What makes a fuel efficient retread?“
Fuel efficiency in tires is realized primarily from a combination of
compounding and tread design,” says Don Baldwin, product marketing
manager, Michelin Americas Truck Tires. “With advanced compounds,
retreads deliver the fuel-efficiency benefits of their new tire
siblings, while not compromising wear and traction. In addition to
compounding, tread design also contributes to a tire’s fuel efficiency.
While aggressive block-type treads with heavy siping have been
associated with lower fuel efficiency, manufacturers are now using
technologies that stabilize those blocks and lower rolling resistance.”
“Two key factors for creating a fuel efficient retread tire are
design and compound,” agrees Chris Hoffman, manager, TBR & retread
product marketing, Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions. “Tread compounds
proven to lower rolling resistance turn engine energy into more
performance on the open road. Tread design also aids in lowering
rolling resistance.”
Tim
Miller, marketing communications manager - commercial tires at
Goodyear, notes that 60% of the rolling resistance of a tire comes from
the tread, whether new or retreaded. “There are three design factors
within the tread that can be altered to influence rolling resistance,”
he explains further, “including tread depth, tread design and tread
compound. The best fuel economy would come from a retread with a
shallow tread depth, a simple, rib-type tread pattern and a low rolling
resistance tread compound.”
“A retreaded tire’s design has the most impact on fuel efficiency
when you consider that the tread cap and base account for 50% to 60% of
a tire’s rolling resistance,” says Curtis Decker, senior engineer –
product development for Continental Tire North America Inc. “It’s
extremely important that the new tread applied is manufactured with a
low rolling resistant compound as well as a fuel-efficient tread
design.”
Other factors that can impact the fuel efficiency of a retreaded
tire are found in the retreading process, Decker notes. During this
process, he explains, the tire casing is buffed to remove the worn
tread uniformly so there is no impact on rolling resistance. The new
tread is applied in a uniform, contoured shape so the retreaded tire
requires less energy to roll and can be more fuel efficient. The buff
contour, as well as the thickness of the gum rubber that is applied
between the casing and the new tread, accounts for about 5% of a
retreaded tire’s rolling resistance.
Proving value
Fleets using retreads from major manufacturers are reporting
efficiencies on a par with new tires. Flatbed hauler Builders
Transportation, a Memphis, Tenn.-based company with more than 400
tractors and 750 48-ft. air ride spread axle and 45- to 65-ft.
extendable trailers, is using a combination of new Goodyear Fuel Max
Technology tires and Unicircle retreads.
“We feel very good about the tire program we have in place with
Goodyear and Wingfoot,” says Gary Newman, maintenance director. “Our
cost-per-mile is extremely low with those tires, especially as we
replace what’s currently running on our fleet. So far, we’ve seen very
encouraging results.
“There is a two-fold challenge in our operation when it comes to
tires,” Newman continues. “With spread-axle trailers, the trailers
don’t track behind the tractor as well as with tandem axles, so you’ll
have some natural scrubbing. Plus, a flatbed operation, due to where we
deliver, is just plain hard on tires with more curbing and scrubbing
than typical long-haul operations. But, we’re still getting excellent
mileage.”
American Central Transport (ACT), a Kansas City, Mo.-based carrier with
325 tractors and 1,000 53-ft. van trailers, has tweaked its tire
program to help meet its objective of maximizing fuel performance. In
use are Bridgestone new tires and Bandag FuelTech drive and trailer
retreads, which are realizing the same fuel efficiency as new tire
products in the fleet.
“With the help of Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions we have been able
to select the best possible tread designs for fuel performance,” says
Aaron Thompson, maintenance director. “Our new tractors are delivered
with premium steer and drive axle tires and then we retread our drive
axle casings with Bandag FuelTech Drive tread without sacrificing any
fuel performance. We also understand that trailer tires can have a
greater impact on fuel performance than either drive or steer tires, so
we use Bandag FuelTech Trailer designs as well.”
An early user of new and retreaded Michelin X One wide-base single tires is Jerome, Idaho-based Arlo G. Lott
Trucking. The heavy hauler operates 150 tractors and variety of
extendable, flatbed, step deck and curtainsided trailers. We are always
looking for new and innovative ways to lower our costs and add to the
bottom line,” says Eddie Luper, director of maintenance. “We first used
the X One concept in 2001 on tractor drive axles and on trailers, and
since then we’ve expanded their use in the fleet, including Michelin X
One retreads. Fuel savings were very noticeable from the beginning. We
were the first fleet in the western United States to run the Michelin X
One retreads. We have been using both drive and trailer retreads, and
based on fuel efficiency, they have been a very worthwhile investment.”
Kevin Buss, director of fleet maintenance at Mt. Sterling,
Ill.-based Dot Foods heads up a fleet of 784 tractors and 1,215
trailers that delivers foodservice, convenience, retail and vending
equipment and supplies to dis- tributors in all 50 states from nine
distribution centers. Recently, the fleet began using HDL Eco Plus
ContiTread drive and HTL Eco Plus ContiTread trailer retreads. Earlier
this year, Continental Tire partnered with Marangoni Tread North
America to use their Ringtread technologies for retreaded tires. We’ve
used retreads for many years,” Buss relates. “With the right casing and
the right tread design, we know that retreads can provide excellent
fuel economy and match the fuel efficiency we realize on a new tire.”
Like new
All manufacturers note that a retreaded tire should perform as well as
a new tire when it comes to fuel efficiency, and they work to make sure
that the low rolling resistance characteristics of their new tires are
transferred to their retread products. When the right compounds and
tread designs are combined,” concludes Michelin’s Don Baldwin, “fleets
are able to take advantage of fuel-efficient retreads to further reduce
their operating costs.” FE
For more information on retread products and technologies, visit:
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions
Continental Tire North America
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Michelin Americas Truck Tires