Technical

FAQ's

Remoulds are the closest to new tyres amongst retreaded products. This technique places new rubber around the whole tyre, from one bead to the other, which prevents tread separation. Versatile moulds are used to shape the new tread pattern depending on the specific tread desired. Each tread pattern needs a different mould and tyres can be made from specific compound.

A retreaded tyre is any tyre that receives a new life cycle by adding a new layer of rubbed on the tread area. Pre Cure Retreading is a technical process where a high quality tyre casing is used and given a new tread.

The process starts by adding a thin layer of cushion gum along the tread area. This will adhere the vulcanised pre-cured tread to the tyre. After the cushion gum is added, the retreader adds the vulcanised pre-cured tread pattern onto the tread area. These are held together by staples until they are put into the curing chamber. Multiple tyres can be cured at once, which speeds up the process. In the curing chamber, a mix of pressure and temperature is used for a specific amount of time to bond the tread to the cushion layer.

In this manner, the worn out tyre receives only a new tread area with a pre-made tread pattern, which is practically glued to the tyre in the curing process. This technique is usually only used with commercial grade and industrial tyres, that need more durable casings.

Mould Cure Process
Mould cure retreading involves first applying a non-vulcanised rubber tread directly to the top of the buffed tyre. The freshly rubberised tyre is then placed into a the mould, which contains the appropriate tread design. The mould is then heated, which causes the rubber within the mould to vulcanise and adhere to the tyre with precision (cooking). One tyre at a time in each mould. It’s a process that is almost identical to the way the world’s leading manufacturers produce new tyres.

Pre cure Process
The pre cure style of tyre retreading involves the use of rubber strip or ring that has already been vulcanised with the new tread design. You can have a choice of ready made strip. A thin layer of cushioned gum is placed on the tread area of the newly buffed tyre and the pre-cured tread is then applied. The cushioned gum works as a bond to attach the new layer of precured tread to the tyre. The tyre is then placed directly within a curing chamber to complete the adhering stage. Several tyres can be cured at one time.

The pros and cons
In examining the various merits of the pre cure and the mould cure style of tyre retreading, it’s important that you select an option that is right for your vehicle. Many prefer the aesthetic value of the mould cure tires because the tyres don’t have the visible bond line, which can be found on some pre cure tyres. Others prefer a well made pre-cure tyre with a quality casing.

Retreaded tyres account for nearly one-half of all replacement tyres in the American truck tyre market, 70% of UK supermarket lorries and 25,000 UK buses are fitted with retreads. They can be used on all Drive and Trailer positions as well as on second steer positions and alround on non-passenger transport vehicles. 95% retreads used in the UK are manufactured in the UK.

Benefits
Whether you remould / retread your own casings or purchase them from a dealer, using retreads has many notable benefits. Rereading is economical and environmentally friendly. Remould / Retread quality is now better than ever.

Economical
Retread tyres perform like new tyres, but for a fraction of the cost. Remoulds / Retreads sell from about 50% percent of the comparable new tyre price – a significant savings for fleets. Alterever’s new tread patterns have the low rolling resistance, with fuel efficiency benefits that can meet or exceed many new tyres with compounds that are developed specifically for each application.

Environmental
Retreading is environmentally friendly and should be considered as the best practical environmental option for tyre recycling. Unlike other forms of tyre recycling or disposal, retreading does not simply defer the eventual disposal of the tyre, but actively contributes towards reducing the amount of tyres being used and hence saving valuable natural resources. Since 2006, tyres have been banned from landfill (they are now reprocessed into playground flooring, roofing, a wide range of other uses, or just burnt for energy). Yet we still get through 450,000 tons of tyres each year – 100,000 tyres a day – in the UK.

The Retread Manufacturers Association (RMA) estimates that the retread process requires at least 20 fewer litres of oil than producing a new car tyre from scratch. For a truck tyres that’s 68 litres and 100s of litres for larger specialist agricultural tyres. Every retread produced means one less new tyre, thereby minimising the number of new tyres produced annually, extending the life of the original product and saving substantially on resources. Retreading a tyre costs anywhere from 30% to 70% less than manufacturing a new tyre.This is consistent with European sustainable development policy.

The Centre for Manufacturing and Use commissioned a survey in July 2008 “Carbon footprints of tyre production – new versus remanufactured”. A report comparing the carbon footprint of a new and a retread tyre for use by light commercial vehicles. The study found that retreading offers significant carbon savings over a tyre lifecycle in comparison to new tyre manufacture.

This report compares the carbon footprint of a new and a retread 17.5” tyre for use by light commercial vehicles. Retread tyres are tyres where a new tread is applied to a used tyre casing. This process effectively increases the number of cycles for a tyre casing, and this project was commissioned to assess the carbon balance of new tyre production compared to retreading.

This study shows that a 17.5” new tyre produces 86.9 kg CO2 emissions compared to 60.5 kg CO2 for an equivalent retread tyre. These figures are based on each retread tyre being resurfaced an average of 1.3 times (which is a figure supplied by a remanufacturer). This equates to a reduction of emissions by 30%.
Alterever’s Terminal tyres save circa 80% of the materials that are normally required to manufacture new tyres, significantly reducing the impact on the environment. Each tyre is designed specifically for it’s application with a bespoke compound for high impact resistance and reduced tread wear. The simplicity of the tread design reduces rolling resistance which in turn leads to lower fuel consumption.

Premium tyre casings are used and the manufacturing process adheres to ECE Regulation 109 and ISO9001:2015 ensuring minimal waste and energy conserving fabrication.

Along with retread benefits, there are also retread tyre myths and untruths. You may have heard myths about the quality, reliability, and longevity of recapped tyres, asking questions like “Are retread tyres safe?” or “How are retread tyres made?” With new tyre retreading tools and manufacturing methods, retread tyres have improved significantly in recent years and are a viable option for fleet tyres, truck tyres, airline tyres, port tyres , agricultural tyres and more. To get an idea of how retread tyres have improved, take a look at a few common myths and reconsider the facts for yourself.

Myth #1 – Retread Tyres Aren’t Safe
Some people think that retread tyres don’t have proper structural integrity because new tread is moulded over used tyre casings. But casings on properly maintained tyres don’t experience the level of wear that tread does, so it’s perfectly safe to retread the casings to extend their life. The strength of the tyre is in a sound casing .

Myth #2 – Remoulded Tires Are Ugly
The appearance of a finished remoulded tyre has a lot to do with the skill and thoroughness of the retreader. That’s why truckers choose high-performance retread truck tyres, like the Marangoni tread tyres made by Alterever – tyres that have the quality and looks of a new tyre. Mould Cure tyres can be designed with bespoke treads to suit each user’s requirement and pre-cure treads can be chosen from many popular tread options .

Myth #3 – Only New Will Do
There will always be customers preferring and demanding new tyres However, for the budget or environmentally conscious fleet manager / end user, retread tyres are a good choice and last as long as most new tyres. You can expect today’s new Alterever retreads to perform equal to, if not better than, a quality new tyre. And they’ll certainly outperform a budget Chinese and Indian products.

Myth #4 – Retread Tyres Get Bad Mileage
A quality retread delivers mileage on par with many new tyres. Just as new tyre mileage varies widely, so does retread mileage. The variation is attributed to a complex mix of tread compounding, tread weight, tread design and casing structure. Correct tyre maintenance is key to efficient mileage.

Myth #5 – Heat Kills Retread Tyres
Heat can ruin any tyre, new or not. In most cases, heat build-up is due to under-inflation. That’s why proper inflation is so important, no matter which tyre you’re running.

A top cap is an “old -fashioned name” for a pre-cure retread, somewhat understating the technical process of vulcanising a ring or strip tread to a top quality casing.

Under the right conditions and provided there is a healthy casing, a tyre can actually be retreaded multiple times offering a total life expectancy of over 375,000 miles – 15 times round the world!

When properly cared for, a retread tyre can drive within its specified speed and load capacity exactly the same as a new tyre can, performing just as well. Retread tyres, like new, should be considered for replacement at around six years and most definitely by ten years, depending on driving conditions.

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