Many people have seen photos or videos of a vehicle recycler operating a car crusher. In addition to being stripped of most components, one thing that stands out about the frames is that they don’t have tires on the wheels. Where did the tires go? There could be several answers. Below, we take a look at the most common destinations for used vehicle tires that are taken from the frames of end-of-lifespan vehicles before they are smashed flat and recycled.
Junkyards Sell Them
Savvy buyers of used auto components know that
junkyards are a great place to find tires that have thousands of miles worth
of tread remaining. Even so, the tires don’t cost nearly as much as they
would if you purchased them new from a tire shop. Junkyards that participate
in recycling a vehicle often sell unsold tires to tire recyclers. This is
what Wrench-A-Part does.
Recyclers Sell Them
Some end-of-life vehicles are sold directly to recyclers, most of which specialize in recycling metal from cars and not rubber components such as tires. Some recyclers require tires to be removed before they accept a vehicle. Recyclers that don’t have this requirement often sell tires to organizations that reuse them in original form or process them into a variety of new products.
Recyclers Recycle Them
Some outfits that specialize in recycling a
vehicle apply a proverbial full-court press to recycling a vehicle, and
process and recycle practically everything on it that can be recycled,
including tires. These types recyclers almost never use recycled tires to
produce new products. Rather, they process the tires into a form that rubber
product makers can use without having to spend much time refining the
rubber.
They Reach a Landfill
Unfortunately, some tires contribute to the automotive jetsam that you find in big landfills. This often happens as no fault of junkyards or tire recyclers. Rather, consumers who change their own tires take spent tires to a landfill and pay a small price to get rid of them. Because some tire recyclers will pick up old tires for free, there is never any need to place them in a landfill.
Need to Buy Pre-Owned Tires?
When you think about parts that you get from a junkyard, tires usually aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, considering that many vehicles in junkyards have tires that are nearly new in terms of tread wear, shopping for tires at a junkyard is an excellent option. If you would like to buy perfectly usable tires for a great price, come to one of our Texas locations in Austin, Belton, Holland, or Lubbock and kick around the tires on our vehicles. Visit us today!
