Skip to main content
EVENT TRACKER
Keep track of rescheduled, canceled industry events with our COVID-affected event tracker - Powered by Snap Finance
Close
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber & Plastics News
  • European Rubber Journal
tb-logo
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • OPINION
    • CORONAVIRUS
    • AUTO INDUSTRY
    • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • FACTORY FIXES
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • INTERNATIONAL
    • MOTOR SPORTS
    • NEW PRODUCTS
    • RETAIL TIRES
    • SERVICE ZONE
    • SEMA/AAPEX
    • SMALL BUSINESS
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled until 2022
      New round of Paycheck Protection Program funding opens
      Vaccine may usher sense of normalcy
      Cover-up: More retailers requiring face masks to curb COVID
    • Icahn Auto trims fiscal 2020 operating loss despite 14% lower sales
      Oshkosh unit gets contract for new USPS local delivery vehicle
      Sumitomo adds treadwear-detection to 'Sensor Core' toolkit
      New Porsche 911 GT3 to feature Michelin fitment
    • Icahn Auto trims fiscal 2020 operating loss despite 14% lower sales
      Oshkosh unit gets contract for new USPS local delivery vehicle
      Yokohama sets ambitious goals through 2023
      Conti recalling 94,000 Conti-, General-, Barum-brand LT/SUV tires
    • TravelCenters plans 6 TA Express sites in California in 2021
      Carlisle TyrFil broadens recycling technology options
      U.K. retreader Vaculug to promote tread rubber supplier Vipal
      TMC moves spring conference online, sets trade show for September
    • Oshkosh unit gets contract for new USPS local delivery vehicle
      Conti recalling 94,000 Conti-, General-, Barum-brand LT/SUV tires
      Cooper expands recall of Cooper, Mastercraft grand-touring tires
      DOT issues 13 tire plant ID codes in 2020
    • Yokohama sets ambitious goals through 2023
      OK Tire secures exclusivity for Blackhawk tire brand
      U.K. retreader Vaculug to promote tread rubber supplier Vipal
      Execs: Goodyear acquisition of Cooper will benefit dealers
    • Bridgestone World Solar Challenge canceled due to pandemic restrictions
      Pirelli, Goodyear ink sedan racing series contracts in Canada, Europe
      Goodyear extends partnership with Nürburgring race circuit
      BFG to support ATV/UTV racers in WORCS series
    • Michelin launching ‘eco-responsible' performance tire for sporty EVs
      Martins Industries launches products in 3 categories
      Carlisle TyrFil broadens recycling technology options
      New McLaren supercar incorporates Pirelli's Cyber Tyre system
    • Icahn Auto trims fiscal 2020 operating loss despite 14% lower sales
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      OK Tire secures exclusivity for Blackhawk tire brand
      NPW hires Switzer as national sales manager
    • Automotive Lift Institute introduces Check360 inspection, label
      Martins Industries launches products in 3 categories
      Marinucci: Effective road test may eliminate issues
      Our View: Shops must alter ways to attract, retain talent
    • SEMA scholarships and loan forgiveness now available
      WTC hosting webinar Jan. 20 on load-capacity standards
      Denver's Brian Sump named AAPEX Shop Owner of the Year
      DUB, TIS Wheels founder Myles Kovacs is SEMA Person of the Year
    • Trade groups oppose minimum wage increase proposal
      New stimulus package fixes PPP loan confusion
      Vaccine may usher sense of normalcy
      2020 Review: PPP loans give boost to small businesses
    • Michelin launching ‘eco-responsible' performance tire for sporty EVs
      Goodyear, Cooper deal creates tire production synergies
      Goodyear promotes Helsel to senior VP, global operations role
      Tire dealers see possibilities in Goodyear, Cooper deal
    • Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      Stocking Tires for Crossover SUVs
      Sponsored By AppointmentPlus
      Three Important Lessons Learned for the Tire Business During a Pandemic
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
  • SHOP FLOOR
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Video: Balancing Tire
      Safety tips for wheel balancing
      An introduction to wheel balancing
      Wheel weights: Balancing form with function
    • Video: Demounting
      Tire changer types, tips and trends
      How to clear rim rust and corrosion
      An introduction to demounting, mounting and inflation
    • Video: Safety
      Customers
      Considerations for shop safety policies
      Introduction: Creating a culture of safety
    • Video: Tire Repair
      Essential tools, materials and equipment for tire repair
      An introduction to tire repair
      How to properly patch a puncture
    • Video: TMPS Service
      The life-saving work of TPMS
      An introduction to TPMS service
      The importance of proper relearn procedures
    • Video: Training
      Internship ideas to attract tech talent
      Choosing the right auto service tech school
      Intro: Finding and training technicians
    • Video:Vehicle Lifting
      The gravity of proper lift points
      Safety essentials when using jack stands
      An introduction to lifts and lift safety
    • Video: Wheel Torque
      The importance of torque specifications
      Introduction to proper wheel installation
      Torque check and recheck recommendations
  • Multimedia
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS
    • PODCASTS
  • Events
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Resources
    • DIRECTORY
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • ADVERTISE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
  • Awards
    • Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
February 12, 2001 01:00 AM

TREAD Act could affect, eliminate some tire lines

Peggy Fisher
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    You've probably read and heard plenty about the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act.

    This is the legislation that swept swiftly through Congress on the heels of the Firestone tire recall and a groundswell of public outcry and was passed Oct. 11 last year.

    The law establishes early warning reporting requirements of safety-related tire and automotive defects, establishes criminal penalties for falsifying or withholding information on vehicle safety-related defects, and protects corporate whistle blowers.

    There are a few other less sensational requirements in this act that have received only passing attention but have the potential to impact your business, the products you sell, and in some measure affect your company's very survival.

    New standards due

    The first is the revision and update of the tire endurance and resistance standards 49 CFR 571.109 and 49 CFR 571.119. These are the tests the government currently requires passenger and truck tires, respectively, to pass in order to be sold in the U.S.

    They have been around for 32 years and probably need revision. However, there undoubtedly will be some fallout. The Rubber Manufacturers Association recommends that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopt the "Global Tire Standard 2000" developed under the aegis of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue in an effort to standardize world tire safety standards.

    The tests used are SAE J1561 for passenger and SAE J1633 for light truck tires.

    Reportedly, auto makers currently use these tests to select tires for OE fitment. However, tires sold in the aftermarket are subjected only to the government's old safety tests. It is possible that a sizable percentage of these tires will not pass the more rigid SAE tests. Therefore, many of the tire makes/models you currently sell and earn good margins on may disappear or go through some creative re-engineering at a significant cost in order to be sold in the U.S.

    It is expected that the passenger test issue will be resolved in 2001 and the light truck tire test revision will be handled in 2002. They both have to be completed by June 1, 2002, according to the Act.

    The question that should make retreaders nervous is: "If the tests for new tires are updated by 2002, can revision of the safety requirements for retreaded tires be far behind?"

    With the clamor about rubber on the road being a constant issue—and the common but erroneous belief that most of it comes from retreads—it is safe to assume retreads will be targeted next.

    Retread standards too?

    If the feds focus on retreads, then expect to have to pay for having your retreaded tires tested. If you are lucky, your retread rubber/process supplier will have to pay for this work. And tire tests, as we all know, run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

    Just hope you pass. Fail and you could be out of the retread business. If you pass, great, but your costs for doing business just went up.

    Another issue—tire labeling—was raised when it came to light that consumers had a tough time determining if their tires were involved in the recall when the tires had been mounted on the vehicle with the DOT code on the inside. So now NHTSA is looking at requiring DOT codes on both sides of the tire. (This would apply to retreaded tires as well.)

    New tire companies don't want to put the DOT code on both sides of the tire because the procedure of changing DOT code plates in the manufacturing process is much more time consuming, difficult and dangerous if both the upper and lower portions of hot molds have to be addressed.

    >From a retread standpoint, it adds another level of expense at the least for precure retreaders and poses the same problems for many mold-cure retreaders as for new tire makers. Nobody in the tire industry wants this.

    The authors of the TREAD Act also were concerned that the public be made aware of the importance of observing tire load limits and maintaining proper tire inflation levels.

    RMA already has launched a campaign to educate motorists about tire safety. It has conducted a radio, television and print media tour in six states to promote the effort and more such activities are scheduled.

    The association also has established a safety related Web site—www.rma.org/tiresafety—to educate those interested in this subject.

    Pressure markings

    But RMA is also proposing that the maximum load and inflation pressure be removed from the tire in an effort to make a short story out of the novel that currently is written on a tire's sidewall.

    I personally don't understand the reasoning for this. I can't tell you how many times I have heard consumers, truck drivers and fleets tell me that they check the sidewall and put the pressure stated on it in their tires.

    Heck, they don't walk around carrying the Tire & Rim Association's Load and Inflation Tables with them, so where else are they going to look? It may not be the exact pressure they should run, but it is better than having them guess!

    It has also been suggested that a label be applied over the wheel well of the vehicle that states the proper pressure the tires should have. This won't do the monster truck guy any good when he changes his tire size to 445/65R22.5s on his pickup, nor will the Porsche driver appreciate this on the side of his vehicle. (Would you want it on your car?)

    Many fleets now do this on their own tractors and trailers. However, such labels do have to be replaced when tire sizes or operations change and different air pressures are needed. I don't think mandating them is the answer to every situation.

    Monitors mandated

    The last issue that could affect your business and that of your customers is the requirement that all new motor vehicles have a warning system to indicate to the operator when a tire is significantly underinflated. This requirement is supposed to become effective no later than October 2003.

    While technically this is no problem for cars since the technology already has been developed and now is used in conjunction with run-flat tires, it will raise the price of the cars, pickups and service trucks you operate in your business. Furthermore, this mandate is not necessarily the way to go for the trucking industry.

    The trucking industry has been salivating for this technology for the past 10-15 years. However, the technology has not yet been successfully developed for trucks, since they are very different from passenger vehicles and their operating environments pose greater obstacles.

    Radio transmissions from tire tags must travel 65-70 feet in the case of tractors with 53-foot trailers and 100 feet in the case of triple trailers. This poses a monumental task: A radio wave with data on it must be transmitted a great distance with an electronic device powered by a very tiny battery—and it still must be small enough to fit on a rim or inside a tire.

    Many tire and component makers are working on tire pressure monitoring/management systems, but as yet they are not really ready for prime time. And every application is different.

    Owner-operators and fleets that don't see their equipment often or hold the driver responsible for the successful operation of the vehicle's tires really could benefit from on-vehicle monitors. However, many fleets—especially the large LTL fleets and other domiciled fleets that see their equipment often—would be better off using gate readers at their facilities to improve tire maintenance and reduce costs.

    Gate readers would allow a vehicle to have the pressures read as it passes by when entering the yard. Low-pressure conditions would be corrected before the vehicle is dispatched again. They also could be used for pre-trip inspections and advising drivers to return to the garage if a low pressure condition exists.

    These fleets would only have to purchase enough readers for their maintenance locations (10-15 for the big LTL fleets) rather than the many thousand of on-vehicle readers that would have to be installed in all their tractors.

    Electronic monitoring of tire pressure will certainly reduce costs associated with tire maintenance and improve tire performance. However, the questions really are:

    1) Is the technology ready to be mandated to the trucking industry?

    2) At what cost?

    3) Will mandating this technology before its time preclude product development that may be more productive and economical for the trucking industry?

    Your voice needed

    Rulemaking for all of these provisions of the TREAD Act is still in the formative stage. All of the tire industry associations—RMA, the International Tire & Rubber Association and the Tire Association of North America—as well as the American Trucking Associations (ATA) are weighing in with their ideas, viewpoints and suggestions.

    If you feel strongly about any of these issues, be sure to make them aware of it. Find out what their positions are on these subjects and let them know your ideas and whether you support their positions.

    This is democracy in action. You have a voice—use it to protect your business.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    tb-logo
    Reader Services
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • OPINION
      • CORONAVIRUS
      • AUTO INDUSTRY
      • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • FACTORY FIXES
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • INTERNATIONAL
      • MOTOR SPORTS
      • NEW PRODUCTS
      • RETAIL TIRES
      • SERVICE ZONE
      • SEMA/AAPEX
      • SMALL BUSINESS
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • SHOP FLOOR
      • BALANCING
      • DEMOUNTING
      • SAFETY
      • TIRE REPAIR
      • TPMS
      • TRAINING
      • VEHICLE LIFTING
      • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Multimedia
      • VIDEOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PODCASTS
    • Events
      • ASK THE EXPERT
      • LIVESTREAMS
      • WEBINARS
      • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Resources
      • DIRECTORY
      • CLASSIFIEDS
    • ADVERTISE
    • DIGITAL EDITION
    • Awards
      • Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award