Fleet Maintenance - 33

"This is mainly due to the cost savings. Trailer tire
retreads are lighter weight and don't have the
stresses put on them as do drives. Drive retreads
are much heavier and require a top-tier casing... to
handle the heat and yet retain the cap."
Clauer adds that drive position retreads also
have much more demand placed on them, primarily traction for acceleration and braking. In more
severe operations, there can be additional stresses
due to loose materials where
wheel spin and coarse material damage is a potential issue.
He also notes that fleets
need to select the right tread
for vehicle usage. Highway
operations usually require
more shallow tread depths,
lower rolling resistance, and
resistance to heat at high
speeds. Fleets often use toptier tires that they purchased
new for the same properties.

Conclusion

There are clear benefits to using retreads for a
fleet's tire replacement needs. They make economical sense for many fleets, and they help to reduce
use of oil and the amount of tires making their
way to landfills. Additionally, drawbacks that may
have once been present are virtually nonexistent
thanks to modern technologies that have distilled

the retread process down to an exact science.
Still, retreads may not be the perfect solution
for every vehicle in every fleet. It is imperative
for a fleet to do proper research and utilize all
resources, including tire and retread manufacturers. Perhaps most importantly, fleets should
implement and adhere to a comprehensive tire
management program to ensure their vehicles'
tires are being utilized safely and efficiently.

BODY&CABIN

REPLACEMENT PARTS
FOR COMMON MAKES

Including: Freightliner, International, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt, Volvo

Modern
technologies
Present-day technologies have
made the retread process more
accurate and economical than
ever. During the inspection
process, high tech non-destructive testing processes
ensure casings are suitable to
be reused.
"Because of technologies
like shearography, fleets can
feel confident a casing is suitable for retreading and that
tires aren't pulled from service
too early, leaving money on the
table," says Bandag's Jarrett.
Computer-guided systems
buff and retread tires to
exact specifications, leaving
no doubt in the quality of
the retread, and full-circle
tread technology - such as
Goodyear's UniCircle and
Marangoni's Ringtread - allow
for seamless application.
"The seamless UniCircle
tread is applied to casings
using laser-guided technology,
after which the tread is precision-stitched," says Goodyear's
Davis. "Because there is no
cutting during the UniCircle
tread application process, the
resulting retread is uniform
and balanced, which helps
extend casing life and mileage."
The entire process is also
more efficient than ever before.
Marangoni's Elliott notes that
the introduction of advanced,
computer-controlled tire equipment in today's retreading
plants has resulted in higher
speed production.

ake &
M
y
B
e
s
w
o
Br

Model

Module
s
l
a
v
i
r
r
A
New

erview
P ro d u c t O v

Vi d e o s

These product support tools and more available on AUTOMANN.COM

VehicleServicePros.com/10120566

June 2019 | VehicleServicePros.com

http://www.AUTOMANN.COM http://www.VehicleServicePros.com/10120566

Fleet Maintenance

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance