The Tire Industry Association will publish a Passenger Tire and Light Truck Tire Conditions Manual for retail tire dealers that will cover more than 70 different kinds of tire conditions.
Each condition will be accompanied by a list of probable causes and recommended corrective actions.
"The Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act has forced tire manufacturers to report every tire that results in some form of consideration being given to the customer," says TIA President Dick Gust.
"Since that information becomes the basis for a recall, the industry must do a better job of examining the tires before they are submitted to the manufacturer.
"The Manual includes four-color photographs that clearly show the appearance of the (tire´s) condition and the cause, when applicable. It will be a very valuable tool for every retail tire dealer."
In putting the publication together, TIA worked with engineers from Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC, Continental Tire North America Inc., Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Michelin North America Inc., Toyo Tire and Yokohama Tire Corp.
The project, which has been in the works for years, "is the direct result of on-going meetings between TIA and the tire companies," says TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield.
"Our staff has invested thousands of hours into this project because we recognize its importance to the tire manufacturers and our members."
The Manual will be released during the first quarter of 2005. A price has not yet been established.
Gust says that all of the participating tiremakers are planning to distribute the publication to their dealers.
