Retreading tires is a good way to help shed our dependence up the Mideast for oil, as it saves oil—a lot of oil!
The US-based Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau is reporting that while it takes 22 gallons (83 liters) of oil to make one average size truck tire, we only need use about 7 gallons to have it retreaded. Thus a fleet replacing around 100 tires annually would save 1,500 gallons (~5,680 liters) a year.
Oh, the so-called 'rubber alligators’ (scrapes of shredded tires) often seen on highways are more likely the result of poor tire inflation or overloading, rather than a blown retread. Even so, it's still an issue in my mind, as you don't see that with non-retreads no matter what the tire inflation...
jkavanagh says:
09:36 AM, 06/11/07
Okay, so it takes less oil to make a retread... but you get less life from a retread too. I'm curious what the net oil savings is once the shorter life is factored in.
Not to mention a the additional cost of a truck fleet's loss of productivity due to being sidelined, replacing retreads on the side of the road after they blow apart.
SubyTrojan says:
09:54 AM, 06/11/07
I wonder if there has been any estimate on how much automobile damage is the result of vehicles running into or over truck tire retreads. I hear of people being "victimized" by these all the time in Southern California. I ran over one going 60 mph or so in my WRX without sustaining any apparent damage. :o)
ateixeira says:
10:26 AM, 06/11/07
This isn't exactly unbiased. I wonder if that source accounted for the energy gained by recycling the old tire carcass, for instance.
The "Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau" surely has an agenda. I'd like to see a report from an independent organization. Surely they are funded by the retread industry.