Fleet Maintenance - 32

tions. Then, inflated to the correct pressure,
the casing is placed into a mold, which shapes
the uncured rubber into a tread pattern.
» Precure. This method uses a pre-formed and
cured tread, either in a strip or full circle,
and attaches it to the casing using a layer of
uncured rubber. A strip tread will have to be
spliced together once applied, whereas a full
circle can be applied with no seams or splices.
Ü Curing. Also known as vulcanizing, curing is
the process of securing the new tread to the
casing. The soft, uncured rubber is hardened
into tough, long-lasting tread. If the tread was
added using the mold cure method, the tire will
be heated in its mold for a specific amount of
time to cure the new tread rubber. If the tread
was added using the precure method, the tire
is placed into a rubber membrane which is then
sealed, and the air is sucked out. This is then
placed into a chamber where heat and pressure
are applied for a set amount of time to cure the
layer holding the tread to the casing.
Ü Final inspection. After curing, the retread tire
undergoes a final inspection to ensure there
are no flaws and the tire will prove reliable for
the customer.

» Once a casing has been inspected, buffed,
and repaired, it is ready to receive new tread.
Photo courtesy of Michelin

» Computer-guided systems buff and
retread tires to exact specifications.
Photo courtesy of Michelin

and second- and third-life retreads on the second
two (drive) axles and trailer before pulling the
Retreads can be beneficial to fleets, but it is importtires from service.
ant to have a tire management program in place
Michelin's Boarts and Stockstill agree that
the pull point should maximize the number of
to fully realize these benefits. A fleet with a sound
tire management program in place will often have
retreads per casing and include an age of service
a set rotation for the tires on its vehicles.
limitation for the first, second, and third life of the
"Most fleets with good tire management
retreads and their position. Some urban or severe
programs purchase new steer tires, and then
service fleets, such as sanitation fleets, can retread
retread those casings for use on the drive and
six to seven times on a quality casing, they say,
trailer axles," says Marangoni's Elliot.
adding that any tire coming out of service should
Many fleets will use new tires on the front axle,
be evaluated for damage and documented. This
evaluation will help the fleet
determine the best future tire
selections for the application
and for the best overall value.
THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN AUTOMOTIVE LEAK DETECTION
Regular maintenance is
the same for retreads as it is
THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN AUTOMOTIVE LEAK DETECTION
for new tires. Bandag's Jarrett
recommends the following best
practices for proper tire care:
Ü Select the right tire for
the application, considering
proper size, load carrying
capacity, speed capability,
and service type.
LEAKS DON'T STAND A CHANCE
Ü Maintain proper cold
inflation pressure for every
tire before each haul.
Ü Inspect tires for roadrelated damage such as
OEM-GRADE SOLUTIONS
AFTERMARKET SOLUTIONS
cuts, cracks, bulges, and
penetrations.
Ü Do not exceed the
HIGH QUALITY
maximum recommended
speed of a tire.
It is also imperative to moniEFFICIENT
tor
tread depth to determine
CO-SOLVENT
when to replace or retread
FREE
COST EFFECTIVE
tires. Government regulations require replacement at
TO LEARN MORE, SCAN QR CODE OR
or before 4/32" on steer tires
VISIT: WWW.TRACERPRODUCTS.COM
and 2/32" for all other tire posi-

Tire management

TWO BRANDS

MULTIPLE
SOLUTIONS

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32 Fleet Maintenance | June 2019

» After the new tread is applied and spliced,
it will be cured to secure it to the casing.
Photo courtesy of Michelin

tions. However, TRIB warns that it can be risky to
wait until a tire has reached this limit to retread,
since at that point there is very little tread left to
protect the casing from permanent damage that
could render the tire unusable.
If there is any doubt about tire maintenance or
when and where using retreads is appropriate, a
fleet can also utilize its tire and retread provider
as a resource for recommended practices when it
comes to new and retread tires. Tire specialists
can provide a wealth of knowledge to help optimize a fleet's tire program to get the most life, and
therefore value, out of each tire.

Considerations for retreading

There are many important factors a fleet should
take into account when considering retreads for
its vehicles. From new tire purchases to retread
type, it's worth reviewing the fleet's goals before
settling on a plan of action.
The most important quality when it comes to
retreading is using a casing that is in good condition. While higher quality casings may be more
expensive to purchase new, they can often be
retreaded more times than less expensive casings,
leading to a lower overall cost per mile.
"In every situation, a tire's retreadability starts
with the quality of its casings," says Goodyear's
Davis. "Fleets that want to optimize their new tire
investment through retreading should always
start with premium casings that have been maintained properly."
Another factor to consider is the type of tread to
attach to the new casing. Like new tires, retreads
can be specified for a variety of vehicle positions
and applications.
"The two most common positions are trailer and
drive," says Tom Clauer, senior manager of commercial and OTR product planning for Yokohama Tire.

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Fleet Maintenance

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