A recapped tire is a tire that has had its tread replaced --- a common method for large trucking companies to save money, as recapping tires costs much less than spending thousands of dollars on new ones. Though tire recapping requires industrial equipment, the process is relatively simple. According to the Tire Retread Information Bureau, no difference in quality exists between a new tire and a recapped tire.
Grind the old tire tread down with a tire grinder until you have rendered the surface smooth and flat.
Apply a coat of rubber adhesive all around the tire where the new strip of tire tread will go.
Roll the new tire tread around the tire. Keep it straight and aligned with the edge of the tire.
Place the tire in a tread sealer machine. The machine will steam-heat the tread so it molds together with the tire rubber.
