I have just read on the TOWING LAWS section of this web site. In the footnotes it states that "retread tyres must not be used". This is new to me because I thought that retreads were okay to use on caravans. Any comments.
Retread Tyres
- Thread starter BigAl1
- Start date
Damian
Moderator
Alan, retread tyres are not available for the car market, or the size of tyre fitted to caravans or trailers, they are illegal now. The only retread tyres about are for commercial vehicles.
You may be confusing retread with remould, a totally different concept, and yes they are legal, and can be used on cars and caravans, if you want to put your trust in a remanufactured tyre.
You may be confusing retread with remould, a totally different concept, and yes they are legal, and can be used on cars and caravans, if you want to put your trust in a remanufactured tyre.
Before we get into the pro's and con's of Retreads/Remoulds, is there such a thing anymore??...I thought they had long gone and good riddance!
Surely, retread and remould are one in the same. I think that Damien is refering to re-cut tyres which are commonly used on commercial tyres
And then there are regraded tyres, seconds if you like.Didnt make the grade for the situation they were designed for so are 'regraded' for a lesser use. these are pretty trustworthy.
Alan
I do not now much about law.
I've seen this dun at work. It seem that it is to get more use out of a tyres. Which in my mind would seem silly. As you cutting in to worn saves and you do not now how much is left for you. Which I thick would increase the chaser of so bad hampering.
So I would get new one.
Mark
I do not now much about law.
I've seen this dun at work. It seem that it is to get more use out of a tyres. Which in my mind would seem silly. As you cutting in to worn saves and you do not now how much is left for you. Which I thick would increase the chaser of so bad hampering.
So I would get new one.
Mark
Damian
Moderator
Recuts are where the tread pattern is cut deeper as the tyre wears, but can only be done to certain tolerances and depth, usually on tractor tyres and heavy commercials such as JCB's, Articulated lorry tyres etc.
Retread tyres are where the tyre cannot be recut any more and a band of new tread is applied to the tyre and bonded on (more technical than that, but thats the basics), usually on Articulated trailers, hence seeing bands of tread pattern at the sides of motorways.
Remould tyres are where the tyre has the whole of the tyre given a "make over" in a similar way to new tyres, done to very exact tolerances and basically the whole tyre outer is renewed.These are widely used for cars, aircraft, etc etc.
The problem with any of the above means of extending tyre useage is that the integrity of the strength of the tyre, the banding and cores is not certain, and unless immediately visible, damage to the webbing and core is not able to be checked, therefore, there may be internal damage to the part which gives the strength to the tyre.
Having spent however many hundreds or thousands of pounds on a caravan, why risk its safety , and that of you and your family , by using anything but new tyres.
The extra cost is pounds, but the savings are : more miles to the life of the tyre, a tyre with no "on board" defects and peace of mind that you have done the best to ensure safety for all, including the "other" driver who may be caught up in your vans demise as a faulty tyre blows out at 60mph and spreads your van across all 3 lanes of the motorway.
Retread tyres are where the tyre cannot be recut any more and a band of new tread is applied to the tyre and bonded on (more technical than that, but thats the basics), usually on Articulated trailers, hence seeing bands of tread pattern at the sides of motorways.
Remould tyres are where the tyre has the whole of the tyre given a "make over" in a similar way to new tyres, done to very exact tolerances and basically the whole tyre outer is renewed.These are widely used for cars, aircraft, etc etc.
The problem with any of the above means of extending tyre useage is that the integrity of the strength of the tyre, the banding and cores is not certain, and unless immediately visible, damage to the webbing and core is not able to be checked, therefore, there may be internal damage to the part which gives the strength to the tyre.
Having spent however many hundreds or thousands of pounds on a caravan, why risk its safety , and that of you and your family , by using anything but new tyres.
The extra cost is pounds, but the savings are : more miles to the life of the tyre, a tyre with no "on board" defects and peace of mind that you have done the best to ensure safety for all, including the "other" driver who may be caught up in your vans demise as a faulty tyre blows out at 60mph and spreads your van across all 3 lanes of the motorway.
Now you mention it Alan I did..worrying ain't it? but then again planes have more than one tyre per corner!!
I had one close shave with a remould which was fitted to the front when a large bulge instantly developed, this was at 70mph on an empty M18 many years ago.
It took two of us to hold the steering wheel and most of the width of the motorway to stop...never again
Please don't get me wrong. I would only use new tyres on my car or 'van but I am sure that I have read somewhere (maybe a club mag')that remoulds are a good alternative to new if on a restricted budget
Damian
Moderator
Alan, remoulds are ok as general use tyres, they are remoulded to very strict tolerances, and if someones budget is stretched, they make sense, but dont expect as long tyre life, however, as caravan tyres normally need to be replaced well before the tread is down to the legal limit I doubt life span will play a significant role. Caravan tyres should be replaced every 5 years as a matter of routine, as they tend to suffer the effects of UV degradation on the sidewalls, more so than tyres in daily use, because of standing in the same place for extended periods of time, thus exposed to the sun for longer sustained time.
Alan, never, in any circumstances whatsoever, fit retreads/remoulds unless you wish to die a sudden, messy, and spectacular death. I had one fitted to my spare wheel in about 1985. I had to use it when I had a puncture in France, and within 100 miles the steel plies burst though the sidewalls and the thing collapsed, fortunately while travelling slowly through a small French town. Life is too short to economize on essentials!
Graham
Graham
Damian
Moderator
Three things spring to mind regarding Grahams posting.
Firstly, and most importantly, RETREAD tyres are simply NOT available today, for cars or caravan size tyres.
Secondly, tyre technology was very different in 1985 regarding REMOULD tyres, and remoulds are perfectly safe for limited speed driving, ie not continual high speed motorway use, although tyre life is not as good as new tyres.
Thirdly, I wonder how old the spare was that Graham used? as tyre age is a very important factor in its integrity.
Firstly, and most importantly, RETREAD tyres are simply NOT available today, for cars or caravan size tyres.
Secondly, tyre technology was very different in 1985 regarding REMOULD tyres, and remoulds are perfectly safe for limited speed driving, ie not continual high speed motorway use, although tyre life is not as good as new tyres.
Thirdly, I wonder how old the spare was that Graham used? as tyre age is a very important factor in its integrity.
Retread tyres and remoulds are pretty much the same thing ,they are both still avaliable and both still legal, a vast amount of retread tyres are used on HGV's and there is no law that says remoulds are not legal on trailers or caravans or any vehicle for that matter 22 years in the motor & tyre trade tells me this, and i cant fail them on the MOT.
Well said!..... My uncle worked at Avon tyres in Melksham for 40 years. He said that the only way to know the internal state of a tyre was to x ray it, as the tyre manufacturers do to check the quality of their new tyres.
The company I drove for wouldn't allow remoulds to be fitted to the tractors or trailers at any price.
The old adage, "you get what you pay for" certainly holds good with regard to tyres.
When you think about it, no matter what car you drive, what caravan you tow, at whatever speed and over what sort of road surface, your tyres are the only link to it,I would make sure it is the best.
Barney
The company I drove for wouldn't allow remoulds to be fitted to the tractors or trailers at any price.
The old adage, "you get what you pay for" certainly holds good with regard to tyres.
When you think about it, no matter what car you drive, what caravan you tow, at whatever speed and over what sort of road surface, your tyres are the only link to it,I would make sure it is the best.
Barney
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