How often do you retread your tires?

The economic argument changes depending on the number of trucks you have. Is it one? Ten? A thousand? Individual and anecdotal experience aside, high quality recaps are no more inclined to self-destruct and do provide a savings. The key, of course, is high quality recaps and that starts with the recapped tire. If I was a one truck operation or small fleet, I would only use recaps of my own tires that I know had not been abused, eg., run low on air, curbed, etc., and by following best practises of the recap industry and process. A larger fleet can get away "third party" tires from a reliable supplier because even when there is a failure the associated costs will still not wipe out the accumulated savings across the fleet.

 

Steers were at 4 and 6 /32 iirc. The new plan is to replace them sooner then run them on trailer as needed. New steers are very nice.

Drives, honestly I just did 4 the other day, they were ranging from 2-5/32, one tire bald spots, wouldn't pass inspection. Put new along rear axle. Remaining are from 8-12/32 on front axle, hope to get through to perhaps summer with them. Only needed to do 2 to get legal, didn't want to imbalance one side of an axle. No irregular wear, truck drives perfectly straight, rotated them, no idea why the mismatch in wear. Check once a week psi always about 100. Not worried about it.

 

https://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NRD.../2009/COMVEC 2009 Tire Debris Svenson (2).pdf

 

I replace my steers every year regardless. They always look almost new. I’ll throw them on my trailer since a spreadaxle burns em fast.

Drive tires I replace every two years. They are still going strong and are at least half tread depth and are probably at least 8/32.

I do this because I drive from Texas to New England. So I not only deal with snow but 110 degree summer days.

 

Nothing wrong with retreads. Especially ones that you had capped. I used to run very heavy (115,000+) on 5 axles the truck or the trailer, maybe both, were on caps. I capped my casing at least once and sometimes twice. When your only getting 60-70,000 on trailer tires I’d have went broke buying virgins all the time.

 

I buy new for steers. Recap them at 4-5/32's for drives. I usually buy 4 new drive tires and run caps on the other axle. I like to use my own casings.

My trailer uses a smaller tire or I would remove my steers with more tread and run on trailer then cap for drives and run caps on trailer also.

I wouldn't run caps on trailer if they are smaller than 22.5.

Good luck.

 

I’m not yearly, but 1st thing i did with mine was put 10 virgin Michelin’s on it. I will swap out for fresh rubbers before they get to far gone. I’ll never run them long enough to “get all the money out of them”

 

I recap drive and trailer tires but only if I bought them as virgins and I send them to be recapped and get MY tires back. I would never send mine in only to get randoms back. Steers I run them until they are getting low on tread but normally before that they’ll develop shoulder wear or waviness. I also get an alignment done every time I put new steers on. 3 axle.

When I had one truck and trailer I’d buy virgins every time and trade in my old ones for credit. But as I got more trucks I like to have at least a full set of drives and trailer tires on deck ready to go. Also, back in 2015 and 2016 I had to look for areas to save money and I found this program to be a good happy medium. 215/tire is a lot better then 450 a tire and I have no problems.

 

Wonder if I could sell my used tires to someone like you for a bit more than casing credit. My tire shop of choice gives $30 for Michelins. If you have a system for exchanging / recapping your own, that is. I'm not going to keep the old ones and have them capped while new ones are on. I won't need them for 3 years at least. Be dried out by then.