Retreading, a tire is a good way to save money and eliminate environmental waste. It also reduces your overall cost of vehicle ownership as tires are the second largest expense in automotive maintenance. Retreading is a safe practice and can make old tires perform like new tires in both performance and safety. There are however some tires that you should not refurbish. In this article I will discuss where to find your local shop, some insights on recapping, and my experience with the tire retreading near me.
Tire Retreading Near Me – Find a Local Retreader
The map below displays your local results for “Tire Retreading Near Me”. Sometimes these shops are also local tire stores and related automotive businesses. If your results seem limited you may need to broaden your search range.
What is Retreading
Retreading is also called Recapping or remolding. It is a refurbishing manufacturing process performed on tires to replace worn out treads. A retread is applied to the casings of used tires that pass a safety inspection. When a tire goes through the recapping process is saves about 90% of the original materials. Also the material cost for the re-tread is about 20% of what a new tire would cost.
The process is literally pulling of an old worn out tread and attaching a new tread.
What Are The Benefits of Retreading
Retreading has a handful of benefits including making your tires like like new. Most notably it will cost less than purchasing a new set of shoes for your vehicle. Here are some retreading stats:
- Environmental Benefits: The amount of oil used to retread is 66% less oil then manufacturing a new tire
- Cost Benefits: You will save 30% to 50% off buying new tires
Is Refurbishing a Tire Safe
Refurbishing a tire is safe according to the TRIB Tire and Retread Information Bureau . It is considered so safe in fact that almost 80% of all aircraft tires go through the retread process. Also all US federal vehicles are required to use retreads when available. The drawback is usually assessed in ride comfort and not safety. People often complain that retreads don’t offer as smooth of a ride as a new tire. There are a few potential safety issues, but not certainly as dangerous as driving on bald tires.
In the US the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledges there is a public perception that retreads are less safe. People feel that way because heavy equipment vehicles and semi trucks leave chunks of rubber debris on the roadways. The agency continues to research how much is related to retreads vs standard tires and how it may relate to tire failures and safety concerns.
How Do They Recap a Tire
Recapping starts with inspecting the tire and then a process to find non-visible damage and punctures. Sometimes the casings are repaired or thrown away. If a casing is in good condition it can actually be retreaded many times over. If a casing passes inspection, the old tread is buffed out.
Once a tire has passed inspection and had its tread buffed out it will either be Pre Cured or Mold Cured. A Pre Cure is when a previously prepared tread is cemented to the casing. Its the most common method of retread, but leaves a seam on the tire. A Mold Cure is when raw rubber gets applied to the tire casing and then dipped in a mold where the tread is formed. Each tire needs a new mold created.
What Kind of Tires Can Be ReTreaded
Some common vehicle types that go through the process are race cars, buses, delivery trucks, heavy duty equipment trucks, Semi trucks and airplanes. The practice use to be very common up until around 2008, where it stopped being done for passenger vehicles. Some of the reason it stopped was ride discomfort and safety concerns. Another contributing factor was cheaper new tires came on the market, eliminating the need to retread.
You can retread used tires, but it will require the casing to pass inspection. If you are already saving money getting a used tire in good condition, you may save more when its ready for recapping.
How Long Will a Refurbished Tire Last
If the casing is good a tire can be retreaded multiple times. A commercial vehicles tires can last up to 600,000 miles if they’re retreaded two to three times. The key is that the tire age also isn’t over 6 years, that’s when the rubber chemical compounds begin to show rot.
This is why commercial vehicles and heavy equipment are more likely to get retreaded. In a short amount of time they are exposed to massive mileage. By refurbishing the tire tread you can get significant more mileage out of the tire at a fraction of the cost of getting new ones.
When to Retread vs Get a Replacement
If the casing is good and not aged past 6 years, you can always retread. However it’s common that the ride you get isn’t so comfortable. If you need to save money and don’t care as much for a smooth ride, retreading is an option. If you value a smooth ride, your tire age is older then 6 years, or your casing has been damaged or repaired before, opt for new tires. You can read more about the signs its time to replace your tires here.
Do Local Tire Shops Near Me Do Recapping
In my experience local tire shops do not do this. Special equipment is required for the recapping process. Therefore you need to find a local tire retreader near me. Only at these places can you get this service done. Most shops you find will likely do the Pre Cure method we discussed above.
Tire Retreading Near Me – Conclusion
Tire retreading has huge environmental impacts. In 2006 17.6 million retreads were on the road in the US. This helps keep tires out of landfills, salvage yards, and reduces overall waste of new tire production. While there are some drawbacks to retreading, the good outweighs the bad especially when you consider cost of new tires. This is what I have learned for the tire retreading near me. These are also one of the places who will buy your used tires..