We’ve all seen those giant pieces of rubber on the side of the interstate. That rubber used to be a piece of retread glued to the outside of a semitruck tire. However, this retreaded rubber can eventually wear out and detach, creating a dangerous obstacle on the road.

Due to these unsightly “road gators,” retreaded tires have long received a bad reputation. The reputation is now even worse due to competition from Chinese tire manufacturers that can build and sell a brand new truck tire for only slightly more than the price of a retreaded tire. The thing is, some say that these Chinese-made new tires may not be as reliable as a retreaded higher quality tire.

Tires, nevertheless, may be retreaded up to two times, and this may be a better option than taking a risk on a cheaper, imported one. There is also the fact that a retreaded tire is better for the environment. A retread needs approximately seven gallons of oil, and a new tire requires approximately 22 gallons of oil. It also saves on landfill waste as old tires will be saved and reused again. If retreading companies can convince trucking companies that retreads are the way to go, it will help to provide more security to the approximately 50,000 jobs that the industry supports.

Although retreaded tires do have a lot of advantages, trucking companies need to take care that they service their retreaded tires in a timely fashion to avoid the tires falling apart and leaving dangerous debris on the road. If a motorist gets into an accident and suffers injuries as a result of this debris, the injured motorist will likely have a viable personal injury claim to pursue financial damages in court.

Source: Rubber News, “Retreaders still searching for industry’s respect,” May 12, 2017