Re-thread tires on fire vehicles

Looking for thoughts/opion on the use of re-thread/recap tires on fire vehicles. I am with an Air Force Fire Department were we recently had a vehicle mishap contributed to the re-capped tires on the vehicle. No one was injured this. Next one we may not be as lucky.

Tom, you did not state which axle the tire was on? In NJ, and am sure other states are the same, rethreads are illegal on the steering axle.as for the drive axle my opinion there fine on garbage trucks.

I don't know alot about the subject but from what I have read and heard they are not a good idea.
Why put substandard tires on a $150K piece of equipment.

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David Brooks, Firefighter, D/O, 1st Resp.
Newmarket Fire & Rescue
Newmarket, New Hampshire
www.NewmarketNH.com/fire

I think you have to make your own decision. I've heard the same comments time and time again. I'm no expert on the subject, but I've done some research on this subject. Recently I read an older article that was from 1993, about the Detroit Fire Department using retreads with good results. I have also read some articles from some of the trucking industry periodicals that state that the technology in the retread industry has gotten better. In my paid department we have an older pumper that is all wheel drive. We have retreads on the rear axle. We monitor air pressures very close, and inspect the side walls frequently to detect any signs of damage. At this point, we have not had any problems. In smaller departments I think new tires are the way to go. In larger departments, I think retreads offer some advantages. If the casing is in good condition the tire should be able to be reused. These are only my opinions. Hope this helps.

At work we have had good experience using
re-treads on both our local and road units and we load heavy (legally). Before deciding on a supplier, ask around about the quality of his tires. Most of those "rubbergators" you see all over the highway during the summer did not come from reliable re-tread
shops! Your budget will weigh heavily on your
decision. One factor to consider, unlike commercial vehicles, fire apparatus is fully loaded all of the time. The tires never have a chance to "relax".
To echo Wrench's comment above, NEVER, EVER PUT RE-TREADS ON THE STEERING AXLE!!!!
Be Safe, Get Home! twostix

There's a few ways to look at this issue. As stated before, if the department is large such a New York or Chicago, ect... then retreads would be a thought because of the shear number of tires needed, price being the biggest issue. A smaller department could suffice with new tires. Are you able to take advantage of municipal discounting? My company can get a municipal discount on Goodyear tires because the township has a municipal buying program for the police car tires. We get a great price reduction on new tires.

Mainly, retreads are safe or not depending on whether the manufacturer is a good recapper. I know of a trucking company who uses new tires, once worn they are recapped once and use the recaps until they are worn and then they discard the tires. There doesn't seem to be much of a problem there. But NEVER put recaps on the steering axle. Federal law prohibits the use of recaps on steering axles and fire apparatus fall into the Federal commercial weight class. As for the tread seperation issue, I think there is more chance of recaps seperating than new tires however just recently I visited a company who experienced a bad new tire on their apparatus causing body damage. The tire manufacturer payed for the damages.

Good luck

[This message has been edited by Chief 4-2 (edited June 22, 2000).]