Purchasing tires that have been retreaded is a fairly inexpensive way to replace tires without having to buy a whole new set of tires for your vehicle. Retreads are also sometimes called recap, but either way, they are the same thing. They are identified as tires that have gone through a remanufacturing process designed to extend the life of the tire.
One use of the term "retread" has nothing to do with tires. Instead, the term was used to describe officers in the Army during World War II, who had left the service before the war, but were called back to active duty.
Retreading tires is a pretty simple process that begins with taking old tires and inspecting them for safety hazards. After the safety inspection has been done, the old tread is removed by buffing it with a special type of buffer. Then, a new rubber tread is put on to the casing, using a special type of machinery.
By comparison, retreads are significantly cheaper than buying new tires. Because of this, commercial aviation, trucking and bus businesses use them instead of buying new tires. Retreading tires is also a good way to be environmentally conscious because, in some cases, retreading can be done to a tire up to 10 times.
Once the retreaded tire has lived its maximum life, the tire meets its final fate by being recycled. Recycling a retreaded tire is a good way to get rid of the tire, instead of taking it to a local landfill for disposal. Instead, the retread is shredded and used to make rubber mulch.
It's common to see "road alligators" along the highway. These gators, more correctly known as tire debris, are often thought to have come from retreaded tires that have failed. However, this concept is not true. Instead, the debris comes from tires that have not been properly maintained.
