Retreaded tires have come a long way. They are no longer as risky to use as when they first appeared in the tire market. These advancements give worn-out tires a second chance at life, with different technologies leading to varying levels of tire durability. However, it’s important to differentiate between remolding and retreading.
What are Remolded Tires?
Remolded tires closely resemble new tires compared to other retreaded models. They are made by taking the casing of a high-quality used tire, such as Goodyear or Michelin, that has passed thorough quality and durability inspections. After passing these checks, the remolding process begins.
Prior to remolding, the old tread is removed from the tire. Then, the tire is wrapped from bead to bead with industrial-grade rubber that is not vulcanized at this stage. The sidewalls are given a thin decorative layer of veneer. The next step is the curing process, which involves placing the tires onto corresponding mold presses based on their size and model. The curing process takes about 60 minutes.
During curing, the tire is placed into the mold and inflated to the appropriate pressure. The inflated casing pushes the unmolded rubber material, allowing it to adapt to the mold and create the desired tread pattern. Heat and pressure are then applied for a specific time to complete the curing process.
This remolding process effectively revitalizes the tire, restoring it to a new condition.
Are Remolded Tires Safe?
Remolding and retreading are two separate processes. Historically, giving tires a new life cycle was seen as risky due to the lower quality products produced by older technologies.
However, remolded tires receive a completely new tread and sidewall area during the curing process. The unvulcanized rubber material is cured onto the old tire’s casing structure from one bead to the other. This prevents tread separation during the tire’s performance, which is a common issue with retread tires.
The main difference between remolded and retreaded tires lies in the new rubber area they receive. Remolded tires have new rubber on both the tread and sidewall areas, formed from a continuous strand of rubber before being placed into the molding machine. On the other hand, retreaded tires only have new rubber on the tread area, which can separate from the tire’s casing as it is not connected to the sidewall area.
Considerable effort goes into creating remolded tires. This technology ensures that these models perform and behave like new tires, providing excellent traction and performance in various weather conditions while maintaining road contact for safer handling.
Price Point
Remolded tires are more affordable than new ones, there’s no denying that. The remolding process does not involve creating a tire from scratch. By recycling the casing of a worn-out premium tire, production costs are significantly reduced.
However, the tires still need to go through the process. The tire manufacturer must have separate molds for each tire size and model in order to offer a variety of options in the tire market.
All in all, remolded tires are the cost-effective choice. The state-of-the-art technologies used in their manufacture ensure safer performance and durability, enabling them to perform just as well as new tires.
