**WHEN IS A TIRE TOO OLD TO RETREAD?**

### 

###  **It All Depends**

The retreadability of a bus or truck tire is not simply a function of
the tire's age. There are a number of other considerations that go into
determining whether or not a casing is fit to be retreaded, says Harvey
Brodsky, Managing Director of the Tire Retread Information Bureau
(TRIB), a non-profit, member-supported industry association dedicated to
the recycling of tires through retreading and repairing, and to
promoting proper tire maintenance for all tires.

Retread considerations include:

\- Application in which the tire was used - for example line-haul,
pickup and delivery or on-/off-highway operations.

\- Type of equipment the tire was and will be used on - for example,
single- or dual-axles, refuse trucks, urban delivery vehicles, etc.

\- How well the tire was maintained and operated.

\- Number of times the tire has been retreaded.

\- Customer's specific specifications.

Another impacting determinant on a casing's retreadability is its number
and type of repairs. Just because a casing may have been repaired
several times doesn't mean it is not a candidate for a full and useful
additional life, Brodsky emphasizes.

As long as the repairs have been properly completed, the repair units do
not overlap and the same radial body cable is not injured more than
once, a radial truck tire can receive an unlimited number of repairs.
Fleets have different specifications on the number of allowable repairs.

"The purpose of all these considerations is to get casings that will
perform well as retreaded tires in particular applications," says
Brodsky.

A new tire in a service application with poor attention to equipment and
tire maintenance can turn a tire "old" well before its calendar life is
over, and may not be suitable for retreading, he points out. On the
other hand, a tire that by the calendar is older but has not been
subjected to conditions that cause premature casing loss, is likely to
be retreadable multiple times.

"In fact," Brodsky points out, "every major reputable commercial tire
manufacturer, with no exception, designs its tires for multiple lives,
meaning the tires are designed to be retreaded."

Causes of premature casing loss, all of which can be avoided, he notes,
include:

\- Inadequate attention to tire inflation pressure and tire maintenance.

\- Overloading beyond a tire's rated capacity.

\- Using tires unsuited for particular applications.

\- Lack of vehicle maintenance, especially wheel alignment, vehicle
alignment and front tire balancing.

Tires, like any other rubber product, age, although aging may not
exhibit any external indications. Among the other factors that influence
the average life expectancy of a tire are weather and climate
conditions, sitting for extended periods of time and the amount of
weight on the tires and storage conditions.

The calendar age of a tire can be determined by reading its Tire
Identification Code (serial number) found on the sidewall. This code,
required by the U.S. Department of Transportation, identifies the week
and year the tire was manufactured, the manufacturer and its plant code
and the tire size.

For tires produced after 2000, the last four digits reveal the week and
year of manufacture, with the first two numbers for the week and the
next two for the year. To illustrate, a tire with a Tire Identification
Code of DOT XX XX XXX 1204 would have been manufactured on the twelfth
week of 2004.

Tires manufactured before 2000 only have three numbers to show the same
information. So a tire with a Tire Identification Code of DOT XX XX XXX
128 would have been manufactured on the twelfth week of 1998.

When it comes to retreading, the general consensus is that a tire six
years old or older might be suspect, Brodsky advises. But in the final
analysis, it is the retreader's job to determine the retreadability of
casings, since some older casings might still be candidates for
retreading.

This is done through a thorough visual inspection, typically followed by
the use of various high-tech, non-destructive inspection equipment. This
equipment is used to uncover invisible damage, such as manufacturing
defects and signs of impact that might have damaged the steel cords
within the casing.

"The appropriate and informed use of these inspection techniques allows
the retreader to make a sound determination of the retreadability of a
worn casing based on more than just its calendar age," states Brodsky.

"The last thing any quality retreader wants to do is retread a tire that
will not endure another useful life," he goes on. "Quality retreaders
would much rather reject the casing, even if it means a disgruntled
customer. The philosophy of quality retreaders is that it is better to
have an unhappy customer now than a tire failure that may possibly incur
safety hazards to equipment and life."

Brodsky urges fleet managers and truck drivers to visit a retread plant
to learn more about the casing inspection techniques in use today and to
see just how sophisticated and precise the retread industry has become.
"Then, when a retreader rejects a worn tire, the fleet manager or
trucker will have a better understanding of why and can take steps to
improve his tire maintenance to prolong the useful life of his casings."

For additional information, or to arrange a plant tour, contact the Tire
Retread Information Bureau (TRIB) toll free from anywhere in North
America at 888-473-8732, send an e-mail to <info@retread.org> or visit
TRIB's website at [www.retread.org](http://www.retread.org/).