Retreads.......What's your take/experience.....

I thought it went without saying that a top quality casing was the only one that's acceptable. My dealer stocks nothing else.

 

I bought 8 bandags from T/A in Okla city first tire blew a hole in side wall 3 weeks after getting them, 2nd tire slung a cap after 2 months got to looking and every single casing is dry rotted Bandag will not warranty their #### been waiting over 3 months to hear back from the first tire the second tire I'll eat and toss in a brush pile. I will never buy another Bandag tire.

 

I've never ran them. I'm a bit scared of them. But ive only bought tires once.

 

Concerning re-caps, they work well for many. Unfortunately I had my problems with the recaps. First I'm loaded heavy every load with much of the trip being trucked on secondary roads, gravel and dirt roads.
After using recaps for 40 yrs, loosing many mud flaps, lights on the back of my trailer torn off, half fenders torn off, back end of my fuel tank bent up, casings wrapped around my housing and pieces of rubber all over the roadway when I did find some decent pavement to run on guess what, the light came on and I decided It would be better financially for moi to use virgin rubber.
Sayin that, I understand why recaps do work for many. A good tire maintenance program coupled with using one's own original tires can be very beneficial in saving on maintenance costs.

 

Emphasis on a keeping an eye on the air pressure. Use your own casings.
Recap technology has come a long way. Steers get capped and go on my drives. I've had more virgin tires go bad than caps. Most of my tire failures have been caused by screws, nails, bolts.

My spread axle trailer I use virgin tires only and sell my casings.

 

I've tried recaps off and on for years and had bad luck with most of them. I keep saying to myself " I'll try them one more time" and all but once it's been a mistake. You think it's saving money... but in the end it doesn't. The only cap that ever did me any good was the Michelin ring or one piece recap. And even those started coming apart when they got down to 9/32 or less. I'm done with those junk caps. Virgin tires only for me.

 

What kind of price difference can you expect going to a recap?

 

Recap your tire/casing my cost last year was $250 for drives.
I have a local shop that picks up and delivers, included in price.

 

In Prince George, Canadian dollars, budget caps are $220, premium caps are $265.

 

Goodyear Wingfoot Commercial Tire in San Antonio was $300 for 11r24.5’s 6 months ago when I got 4 of them. Back orders and shortages are projected to put virgins close to $1000 ea. The big three retreaders are gonna bank $ when you can sell 3 or 4 for the price of one. Virgin tire quality has gone down the crapper since covid and the workforce issues with it. We see and process more new defects coming out of the molds and being shipped out to dealers then ever before. Even seen a few that had no steel belt plies in them. And this is coming from the premiums. Lol!