Get Even More Life Out of Your Truck Tire Retreading with Proper

As we’ve mentioned in this blog before, there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding truck tire retreading.  Some of these misconceptions have roots in earlier versions of the technology, from the 1980s, that did legitimately have issues.  Others, however, simply have no basis in reality – like the idea that retreaded tires have lower lifespans than standard tires.

When properly done, a retreaded tire is identical to a new tire.  In fact, some tire manufacturers – like Michelin – create their own retreading processes and rubber.  They go so far as to offer the exact same warranty guarantees on their retreaded tires as on new tires!  If tire retreading in any way harmed the durability of the tires, they simply would not do this.

So why do people tend to think that retreaded tires have shorter lifespans, or are more prone to blowout?  It just boils down to maintenance.

Tire Retreading Requires the Same Maintenance as Other Commercial Truck Tires

It goes without saying that a company looking into tire retreads wants to save money.   Unfortunately, many such companies take their cost-cutting a bit too far and start skimping on the maintenance of their tires as well.  A poorly maintained tire, whether new or retreaded, is going to wear out more quickly than one which is properly maintained.

If you hear people complaining about their retreads, chances are they simply aren’t taking good care of them.

As with new tires, it’s vital to maintain proper inflation.  In our own experience, nothing contributes to early tire failure more than owners/managers not staying on top of tire inflation.  Checking the tires’ pressure should be part of regular maintenance, and they should always be topped off once they dip below the manufacturer’s recommended PSI.

Likewise, tread depth should be checked carefully as well.  All other things being equal, a retreaded tire will wear down at roughly the same rate as a new truck tire – which means retreads are just as susceptible to losing tread depth.  Of course, the benefit here is that when the treads do wear down, the tire can just be retreaded again.