ordered some treadwrights today

[fury9]

The grand total for the four tires plus shipping (97 bux) was 531.08. The tires come with a 2 year/24k warranty looks like they are gonna be about three weeks out,

I ordered the warden a/t load range e (10-ply). I was gonna go with the guard dog m/t but in all reality about 98 percent of my driving is on road so I figured I really don't need a tire like that. Plus the warden should be alot quieter.



You can look around here- http://www.treadwright.com/default.aspx. I will keep you updated with pics asap and performance notes after some miles.If anybody else is running treadwright tires feel free to chime in.

 

[seawalkersee]

I wish I had larger tires sometimes. Running a 15" setup is a limiting factor now a days. Who would of thunk it. 33x12.50x15 is what I run now. Good think I have another set.

SWS

 

[OLDBULL8]

Yup, got treadwright a year ago, a couple of Wranglers. One threw a big chunk out of the tread and the other wouldn't hold air. There warranty is super. Sent them pics and explaned the problem. They sent me two Michelin with the same treads. Good to go now. I may have run over something and cut the tread. I felt bad about it and sent them $30 shipping.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

My only concern with those retreads is that they are using RADIAL casings.

Radial casings are barely capable of outlasting the original tread; regardless of the integrity of their retreading, I would expect the casings to fail long before the tread was gone.

Now, if they have BIAS casings, I am gonna get interested, as BIAS casings are good for two or three more lives.

 

[Fordman75]

I've heard nothing but horror stories my whole life about retread tires. I think I'll just spend a couple hundred more and get me some new BFG AT's.

I'm a poor boy but my truck and my life are worth spending the extra cash. If something happened and I ended up killing myself or someone else because a tire came apart I'd feel pretty stupid.

 

[sassyrel]

My only concern with those retreads is that they are using RADIAL casings.

Radial casings are barely capable of outlasting the original tread; regardless of the integrity of their retreading, I would expect the casings to fail long before the tread was gone.

Now, if they have BIAS casings, I am gonna get interested, as BIAS casings are good for two or three more lives.

what about the RADIAL retreads on semi tractor,trailer tires????

 

[Goofyexponent]

what about the RADIAL retreads on semi tractor,trailer tires????

I had some pics and I still have some horror stories about these.

I have had casings blow apart for no real apparent reason. Outside of the tire looked fine upon pre trip, air pressure was up, no tread separation, no speeding. But when you get those things on the road with a good load on them (not overweight) they build a lot of heat, tire pressure increases and BOOM...call the tire guy.

In one summer, I blew apart...7 tires, maybe more..maybe less. Most were just a boom and that was it, some came flying apart so bad I hit cars with flying rubber. All the tires that came apart were re-capped, BUT the ****** tires that were going through the SAME abuse were just fine.

I am not sure how many times they were capped, but I think they were worn out.

 

[BigRigTech]

It all depends on the retread facility, the local Michelin retreader has a state of the art shop with a casing x-ray machine to look for broken belts and etc. I was given the full tour when I worked for Waste Management....We didn't loose any casings from those guys that I remember and any tire that lost a tread was treated as serious business by them. The guys on the production line have their bonus based on flaws found post production.

 

[ghunt]

I've had a set of treadwrights on my truck for 20K...granted they're getting close to bald in the middle but I've had no problems except for a nail through the tread in one of them.

I'm looking at getting another set except in the Warden AT tread.

 

[Jake_IN]

Ive got about 20k on mine and haven't had a single problem, and that's with about half of that towing trailers or hauling stuff. When I first got them one had a slow leak, sent them a picture of the soap bubbles on the tire, and they sent a new one to me without any more questions. When these wear out I'm definitely buying from them again.

 

[Fordman75]

I've had a set of treadwrights on my truck for 20K...granted they're getting close to bald in the middle but I've had no problems except for a nail through the tread in one of them.

I'm looking at getting another set except in the Warden AT tread.

My BFG's have over three times that many miles on them and aren't anywhere close to being bald. And most of those miles were loaded.

 

[OLDBULL8]

My BFG's have over three times that many miles on them and aren't anywhere close to being bald. And most of those miles were loaded.

Loaded, unloaded don't make no difference as long as the tire pressure and alignment is kept correct. I've got BFG's steer tires too, but they cost $145, my TreadWright's were $79 for the rear, they seem to be wearing OK. I won't put re-treads on the front. TreadWright tires are not re-caps they are molded re-treads.

 

[Jake_IN]

Loaded, unloaded don't make no difference as long as the tire pressure and alignment is kept correct.

Wouldn't loaded or unloaded effect how the tread wears down?
Just curious

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

For what it's worth, it is illegal to run retreads or recaps on the steer axle.


I have nothing against retreads/recaps, so far as the process is concerned.

There are ONLY two methods, regardless of the advertising hype that may accompany whatever companies retreads.

The oldest process is HOT-capping, in which the ground smooth casing is wrapped in a blanket of raw rubber and then put into a very hot mold that makes the tread design and "cooks" the tread layer onto the casing.

In the HOT-cap process, the tread design is engraved into the molds and a specific size mold is required for each tire size.

It is highly expensive to buy all the many sizes of molds, plus several varying tread designs in each size, to get set up in the HOT-capping business.

HOT-capped tires are evident by the new rubber extending partially over the casings side-wall.


It takes a trained eye to determine the difference between a HOT-cap tire and a ****** new tire.



Then, someone developed the COLD-capping process; think BANDAG or OLIVER.

In COLD-capping, the actual tread is bought in big rolls, pre-molded and the tread-pattern already made.

In many instances, some of the wider casings will have a new tread glued/cooked onto them that is obviously meant for a less wide tire.

The old casing has all the old tread ground away.

Then, a length of the new tread is wrapped around the casing and cut to length.

If you examine a cold-capped tire, you will easily see where the tread is cut and meets together.

Vulcanizing glue is slathered over the casing and this belt of new tread is then wrapped around the casing, with the whole mess probably heated in an oven to complete the process.

A COLD-cap tire will be very obvious, as the outer edges of the ground casing will be exposed, with the new tread just stuck on top.


Compared to the old way of HOT-capping, getting into the COLD-capping business requires minimal investment, as one roll of pre-molded tread can be used on countless sizes of tires, without the need for specific molds for each size.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

In 99% of retread failures, upon investigation, it is NOT the retreading that has failed, but the casing.

Like I stated earlier, a steel-belted radial casing is barely capable of out-living it's original tread and it is going out on a limb to expect it to hold together through a new life.


Retreads have their place, though.

People in colder climates will have much better success with them than those living in the Southern states.

Old low-mileage farm trucks, wood-cutters trucks, logging trucks, and other such vehicles that seem to destroy tires regardless of age/quality are good candidates for retreaded tires; it hurts a lot less to rip the sidewall of a $75 tire than it does a $200 one.


Another good use of retreads is to have a second set of wheels and have a winter set of retreads mounted and ice-studded on these wheels.

When winter arrives, bolt these snow-grippers on and save the other tires for the HOT pavement.

Also, one could have an extra set of wheels with winter-grip retreads mounted and already have a good set of chains mounted on the tires.

The chains can be installed when there is NO AIR in the tires, then the tires inflated, really taking the slack out of those chains.

It is probably easier to bolt on these already chained tires, than to lay under the truck in the snow and attach a set of chains.