Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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Equipment: Retreads ronmental targets they would like to meet,��� Fanning says. Many of today���s retreads also are engineered to reduce fuel consumption. ���With careful selection, fleets won���t miss out on the reduced rolling resistance that used to be found only with new tires,��� he says. Many heavy-duty fleets set rules and standards for casings sent for retreading, and those practices can be emulated by small and medium-duty fleets. Starting a retread program ���A linehaul fleet may set a standard that they only run The number of times a tire can be retreaded is situational and depends on a number of factors. Harvey Brodsky, man- casings that are no more than five years old, only have a ceraging director of the Retread Tire Association, says the main tain number of repairs and have only been retread twice,��� issues are the quality of the fleet���s tire maintenance program says Ron Gilbert, Kumho Tire U.S.A.���s director of commercial tire sales. and the applications where the tires are used. While such standards generate more A fleet running trucks in rocky terrain ��� rejections, they help the fleet reduce posuch as building projects or unpaved roads tential road service calls and downtime ��� is far more likely to get only one retread by removing casings that do not meet because of damage caused to the casing. specifications. Meanwhile, many sanitaA fleet running over the highways on tion fleets may extend the timeframe the interstate, where the roads generand number of allowable retreads to ally are in good condition, will enjoy maximize the casing���s value and use. more retreading opportunities. ���In a well-maintained linehaul fleet ���A fleet with a proper and wellwith a good tire and retread program, maintained maintenance program can it is not unusual for a fleet to get get up to three retreads before the tire���s the original tread, plus two to three life is over ��� one retread for use in a retreads from a tire,��� says Gilbert, who drive wheel position, and the other two lists some basic starting factors to ensure retreads for use on trailers,��� Brodsky says. a used tire and retread program���s successFleets starting a tire program should ful implementation: understand that retread and used tire Yokohama���s RY407 ultrawide-base trailer ��� The initial purchase of a good qualprograms are different in nature, says tire is designed for added fuel efficiency ity new tire; Tom Fanning, Continental Tire the and weight savings, as well as increased ��� A dedicated overall vehicle and tire Americas��� director of replacement sales, durability and retreadability. maintenance program; and North and Central America. Any tire ��� Support by a top-quality completeremoved from service for any reason service tire dealer and retreader. should be inspected thoroughly by a qualified professional Today���s retread tires retain all the characteristics of new before the decision is made to put it back on a truck. tires, Totten says. ���You can spec the exact same tread pat���Many fleets remove tires in pairs for proper matching and miss this important step on the ���good��� tire that is placed terns on the retread tire that came on the tire when it was new,��� he says. in the rack for future use,��� Fanning says. ���That lack of in���There is absolutely no degradaspection can potentially place a questionable tire back into tion in terms of performance or service and cost the fleet expensive downtime that is easily efficiency when running reavoided.��� Casings sent for retreading are inspected before treads.��� and after the retread process and should be ready to return The longer a fleet can keep a to service when needed, he says. Retreading a casing not only extends the tire���s life, it also saves oil and other natural resources required to create a Kumho���s KMA01 steer and trailer replacement tire; it also reduces the tire contribution to tire is designed with an advanced landfills. belt package that enhances casing ���This can be very important for fleets interested in reintegrity and uniformity for higher removal mileage and retread quality. ducing their carbon footprint or who have specific enviinitial tread life ends,��� Totten says. ���The cost of a retread tire is half that of a brand-new tire.��� Totten says the math is simple: Buy a new tire for full price, and once it wears out, it can be retreaded for half the initial acquisition cost. ���You can do that up to four more times,��� he says. ���The savings are significant.��� 48 commercial carrier journal CCJ_0413_EquipFeature.indd 48 | april 2013 3/19/13 3:44 PM