What are the pros and cons between a retread and a new tire on commercial trucks?
Retreads – a band of new rubber on the tread and up onto the sideways of a tire. Lower cost than new, can last about as long if taken care of. Recap – only the tread portion is replaced on a tire carcass. The cheapest way to go, you get what you pay for. Studies have shown that the rubber scraps on the road are not necessarily retreads, but from tires that are not cared for. Running any tire, on any vehicle, will damage the sidewalls, generate excess heat, and contribute to failure. This includes new tires on passenger cars. Running over objects will damage tires and cause cuts, punctures, bruising and breaking of the plys, and eventual failure. Retreads can return excellent value. A quality retreader will inspect and xray a tire carcass for damage and foreign objects, disqualifying those with damage. After retreading, another quality inspection is performed. Again, proper inflation and care of any tire is essential.
