TORONTO, Ont. – The Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB) is reminding truckers and maintenance managers to regularly calibrate their tire gauges.

The organization insists tire gauges require a lot of care.

An engineer from a tire manufacturer recently told TRIB that tire gauges are accurate to plus or minus three PSI right out of the box.

Once dropped a few times on concrete, their accuracy worsens.

The engineer also said there is no significant difference in accuracy between the manufacturers of truck tire gauges.

“It is very important for a fleet or an owner/operator to calibrate these stick gauges using a master gauge on a regular basis,” he said. “Gauges can go bad any time and of course, it is important to check a range of pressures when you calibrate (ie. 50 PSI, 75 PSI, 100 PSI, 120 PSI).”

He also said “The only way to properly and accurately determine the amount of air in a truck tire is to use a tire gauge on a regular basis. To do otherwise, such as thumping a tire, is to kid yourself. If you believe you can determine the amount of air in your tire by thumping, you might as well thump the hood of your truck to determine how much oil you have in your engine.”

To have your tire gauges calibrated, visit a tire dealer or retreader, TRIB urges. Many will perform the service free-of-charge. For more information on tire care, visit www.retread.org.

TRIB makes retreading easier for O/Os

TORONTO, Ont. – The Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB) is trying to make it easier for owner/operators to have retreads performed by giving them front-of-the-line service.

The organization which represents tire retreaders says owner/ops are ideal candidates for retreads as they generally take good care of their tires.

“After all, it’s your money on the line and you know it,” TRIB said in a recent release for owner/ops. “You (usually) don’t drive over the speed limit, you check your air pressure regularly and you are very mindful of anything that might contribute to premature tire failure.”

Tire that have been well cared for are the best candidates for retreading, TRIB insists.

“The very best candidate for retreading is a well-maintained worn tire that has never been retreaded,” the group says, adding O/Os and small fleets can cut their tire costs in half through retreading.

“But there is a problem,” the group admits. “Very often and owner/operator can’t afford the downtime while their casings are being retreaded. The savings will be more than offset by the amount of money lost due to the downtime involved.”

To help alleviate the problem, TRIB is now providing O/Os with the chance to have their tires retreaded within a day or two. The O/O must select a retreader in their area and then TRIB will try to have that owner/operator’s retreading fast-tracked to minimize downtime.

The group is also allowing O/Os to arrange a tour of a nearby retread plant so they can witness the process first-hand. First, owner/ops must select a member retreader from TRIB’s Retread Tire Buyers Guide. To receive a copy of the guide or arrange for a tour, call 888-473-8732.