Alright UY - Retreaded Tires - What do we think?

[04 Rocko Taco]

Looking at this tire.
:headscratch: :headscratch: :headscratch: :headscratch: :headscratch: :headscratch:
http://treadwright.com/Tires-31x10_50R15_OTR-P15.aspx
31X10.5X15 for $65?
Cross between BFG M/T and A/T
Here is the company website.
http://treadwright.com/default.aspx
And warranty info
http://treadwright.com/Warranty%20_Maintenance_TreadWright.pdf
Info on thier process
http://treadwright.com/CustomContent44.aspx


Discuss...

[slosurfer]

One thing I've always wondered about retreads, how will they hold up when aired down and really used? I'm wondering if the flex and movement of an aired down tire will break the bond. I don't know, just wondering.

I saw a "Dirty Jobs" episode where he was retreading tires, it was very interesting.

Oh, and they are out of 33x12.5x15's :(

[callmej75]

Retreads are good for a spare to get you off the trail but wheeling with them...I wouldn't.

[Cebby]

I ran them on a car once. They didn't balance worth a shit and wore out fast.

[Ric]

Im not sure, never done enough research on them, I do remember my uncle saying that he wouldnt put them on his truck. And that was good enough for me.

I know they are cheaper than new, but you got to remember, your family will be in that vehicle, driving 60+ down the highway, just something to think about.

Maybe check on other forums, Im sure there are Tire Forums :headscratch: see what others think,, but let us know if you do. Id like to know also, retreads may work for "trail" tires, on a "trail" rig that gets trailered.

[slosurfer]

Definately not on a family rig, but I would be interested to see what people say for a dedicated trail rig.

[04 Rocko Taco]

Well, I dont have a family rig....and it doesnt even do 60... lol. I was just curious, keep the opinions coming guys...

Big rigs run them, and I know thats a totally different application, and yes they are all over the interstate, but why would they run them, if they weren't the most cost effective way to get miles under those rigs?

[YotaFun]

I have heard mixed reviews on retreads.

SO I have opted not to go with them so...

I think for a trail rig, it wouldn't be a wise idea, but I don't know anyone that has run a retread on the trails...

[04 Rocko Taco]

These guys offer up to 37's. Bu they do mention that since 35's and larger are primarily used for offroading, they do not warranty those sizes...

[surf4runner]

ever see treads/rubber bits all over the highway?
mostly from 18 wheelers that have had one seprate at speed.

while changing a tire on our trailer we heard one explode and some of the tread hit the back window of the car and broke it, we ducked :yikes:

i wouldnt feel confident out on a trail

[04 Rocko Taco]

ever see treads/rubber bits all over the highway?
mostly from 18 wheelers that have had one seprate at speed.

See Above Post....


Well, I dont have a family rig....and it doesnt even do 60... lol. I was just curious, keep the opinions coming guys...

Big rigs run them, and I know thats a totally different application, and yes they are all over the interstate, but why would they run them, if they weren't the most cost effective way to get miles under those rigs?

[Erich_870]

ever see treads/rubber bits all over the highway?
mostly from 18 wheelers that have had one separate at speed.

while changing a tire on our trailer we heard one explode and some of the tread hit the back window of the car and broke it, we ducked :yikes:

i wouldn't feel confident out on a trail


An important note that if you see wires in the tire chunks on the road, that was not a failure due to a retread separating. That is a tire that exploded due to excessive wear, usually from improper tire pressure.

I almost pulled the trigger on 4 Green Diamond retreads last year but they were back logged and kept dropping my order. I don't drive many highway miles and the green diamond additives plus their lower price made them worth testing for me. The problem I ran into was shipping them up here and their backlog.

Long haul trucks use them almost exclusively and the forces on those tires are significantly more than our vehicles see.

I can't speak to the air'd down performance but I plan to pick up some green diamonds next year once my current set of studded tires need replacement.

Erich

[MTL_4runner]

Retread tires have had a bad rap for quite a while and it was all because the technology has improved but very little marketing is done for them to change the old image. This process is VERY common for truck tires (over 90% of all truck tires do get retreaded.....only the steering tires always get replaced with new ones) but not so for passenger tires today except in 3rd world countries. Many of the tires we see come apart on the highway are not just from retreads, those are also new tires failures as well. They can fail from all sorts of reasons including nail punctures, overloading, under inflation, mismatching of tires on dual wheel positions and other improper maintenance and inspection procedures (heat is the worst enemy of a tire and most often the cause of the failure.....retread or new tire).

I've run retread tires before myself and the issue of them delaminating is a total non-issue. The tough part is to find retreads that balance well (the retread process usually creates a point that is heavier where the splice overlaps.....this area should be put opposite the valve stem to offset the small weight difference). If you do give them a try then make sure to get them road force balanced which will give you your best chance of getting a smooth ride out of them (also pay attention if there are markings for where the valve stem should be). I wouldn't hesitate to put a retread on a trail vehicle at all myself.

This is the process for truck retreads but car tires are much the same deal:
http://www.retreadcenter.com/retreadprocess.htm
http://www.bandag.com/download/TireProducts/Bandag_Retread_System.pdf

[Cabin2N]

I think 4wheel drive gave those tires a good review in a tire round up last year. Airing down will not affect a retread as it only stresses the sidewall, and as you say they are BFG m/t so you know the side wall is good. If I remember the review said that they balanced well but were a bit to noisy for their liking, but they were testing on a jeep with the doors off.

[04 Rocko Taco]

these are indeed the tires from 4WD's tire roundup last year...

[Texas Jim]

On semi's you have a second tire as a backup to having recaps on. I would never run them on my own semi. Not on the drive axles, or front steering wheels. I would not have to big of issue of running them on the trailer. In Over the road tractors and trailors you have to remember that the tractor is responsible for pulling the load down the road. You want to have good rubber under all of the controlling factors of a Semi.

The trailer is only able to have brakes applied and that is pretty much it. Also in the summer heat is a big time enemy to recaps. You never want to be passing a semi when one of them blows. That recap immediately peals off and that chunk of 30lbs. of tire flying at your windshield will and has decapitate a persons head.

So next time your on the interstate and it's summer and your passing a semi but going by it slowly, taking like a couple of miles to pass them. Remember what I told you about that recap taking your head off. I would never run a recap on anything other than a slow moving vehicle. Farm Tractor. or something as such. TJ

[waskillywabbit]

Don't waste your money on a retread as what is the one thing on the ground when you wheel (hopefully), so why go for cheap and questionable? Save your money Chris and you can find a good used set of tires I'm sure.

:guitar:

[troyboy162]

well ill be a test mule as well. i researched these after reading about them on here and there really is nothing bad said about them online. you can find storys of retreads being junk back in the old days but we all know thats a fact. anyone with first hand experience with treadwrights tires has had nothing but good things to say about wear or balancing. im pretty confident that these tires will be fine for my weekend toy...if not i was able to afford a full size spare just in case. i got all 5 for 1/2 the price of real MT-R's. time will tell, and i try to go wheeling every weekend so ill keep the forums updated with info.
http://www.wow.digitalchaosgaming.com/tr4/P1020354.JPG

i ordered the MT-G's with the note that i wanted 5 identical carcasses and made from any tire with a 3 ply sidewall. to my surprize they came in full MT-R glory with sidewalls that seem to have alot of the factory "hairs".

[Good Times]

cool! I didn't know they had retreads on MT/R's :) What's the cost on em and where did ya get em? Does Discount Tire / America's Tire sell em? (road hazard warranty included in these tires?!)

[troyboy162]

http://www.treadwright.com/Tires-285_75R16_M_T_G-P106.aspx
this is the only place you can get them as far as i know. they do have a warranty of of 2year/24,000 mile. thats not as much as most tires but if theres any manufacturing defects, its probably gonna show up in the first 5000 miles id figure

[Scooter25]

I'm looking at those tires since you mentioned them Troy. I need the thicker sidewalls after yet another tear, and just can't do $800 or more on some of the options out there right now

[Good Times]

Wow under 100 bucks for some 33's are definitely reasonable. For a non-daily driver vehicle I think this might be a pretty good option!

[troyboy162]

i will be cautious with them until they earn my trust mainly in the fact that i wont drive them fast on the road. that will be easy to remember as it takes alot of peddle to move my pig faster then 65 anyhow lol. offroad will be no holds barred and with the extra ground clearance (and full size spare) i think 15psi will be my target.

Scott i wish i could fast forward 12 months and tell you if these are the way to go or not. but so long as there's no issues with the tread, underneath it all is some very expensive tire construction that should hold up to punctures like any other high end tire. you can request what type carcass you want and they have all different kinds.

NorCalBorn do you have any experience with treadwright? i may be eating up marketing hype and reviews, but it sounds like they have a unique manufacturing process and have had nothing but positive feed back

[04 Rocko Taco]

Troy, this thread has been around a long time, with really nothing but conjecture and guesswork... Definitely keep us updated on what is going on with them. Thanks!!

[Scooter25]

Well I figured I'd be a guinea pic also, so I went ahead and ordered a set this morning.

[Scuba]

Well I figured I'd be a guinea pic also, so I went ahead and ordered a set this morning.


hah, 3 ply sidewall I hope...?

Congrats man...
I will more then likely be with you too for a run sooner then later...so ill check them out then..

Oh troy, Nice couch.
lolz

[troyboy162]

Well I figured I'd be a guinea pic also, so I went ahead and ordered a set this morning.

nice! you may be the first one to run them. im trying to upgrade my lift kit so i may not be ready for a few weeks.

and lol that is my couch and yes those tires are in my living room right next to the care care stuff and rolling tool chest that are where my kitchen table should be. some times its nice to be single hahah

[troyboy162]

i apreshiate the first hand experience. but admittedly i haven't found any info on hitech/treadwright before the year 2000ish other then what you have just told me now. sounds like they very well could have been junk back then. there is quite a few off roaders using them right now and i figure unhappy customers are the most vocal by far. if i have issues related to the retread i know id post it here and yotatech in a jiffy.

im not sure i understand you on the "Does the manufacturer of the casing you're using for the retread authorize..." of course any tire company, that the carcasses come from, would not stand behind a retread. theres absolutely nothing in it for them.

[Erich_870]

I have a set of their 235/85R16's with ultra grip. I'll keep this thread updated with developments and comments on performance/issues. Ultra Grip 235/85R16's (http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=5911.msg58811#msg58811)

Erich

[troyboy162]

well ive got mine on now and scooter25 has had his on for a few weeks. so far mine have been great:

-guys mounting them didnt know they were retread until i told them.
-they all balanced up with normal amounts of lead
-took mine up to 95mph cause i was late for a plane and they did not explode:)

ill post back when i get some offroad time in with them

[Scuba]

95....good job tard...:thumbup:
:D

Dude, were are you..? They say it might snow down to 2000 feet around here...Uhh... Snow wheeling at Cleg?? :D



:bling:

[troyboy162]

id be up for that! i "adjusted" my wheel wells a bit tonight and can finish them tomorrow so ill be all set for this weekend!

[Scuba]

hmm, I actually think I might be going to ocotillo this weekend...

:dj:

[troyboy162]

update...ive got 2500 miles os so on my tires now and a handfull of offroad trips. first off zero issues with anything you might think would happen to retreads so my review is really that of a normal tire.

offroad they have great traction and i run them at 15psi without any problems. the tread seems to be a firmer compund then my dakotas but just as sticky to the rocks. they show some wear on the lug cutting edges but its normal for where ive been with them. there is zero chunking and nearly no damage from all the sharp rocks they have seen. overall they are holding up much, much better then the pepboys dakotas.

they are however very loud on the road. but i see that a a positive thing lol. ill update if anything goes wrong but as it stands i am extremely happy with them at any price