One of the leading causes of tire failure and casing rejection during the retread process is a faulty repair. This area is most often overlooked when fleets design tire maintenance programs, but as a recent survey from the monthly magazine Tire Business indicates, 46% of tire failures were caused by improper repair procedures. Of course this means higher tire costs.

When a radial tire has been damaged to the point where the steel cords are exposed to the elements it is important that the area be repaired as soon as possible so that moisture is not allowed to migrate along the belt package causing further damage.

The most effective method of repair for nail holes (1/4") is the plug and patch repair. The plug stops the migration of moisture and the patch on the inside of the tire supports the plug. For repairs larger than a nail hole (3/8" and larger) the tire should be removed from service.

This method of repair not only reduces the number of tire failures but promotes casing recovery as well.