The Tire Industry Association (TIA) presented guidelines for repairing punctures up to 3/8 inch in the shoulder of truck tires with standard plug and patch materials during the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Tread Rubber & Tire Repair Material Manufacturers Group (TRMG) developed the recommended process for performing reinforced should repairs in the field or in a retread plant. The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) approved the procedures with some additional edits at its annual membership meeting on Nov. 4 during the Global Tire Expo-Powered by TIA as part of the SEMA Show.
“The hope is to have the new process released by the first of December through TRIB,” says Joe Casebere, vice president of sales and marketing for Rema Tip Top North America Inc. and chairman of the TRMG Repair Committee.
He and Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for TIA, presented the recommendations, which involve:
* anchoring the patch body in a no-flex zone of the tire; and
* identifying the repair with a blue triangle on the outside of the tire.
Casebere says TRMG developed the new procedures because " we saw overuse and abuse of certain repair materials that could not withstand the shear energy within the tire.”
Rohlwing says TIA plans to add the shoulder repair guidelines to its training modules for commercial tire service training.
