WHAT IS THE PROCESS WE USE?

Initial Inspection:  The initial inspection determines whether a worn casing will be accepted for retreading, or rejected. This preliminary inspection is perhaps the most important step in the retread process. It determines whether the tire body is free of manufacturing defects, non-repairable damage and excessive aging. Tire bodies that are not capable of service through another tread life are rejected.

Buffing:  The worn tread is removed from a tire casing by buffing. The proper performance of the buffing operation is crucial to the retreaded tires future performance. Every tire model has a predetermined crown width, profile and radius. The casing must be buffed to the particular shape which will give the best tread-to-road contact. Part of the retreader’s expertise is his ability to buff the exact recommended dimensions. (A buffed casing will often be more true and round than the original tire.)

Casing Preparation/Repairing:  Injuries remaining in the tire casing after buffing can now be repaired if the damage is within acceptable limits. The repair professional is trained to recognize which injuries can be repaired and which cannot. Where injuries are too extensive, the casing must be rejected. The repair operation is a crucial step in the retread process.

Tread Application:  Once all repairs are made, the buffed casing is ready for a new tread. The retreader selects the appropriate tread in the strips or full circles of various designs, widths and thicknesses. In the pre-cure retread process, a cushion gum bonding layer is placed between the tread and casing. The proper tread width is applied to the prepared casing in a straight and even fashion. The tire then moves on toward the curing chamber.

Curing:  Curing, or vulcanization, is the process of bonding the new tread material to the prepared tire body. During the curing process, uncured rubber is transformed from a soft, tacky, stretchy substance to a tough, hard tread that resists abrasion and provides excellent mileage and traction. The prepared casing, with the new rubber in place, is put into the chamber where pressure and temperature, applied over the correct length of time, cure the cushion gum layer and bond the tread to the tire.

Final inspection:  The last step in the retread process is final inspection. At this station in the retread plant, all retreaded tires are closely inspected to insure that a safe and attractive product will be recycled to the customer.

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