EXTENDING
LIFE WITH RETREADS
Retreads provide a cost-effective way of extending tire life.
“Fleet use of a retreaded tire three or four times is very common,” says Tim
Miller, Goodyear Tire and Rubber marketing communications manager.
For example, many fleets buy brand-new all-position tires for steer axle
tires, and subsequently have them retreaded for use on the drive axle. They may
then have them retreaded a third time for use on either the drive axle or their
trailers.
On- and off-highway operation typically requires even more retreads because
tire wear is quicker in a high scrub situation.
“Overall, there’s no set limit on how many times a tire can be retreaded,
provided its casing is in good shape and it meets the retreader’s
requirements,” says Doug Jones, customer engineering support manager for
Michelin North America.
“Retreads themselves are very dependable,” adds Bill Vande Water, manager of
consumer products, sales engineering, Bridgestone Firestone North American
Tire.
“Those tire pieces you sometimes see on the side of a road are not retreads.
They are new tires that ended up throwing tread because of poor maintenance,”
Vande Water says.
One reason many fleets keep their own casing molds to have retreads made is
they know the tire’s history - that it has been properly maintained and not
driven underinflated.
Ultimately, a fleet must run its ownevaluation and determine the cost
effectiveness of retreads, tire officials point out.
“The whole issue of how tires flow through the fleet — whether to use
retreads, how many times a tire will be retreaded, and at what point it should
be retreaded — really needs to be clearly defined as part of a good tire
management program,” said Michelin’s Jones.
CAUSES
OF IRREGULAR WEAR
Most tires wear out prematurely as a result of irregular wear, i.e., the tread
wearing unevenly across the face of the tire.
Typically, this results from improper inflation, misalignment, failure to
rotate the tires properly, or out-of-balance tires.
Proper Inflation. A critical factor in tire maintenance is proper
inflation, which impacts safety, as well as financial, issues.
Overinflation causes premature/irregular wear at the tire center and, at the
extreme, can lead to tire blowouts.
Underinflation, the most common culprit, causes excessive wear on tire
shoulders. Severe underinflation weakens the sidewalls, placing stress on the
carcass. It can lead to structural failures, including zipper cuts, sidewall
ruptures, or tread separations, posing real driving dangers. Find your truck
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