Retread Tires

Tire retreading has been one of our largest business segments for almost 70 years and has quickly become one of our fastest-growing services. There’s no other retread tire service or tire repair center more reliable than Bauer Built Tire & Service. We’re the undisputed industry leader in commercial truck retread tires. We operate five MICHELIN®️ Retread Technologies (MRT) plants across the Midwest, each equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

RETREADING QUALITY CONTROL

You can believe in our commitment to quality tire retreading. Our plants go through monthly self and independent audits to ensure you receive top-rated service that meets stringent internal standards. We ensure our team is thoroughly prepared to handle all your tire retreading service needs, thanks to our annual retread certifications for all our operators. Mandatory equipment upgrades also keep our plants in top condition.

At Bauer Built, our initial inspection is 40% more accurate than our competition. We’ve achieved an adjustment rate of .54%, continuing a downward trend from previous years. Other remarkable Michelin retread tire process improvements include cooler buffed casings, a one-step tread builder and reliable temperatures in the curing chambers.

TIRE RETREADING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPORTING

Bauer Built consistently generates customer service reports to create the best tire retreading service profiles for your fleet. We also offer the Michelin® MRT Warranty, which covers customer and stock casings. You can redeem this warranty at any MICHELIN® dealer in North America.

Our tire retreading service will:

• Reduce downtime
• Increase casing life
• Enhance your fuel efficiency
• Reduce heat buildup
• Support asset accountability

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF RETREAD TIRES

According to an article by Ernst & Young (2016), retreading a premium tire twice versus using a new tire saves enough energy to power 29,000 average homes for one hour. Tire retreading also:

• Reduces CO2 emissions by 24%
• Reduces natural resource extraction by 70%
• Reduces water consumption by 19%
• Reduces air pollution by 21%

MICHELIN TIRE RETREADING PROCESS

Bauer Built has decades of experience with retreading, so we can repurpose and renew your tires to improve their longevity and save you money.

We utilize the latest Michelin Retread Technologies and Equipment at each of our retread facilities to ensure the best and most efficient result for your retread tires.

Here is a step-by-step guide to the nine-step Michelin retread tire process:

1. Inspection: A grazing light technique is used to inspect each tire and identify irregularities that suggest internal damage. We also employ Michelin’s Electronic Liner Inspection protocols to detect damage.
2. Buffing: Each tire has its tread buffed away with Michelin-certified, computer-controlled equipment. The technology has a casing-specific database with more than 1,000 different casing programs to provide the optimal tread profile, depth and texture to your commercial retread.
3. Casing Integrity Analysis (CIA): Also referred to as shearography, CIA uses two-step laser photography to check the retread tire for crown and belt separation, trapped air pockets and other anomalies.
4. X-Ray Inspection: Visual inspection assesses the integrity of the steel belts within the casing. We use X-ray inspection to check for issues such as sidewall and bead damage that are invisible to the naked eye.
5. Repairs: Uncured rubber backing is bonded to Michelin retreads with black cement. Thermal curing and mechanical pressure are applied to ensure optimal adhesion.
6. Tread Building: Pre-molded treads are applied with hot cushion gum on the same machine to create a uniform bond surface. The application is computer-controlled to ensure the tread is applied evenly.
7. Double Enveloping: Inner and outer envelopes are applied to the tire simultaneously before it’s placed under a vacuum to administer even pressure and temperature.
8. Curing: Michelin retread tires are cured for 90 to 120 minutes in a computer-controlled chamber that’s heated by steam or hot water. That creates consistent curing and prevents temperature variations to ensure complete tire repair integration.
9. Final Inspection: To ensure you receive the best retread possible, we conduct a final inspection on the tire’s crown, sidewall, bead and interior to identify any remaining issues before returning your completed retread tire.

RETREAD TIRE SERVICE

With our Michelin retread tires, you can expect:

• Fewer rejected casings, saving you money on tire repairs and replacement.
• Reduced likelihood of casing failure and loss of usable casings.
• Reduced casing fatigue.
• Increased resistance to underinflation.
• Increased mileage and lower fuel consumption, resulting in lower cost per mile.

Our improved customer asset accountability allows us to address your specific preferences when applying retreads to your tire casings.

We use Michelin’s Bibtread™ software to monitor and ensure your tire’s integrity throughout the retread process. That program also allows us to access various reports to provide you with the best information to guide your tire program.

Each retread tire comes with the MRT warranty, which covers custom and stock casings.

For questions about retread tires service contact Bauer Built online or visit one of our locations throughout the Midwest.

BAUER BUILT SERVICE LOCATIONS

Click the links below for contact and service information for individual Bauer Built locations throughout the Midwest.