In our busy lives and demanding schedules, who really has the time to thoroughly inspect the tires on their vehicle to determine if they need replacing? If you have your vehicle checked regularly by a mechanic, they will most likely tell you if your tires need changing. If it's been a while, check out these 5 ways to determine if you need new tires.
Smart driving habits and good maintenance can extend the life of a tire. At some point, however, wear and tear will catch up with them and they will no longer be operational. Car owners have the option of purchasing a new option or opting for a retread, which can be an efficient way to save money. Retreading is an option for tires that are slightly worn but still have enough rubber to be used for driving.
A worn carcass of a tire with good structural quality is removed from the car and the tread and rubber of the tires are renewed. The retreaded tire then goes through a vulcanization process that causes the new rubber to vulcanize to the original casing. The result is a new tire with a new tread pattern.
Some critics have expressed concerns about the quality of a retread.
They argue that the history of the tire is unknown, which means that overall structural strength can never be relied on when compared to a new tire. However, as long as you use a reputable tire manufacturer and fitter, you can rest assured that your retreaded tire will be manufactured and tested to strict safety standards.
Over the years, developments in the tire manufacturing industry have also meant the technologies and processes in the retread are much better. Tire carcasses are stronger and higher quality rubber compounds are used.
Tyre retreading is considered fairly safe and is used on a wide variety of vehicles.
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Retreaded tires are subject to a similar safety process as factory-made new tires. The retreading process is most suitable and advantageous for heavy duty tires, e.g. For example, construction vehicles, trucks, buses and military vehicles.
The labor and cost of retreading is much less and more environmentally friendly than making a new set of tires. A tire can be retreaded up to 10 times, dramatically extending its life and saving countless amounts of oil in production and reducing CO2 emissions and landfill. For organizations with large vehicle fleets, the savings can be huge.
Wear is an important factor for your vehicle's tires. You are endlessly exposed to the elements (heat, cold, snow, ice and water). Since rubber is a natural material and degrades over time, you should watch out for signs of wear and tear. Common signs are hairline cracks in the sidewall and between the tread blocks. If you discover these cracks (which expose the tire's inner material to the elements), your tires must be replaced immediately to avoid damage or problems with your vehicle.
This usually happens to a tire after a significant impact with a pothole or curb. Manufacturer errors can also cause this problem, but are less common. Buckling is caused by air getting between the inner layer and the outer layers of material (fabric, metal or rubber) of the tire, creating an air pocket in the weakened area. If this is not corrected, the projection can break and cause damage and/or serious injury.
Vibration is an indicator of various tire problems, from tire balance to runout problems. A major tire problem that can cause vibration is when the "belts" or inner cords of the tire separate or shift. Although this cannot be seen with the naked eye, it becomes very apparent when the tire is mounted on a wheel balancer. The separate tire ride is described as lumpy at low speeds, which transitions to very high-frequency vibration at highway speeds. A tire with these problems on the
will need to be replaced.
When is a tire considered worn out? The actual measurement of a tire that has exceeded its useful life is 2/32 of an inch. If you have a good depth gauge, just check your tires; If not, you can use this simple test to determine if your tires need replacing.
Tire age is related to some of the issues above, but is also affected by the date of manufacture. Typically, most tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires after 5 or 6 years with an absolute 10 year replacement schedule, regardless of tire condition or tread depth. Your tires have a date stamp on the sidewall showing the week and year the tire was manufactured. Use this stamp to assess the age and timing of your tire change.