A lot of contention and uncertainty exists surrounding the legality of REGROOVING TYRES in South Africa. Alan Wright, Specialist-Transportation Standards of the South African Bureau of Standards provides some light on the subject:

All tyres sold in South Africa must comply with the compulsory specifications for tyres as published in Government Notice No. R1125 of 16 November 2001 appearing in Government Gazette 2282. The marking requirements in the specification for commercial vehicle tyres states that in the case of tyres that can be regrooved, they must be marked on the sidewall to indicate that they are regroovable. There is no requirement for this marking for passenger car tyres as they cannot be regrooved. (The compulsory specifications VC 8056 and VC 8059 for passenger and commercial vehicle tyres can be down loaded free from the SABS website www.sabs.co.za )

Regulation 212 in The Road Traffic Act (Act 93 of 1996) and its Regulations states that:

No person shall operate on a public road- a motor vehicle which is equipped with a regrooved tyre having a bead diameter of 430 millimetres or less; this effectively precludes the regrooving of passenger car tyres.

The following is an extract from a document published by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) regarding regrooving:

Regrooving or recutting consists of cutting a pattern in the tread, deeper than the original pattern, in order to extend the tyre life. Care should be taken to ensure that the regrooving process does not expose the tyre casing, breakers or belts and that sufficient rubber is left for its protection. Tyre manufacturers publish instructions regarding the patterns to follow when regrooving their tyres as well as the relevant recommended widths and permitted depths below the base of the original pattern.

Although not legislated, the regrooving of commercial vehicle tyres must therefore be carried out according to the manufactures instructions.

Please contact Alan Wright should you require any further information in this regard.

Alan Wright

SABS Specialist-Transportation Standards

Tel: +27 012 428 6384

Fax: +27 012 428 6368

Tyre Tips

Air Pressure Gauge
Check your tyres regularly for tread wear and inflation. Having the proper tyre pressure will maximize fuel mileage.
Extra Loads; baggage, towing a trailer
Make sure you check your vehicle's tyre placard load limit before you load up your vehicle.  
Visual Inspections
Visually inspect your tyres monthly. Is there anything visibly wrong like cuts or bulges in the side walls? Is the tread worn down to the tread wear indicator?

Alignment
A vehicle is said to be properly aligned when all suspension and steering components are sound and when the tyre and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Proper alignment is necessary for even tread wear and precise steering. Uneven front or rear tyre wear, or changes in your vehicle's handling or steering response - like pulling to one side - can indicate misalignment.

Pulling to one side
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw your front end out of alignment and damage your tyres. An unbalanced wheel and tyre assembly can create an annoying vibration when you drive on a smooth road and it may result in irregular tread wear. If you have any questions, speak with local tyre dealer.
Wheel Balancing
No matter what type of vehicle you drive, the wheels need to be balanced. If they are out of balance, you may feel a pounding or shaking through the steering wheel or your seat. This type of vibration can reduce the life of suspension components, lead to uneven tyre wear (bald spots) and increase fuel consumption.
How will I know if my tyres are worn out?
All tyres have tread wear indicators, which are small bars of rubber found between the tread blocks of a tyre. When the tread is worn flush with the tread wear indicators, the tyre has reached its wear limit and must be replaced. For safety reasons, it is therefore recommended that a tyre be changed when its tread reaches a depth of 1.6 mm.