Retread tires?

[RT]

Hello All,
I am considering a set of retread tires from http://high-tec-retreading.com/DesktopDefault.aspx Why you ask? Price price and price. 245/75-16 E-rated tires are getting ridiculously expensive. I was just quoted $900 for 4 Michelins and the "cheap" tires were Uniroyals for $640. The last tires were Continentals and I really liked them for just under $475. I guess the oil prices have driven the price of tires up. To me spending over $500 for a set of tires is just too much. Which leads me back to the retreads. The retreads can be had for $340 done on Michelin casings with a 2year/24K warranty. Seems like a decent deal to me and the company has a decent rep on the web from my looking around. The tires are for my work truck that gets used every day. Any thoughts? RT

[redbird2]

I have ran recaps for years on my fleet trucks with very little problem. I have been running the on my route trucks that run 19.5 rims with a little more problem, mainly has to do with the age of the casing the recap is on. I use Bandag for recaps. I can tell you I have lost a rear fender on a dually few years back when the tread came off it was determined that there was a small nail in the tire which allowed air to get between the casing and the tread. however I lost the same fender on the same truck 1 year later and it was running a new tire that time so it happens to both type tires

I would not be scared of recaps save the money buy another truck goodie

[Craig M]

Bandag has a good reptation for big rig tires, 22.5 and 24.5. Did not know they or anyone else were doing small truck tires.

[NH2112]

From what I understand it's illegal to run retreads on the front because turning places a load on the side of the tread and can peel them right off.

[Robyn]

I am also in the trucking business and use a lot of recaps.
I wont however use a cap on a front tire no matter what.

I have not used caps on the small rigs for many years.

The capping outfits mentioned do a good job.
The important thing is to be sure and get good casings.

Automotive casings are designed to last for the life of the tread.
Pushing the usable life of the casing out for a second time through is fine as long as the casings are 1- good quaility and 2- having not been abused

On my big truck stuff (11-24.5 and 12-22.5 and the 385-65-22.5)
I start with a set of new casings and run them out and then get my own casings capped.

I dont think any of the major outfits will cap a car/light truck tire more than once but you dont want to.

I dont even like to go more than twice on the big stuff.

I have had trailer tires that were on their 3rd trip through (during my learning curve) go all over the street and it usually means the end of a real spendy alcoa wheel.

Just be sure you get good casings and you should be fine, just dont run caps up front.

Hope this helps

Robyn

[RT]

Excellent, thanks for the input. Not running the retreads on the front is the only thing that seems to be the issue. According to High Tec and the owners of their retreads they use them on the front without issue. I was very aware that the trucking industry, etc. makes wide use of retreads or caps as you guys call them. I would also expect a medium or heavy duty truck to put a lot more weight and therefore heat into a tire so the no-no on using them upfront makes sense. I will have to check into using them on the front of a pickup though. Seems like it could be safe, there are no disclaimers about using them in this position nor any anecdotal stories either. I'll have to check into it. RT

[Craig M]

On big rigs it is illegal to use recaps on the front. That is the law. Many of the rules for trucks are Federal, ICC or some other regulation for commercial or inter and intra state commercial hauling. Personal pickups may not fall under these rules. Personally I would not use retreads on my pickup, front or rear.

[murphyslaw]

I have used caps many many many many times and will continue to do so. There is nothing wrong with caps they have to pass the same test that new tires do before there DOT certified. I however will NEVER use a cap on the front. I have seen caps used on the front and it make a mess out of a nice truck. I have no idea how they passed there DOT inspections at the weight station but 130 miles south of it sh@t hit the fan when it went BOOM. I am getting tires for my truck on Wed. four retreads for the rear and new mich's on the front.

[RT]

Thanks for the input however I was able to score a really nice set of "new" used tires on Fleabay. Take-off Bridgestones, four of them, E rated from an
'06 Silverado for $255.00 Grabbed 'em last night on my way through Boston. Still have the little nubbies on them.... RT