Retreaded tires or new tires - an alternative?

It is planned for the car retreaded tires to buy? The price and the environmental aspect speak for it. Yes they are for sure and Well? Besides the price and the ecological aspect, there are other factors that for and against talk about buying retreaded tires. But retreaded tires are also included New tires comparable and what about the Safety? We have summarized all the facts on this topic for you.

Retreaded tires or new tires?

If the Winter- or summer tires drivers have already had their best times Committed to replace them. But many don't want to dig too deeply into their pockets. Therefore, in addition to high-quality new tires are often also cheap new tires from the Far East or Used tires an option. Amazingly less known are so-called retreaded tires, It refers to Old tireswhich by applying a new tread look like straight from the factory.

Retreaded tires: what does the term mean?

Retreaded tires are nothing more than as good as new tireswhich from already used tires getting produced. There are numerous companies that specialize in this area. They buy used tires and wear on the base of the tires that carcass, a completely new one Tread compound on. So the tires look like new again.

The newly applied mixture is suitable for all types of tires, such as Summer-, Winter or All season tires. If the retreaded winter tires also do that Alpine symbol, so one snowflake carry in a three-pointed mountain, they also meet all the requirements of the German Winter tires are mandatory.

Where can you buy retreaded tires?

While retreaded tires were quite popular in the post-war period and the material shortage prevailing in the GDR, there are now only two plants in Germany that manufacture such tires. In Dissen (Lower Saxony), retreaded tires are manufactured by the company "Reifen Hinghaus" under the brand name "King Meiler". With the Rigdon company there is another company in Günzburg that produces retreaded tires. In the meantime, however, the Internet has become the main sales channel for retreaded tires.

What about the price difference?

Retreaded tires are natural due to the existing casing günstiger as new tires. Compared to Premium new tires can loose 50 percent saved with cheaper new tires from the Far East the savings are around 20 percent but less. Are not an alternative Used tires, these are often already damaged and can therefore lead to accidents.

How are retreaded tires made?

The carcass of the used tire is made using laser technology x-rayed and severely damaged tires sorted out. Then the old one Tread rubber Removed to the contour using space machines. Then using Receipt extruder a new Raw rubber compound applied. Then the green tire moves into the Heating presswhere it gets the new profile under a pressure of 15 bar and at a temperature of 160 ° C. During this process the rubber goes through what is called vulcanization from the plastic to the elastic state.

Are retreaded tires more environmentally friendly?

Retreaded tires are definitely more environmentally friendly as new tires. Every year around 60 million old tires on, but only half of it closes rubber granules processed, which is later used in sports parks as artificial turf or as a surface for running tracks or used for the production of insulating mats.

Since the carcass is also re-used for the production of retreaded tires, it comes to a Lower consumption of raw materials such as steel or rubber. Let's take a heavy truck as an example, which would be replaced by retreaded tires approx. 50 kg Raw material can be saved. It is also used in the manufacture of retreaded tires as well 80 percent less water, 70 percent less crude and 50 percent consumes less energy than when producing new tires.

What about security?

The retreading of tires has already proven itself over many years and is mainly used by Commercial vehicles often applied. Retreaded tires are often used in agricultural machinery, but can also be found in Motorsport or at aircraft frequently used. In the case of aircraft tires, it is statistically every third tire a Retreaded and the carcasses are usually up to seven times .

As with new tires, strict rules also apply to retreaded tires Requirements. According to the legislator, every carcass may once only to be rebuilt. Every further build is verboten. In addition, retreaded tires may only be sold in the EU if they are ECE R 108 standard suffice and about one E-mark feature. This is characterized by a special numeric code. The numeric code E1 stands for Germany, for example.

Retreaded tires also come with a "R" marked. This stands for "retread", "retread" or "retreaded". In addition to this designation, there are also the wheel size, the Speed ​​class, Load index and Date of Retreading (DOT number). At New tires the DOT number would indicate the date of manufacture of the tires. PS: All information about the numbers and letters on the tire can be found in our article "Explanation! What do the tire names say?".

And the quality of retreaded tires?

The quality of retreaded tires was determined by ADAC between 2003 and 2011 tested several times. While recycled winter tires did not initially perform ideally on snow, wet and dry roads, the level of retreaded tires has increased over the years significantly improved, especially on snow. The Ridgon MS179 von Ihle, for example, was even classified as "recommendable" by the ADAC. On Disadvantage of retreaded tires, however, is the volume. Since the connection between the substructure and the tread does not come from a single mold, recycled tires cause significantly more noise.

And there is also one major disadvantage: If you buy several (2 or 4 pieces) retreaded tires, there is a risk that you not on the same carcass are constructed, even if the tires have the same profile. At worst are 4 different carcasses under the same profile. This can lead to different driving characteristics the wheels lead. This can be dangerous in extreme situations, because it is not for nothing that the same type of tire is always fitted to the vehicle.

Due to the declining customer interest in retreaded tires, the ADAC ended the tests in 2011. In addition, many manufacturers had to file for bankruptcy because of the expenses for security technology such as X-ray procedure, Pressure test or Nail hole detectors were too expensive.

Better only on commercial vehicles!

Our conclusion: Even if retreaded tires are gaining in importance for economic and ecological reasons, they will not be able to displace cheap tires from the Far East from the market. Many drivers use new tires despite the lower price, as the origin of new tires can be clearly traced.

Of course that had not happened yet!

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