three,and rotate right one column, to four, (which is the initial column again)this pattern will continue, increasing by one (or 1/32 of an inch each time),until you hit 32 (or one inch).Using the GaugePress the barrel all the way down to the flanges.You can see some or all of the number 32 but NOT the line below 32.Place the bar into the tire thread.Press the two flanges down until both are flat with the surface of the tire.The barrel should stick in place, so feel free to remove it for convenient reading of the measurement.Look at the barrel and find the lowest line you can see next to the flanges.The number directly above it is the depth (in units of 32's of an inch).Even if you can see other numbers on the other columns next to the flanges;only the number whose line you can see below it is the actual reading.I experimented with this device on many different tiresand measured the bar with a tape measure which had 1/32 of an inch unitsand compared that to the barrel reading and it was spot on every time.

Miles ahead of the cheap tread depth gauges with the colors on them. These are always going to be perfectly calibrated, are easy to read as they only display 32nds, and it can even be used as a little flathead prybar in some situations. Only for really light things though.

I saw Kenneth C. took a pic and mentioned the inaccurate version he got in a plastic bag and, when Amazon sent him another one in the actual packaging, received an accurate replacement. Well, mine came in a plastic bag, NOT the Milton packaging so I was immediately alarmed. I have a Dino-Lite digital microscope so decided to nerd out and take a good look at this item. I took two pics. One at 50X magnification and one at 25X. I drew lines with measurements. When you set the correct magnification setting in the Dino-Lite app the measurement lines tend to be very reliable. When I look at the hashmarks for the 4/32nd and 8/32nd marks in the 50X pic there seems to be a somewhat acceptable tolerance error. But then when I took the same measurements in the 25X view, and included two more marks because of the wider field of view, you see that the hashmarks appear to be spot on. Not sure what to make of that. However, my copy of the item does zero out correctly when set on a flat surface and at 25X the hashmarks seem to also be perfectly calibrated at 1/8th of an inch intervals. The plastic bag thingie pisses me off, so perhaps I'll call the nice people at Milton to ask them what's up with that. Other than that am happy I was able to buy an American made item. I wish more stuff on Amazon was of that origin. As a retired Air Force officer I'd much rather buy something made in the good ol' U.S. of A. even if it costs a little more. Deducted one star for the chinese-made plastic bag it came in and the substandard way this was shipped to me.

I looked at a few other brands of these, and this Milton product is by far the best for quality. It's all aluminum....whereas all the others seem to be all/partly plastic, and many of their reviews mention breaking after a short time. This one is all aluminum....and should last for a very long time.

Simple and reliable solution. easy to read for me, an older guy with diminishing eye sight.