Is it me or is it time to ban recap tires from on-highway use?

The new caps are better. I still try to avoid them. Some look like virgins. Sidewalls blended in perfectly. I just realized one of my drives is a cap. I bought it in a pinch. Didn’t realize it at the time. Soon to be replaced. I don’t trust them. Not worth the time and trouble when they fail. The recap industry has powerful Lobbyists. Powerful enough to get a correct answer changed on the original CDL test. Original correct answer was that they WERE more likely to fail than virgins. State issued study manual had a notation to correct the “wrong” answer. That was in 1992, when I got my CDL.

 

You'd cost the megas a fortune not running caps.

 

I’d say that having a tire inflation system on the trailer would prevent more blowouts than a ban on retread tires.

 

I think every DOT officer would ticket you for that.

 

I’ve had plenty inspections and never have I seen a DOT officer get a gauge out. I run a tpms system and within 10 minutes on the highway they’re up to 95.

 

Or maybe drivers need to start inspecting their tires before going out and running 80 mph on junk tires?

 

I worked at a small Goodyear retread plant in a north state for a few years after high school and before CDL. We pushed out 32 tires a day. We got inspected and checked out by someone every 6 months to a year. We did tires for a few direct customers, we did not sell them to individuals. I can count on one hand how many tires got refunded because of blowouts per year.

That said I bought a truck with 8 new retreads on it and blew 3 tires the first month.

My personal opinion is recaps are ok in the north but will blow easily in a hot southern summer.

 

I don't know about the megas but the math says virgins are a whole lot cheaper then caps.

I mean. You'll blow 4 or more caps to 1 virgin.

 

Tire inflation pressure.

393.75 (I)(1) No motor vehicle shall be operated on a tire which has a cold inflation pressure less than that specified for the load being carried.

you would make a great dot officer, lots of them just make up the rules as they go.

I run 80 in my steers. They are over inflated. Fight me!