Anyone ever use retreads?

[Gud Racing]

You have something against retreads?

 

[sprdv1]

HA HA, There ya go..

 

[Socal Tom]

In the days of Bandag, most tires were bias ply and you couldn't get radial retreads. Personally I wouldn't be afraid to run RTs on a daily driver that was light weight and run at normal speeds ( no extended running over 70 or so).
The ones you see that have come apart usually came off heavily loaded big rigs running through the desert ( probably under inflated or running too fast for too long).
But for the price I think you can find a good set of radials in that size.
Tom

 

[Ohio Bill]

For us old timers the days of Bias Ply tires the recaps were popular. Thats cause we couldn't afford any better. I run recaps for a number of years on POV station wagon which was a DD, I had good luck with them. BUT the highways were different!
The best recapper out there now is Michelin because of their inspection process of casings. Their capping process far exceeds Bandag.
Refer to DOT rules on class 8 trucks and you will find that it is illegal to run recaps on steer axles. there is an exception you may mount one in emergency to go short distance to repair shop "only". I use that as a reference for my personal safety.
Todays tires I would buy new all around and stay away from the recaps.

 

[locopny]

Comparing retreads from the 80's(or earlier) to the retreads of today is probably not giving a true fair comparison. I'm willing to bet that the process and quality has improved as have the roadways. I hear stories from my dad from when he was a kid that the "new" tires on the new chevy car had a hell of a time making half way across country and back. Todays tires are better and you can expect more from them. To expect the same from retreads isn't so far out of line.

I do think they are a viable option (especailly in my area) compared to basically non existent 'used' tires.
A buddy of mine got a set last year on his DD S10 blazer. He isn't easy on his tires by any stretch. So far so good. I'd run them if I could afford them--way safer and better than the rollers I had on there.

Ultimately, the only opinion that makes a difference is yours....good luck

 

[tcjones76]

I would worry about balance of the tires, that's the problem I had with retreads.

 

[Dave]

Comparing retreads from the 80's(or earlier) to the retreads of today is probably not giving a true fair comparison. I'm willing to bet that the process and quality has improved as have the roadways.

Todays tires are better and you can expect more from them. To expect the same from retreads isn't so far out of line.

I'm sure the process is better these days but you still see them laying all over the interstates from the big trucks. Might be safe for them to use them on nonsteering axles as loosing one would only be 1 out 18 or so. I don't think they are safe based on the accidents they cause by vehicles hitting or swerving to miss them. I hit one that blew out of a truck as I was passing. I was lucky that it only took out the airdam, bottom cowling and oil pan. The cop that stopped by to help out said that it was just a road hazard and there was nothing he could do to the trucker. He did agree to write us a report with time, date, and the identification of the truck and driver. I sent the bill to the company with a copy of the report. They told me to take a hike. Insurrance did pay minus the deductible. So IMO, recraps are not safe for highway use.


I saw a discovery channel show on recapping heavy equipment tires. It was really interesting.

 

[Ohio Bill]

a recap is still only as good as the used casing.

 

[got-broncos]

My life is worth a new set of tires

 

[locopny]

I don't think they are safe based on the accidents they cause by vehicles hitting or swerving to miss them.

In reality- how many accidents are caused by this? I would venture to guess probably not as many as caused by other road hazards. I'd imagine a fair number of those could be avoided by a driver that is more fully aware of the road ahead. Granted having it blow when you are directly adjacent to it is tough/impossible to avoid and likely extremely rare. Think about how many accidents are more directly caused by looking away to tune a radio, answer a phone, slap a kid in the back seat, or brush away the spilled contents of a burrito from ones lap only to look up and see a "gator" and swerve to avoid. Contributing factor...ok. Cause......????

But we can certianly agree to disagree

 

[bumster]

the main point i see is retreads are cheap. but not worth is. i work for a large company most people in the northwest has heard of and we flat out dont use or sell small truck retreads anymore they are to dangerous.

 

[22213evl]

if you act like your there big brother for the day chicks think your a sensitive, caring guy and it's easyer to get into their pants.

 

[shonivey]

hi-tec retreading has an excellent product. I think the are called green diamond or something now. i ran 2 sets of 235's on my rangers and a set of 33's on my 89 1 ton crewcab. I personally loved em.
alot of the carcasses you see on the highways are from normal tires , not just retreads. As with anything else in the world it takes a little common sense to check air pressure and such. And if you consider miles driven versus the remnants you see it is a pretty good ratio.
I do not work for or profit from retreads.
just my .02

 

[shonivey]

We run them at work on UPS trucks but for the most part our trucks don't see any speeds above 55MPH. Come to think of it, I'm not sure that the truck I drive will do 55 MPH. I have gone through about 5 sets on the Truck I currently drive and have never had a flat or a tread come apart but again, I'm usually going pretty slow. Would I run them on my Bronco? Probably not.

you are alot different than the GA. UPS drivers. they do 55 in a parkinglot!!

 

[357Bronco]

We've run Hi Tech retreads for years, with no issues. I have a set now that balanced out better then most tires half they're size. They wear great and run smooth. To compare a tire on a truck that weighs 80k lbs +, and pick up/ Bronco sized vehicle is just typical forum dumbness. Most tire failures on OTR trucks are from road hazards, and heat build up from low pressures or over loading. And the technology of today is far ahead of the stuff 30 years ago. I buy new tires mostly, but wouldn't think twice about running a quality retread.

 

[Fordfilly]

I grew up with retreads on my pa's truck and back then they were a good choice. However, I purchased a set for my F250 about 15 years ago and they were a POS! They caused my truck to vibrate at any speed over 40 mph to the point of dangerous. It wasn't due to a balance issue either, it was the comp of the retread because I purchased new rims and rebalanced them and no change. In fact, ran them on two other trucks with the same result and being a retread they would not take them back.

I will never purchase them again. That is my 2 cents worth of opinion.

 

[Dave]

I'm sure that the new retreads are much better than the ones that some of us that have been around a bit longer grew up with and developed a prejustice against. They do keep a lot of tires out of the land fills and save people money. I seem to recall an accident in Texas a year or so ago that was caused be a retread failing on the front of a bus that killed a bunch of people. You asked for our opinions and you got several. Someone else's retread cost me $500 so I'm biased.

 

[Dave]

This has been beat to death but I asked my brother who is an engineer for MDOT. He sent me this today after it came across his desk.

http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/61517

216 pages of everything you everwanted to know about retreads.

I didn't read the whole thing but it appeared that about 100 fatal accidents per year are attributed to road alligators.