Problems with Recaps, should I recap or buy new?

Years ago I had Goodyear cap my trailer tires, cap came off in less than 200 Miles, just happened to be close to a Goodyear dealer, got there at 5pm, used national account and they charged me $135 for after hours service. Never owned a Goodyear since, and will not buy a car or truck with them.

 

Ive driven for a carrier who uses recaps on trucks and trailers. Of 3.5years ive worked there only had 1 recap that blew out. I knew it would blow out cause it had crack going between casing and a cap and cap was mostly worn out. It needed to be replaced asap but they did their "in shop" DOT inspection at the company shop and decided that the cap was still good to go. Im actually surprised it lasted so long. Had a blow out on Minnesota/Wisconsin border. I was 10 miles or so from border. Of course when I called company they wanted me to go to wisconsin TA to get that tire fixed. I refused and told them to send out a service truck to repair tire. They were cheap skate and had to pay much more now cause they didnt want to put new recap on that rim. Recaps are fine as long as you keep and eye on them and inflate them at 100psi and do your pre/post trip properly.

 

It boils down to the rolling resistance of recaps versus New tires, New tires get better fuel efficiency. Check out America moves by truck. Com or Michelin web site for rolling resistance calculator. Virgin low rolling resistance tires are virtually free if you count fuel economy

 

I know I just opened up the can of worms, so let's here your opinions. Just know it's okay for you to be wrong

 

I got 8 recaps on my drives of my old new to me truck I bought a 97 International , 4 on the rear drives are nice Goodyear recaps that look nice.

The forward drives have 2 I won't even run that are going to be replaced with my old steers.

The other 2 forward drives are questionable enough that they will be replaced soon

I run the Ohio turnpike regularly. This summer soon as we are all accelerating out of the gate. The white Volvo gang is blowing their cheap ### recaps all over the road.


Never failed


Beat up white Volvo that has greasy handprints all over it and has not been washed in 5 years

Check

Haulin ### through the construction zones all over his lane and mine

Check


Recap blowing apart after White Volvo runs 80 mph for 10 minutes in Summer heat


Check

My milk company I run tankers for is religious about keeping new tires on our tractors and trailers


Cheapest insurance you can have for your Life and your checkbook.

Look at all the cars at the side of the road with blown tires rode down to the Rim.

Who are these Geniuses ?

 

I don't buy recaps either.
From 2002 to 2010 I was working for outfits that used recaps on trailers. I had explosions at least twice a year. I don't remember checking air pressure with a PSI gauge every day but neither do I remember checking exact air pressure every day after I started working for a company that never used recaps and magically no more explosions happened ever since. The recaps sold at truck stops are for the price I can buy new tires at a discount in a local tire shop, if not less . Buying new tires at truck stops at their markup prices, unless in emergency, I consider not very smart.

 

I only used recaps one time and 10 minutes after I pulled out of the lot, one of the tires cleanly lost its entire tread as if they forgot to glue it on.

 

I have 1 recap drive tire that I have for a spare, other than that I won’t run recaps, the good recaps aren’t cheap enough to justify running them.. you can get cheap Chinese virgins for what you can “ good”recaps, for only a little more you can get Dayton’s.. if you get Yokohama’s from southern tire Mart they are pretty close to Dayton’s on price.. southern tire Mart seems to be able to sell them cheaper than others.. A good set of tires will last a few years, so why skimp on them..