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

I pretty much back to fully running only virgins unless it’s recaps for trailer tires and I’ve owned the virgin since new.

I used to think well, long as I’ve had the tires since new then recap will be ok. Truth is they still kinda suck. So, now I’ve gotten to the point where if the tire wore perfectly as a virgin then I’ll recap it, if not I’ll trade it in as credit.

Ive been hoarding tires lately. I got 8 BS virgin drives, 8 bs drive recaps. 8 virgin BS trailer tires, 8 BS trailer recaps. And then 6 new BS steers. I think I’ll open a tire shop if there becomes a serious tire shortage and they are 1000+ a piece.

 

You just don't know how your drivers are abusing them virgin casings lol. If *you* were driving that truck and not running over any curbs them recaps on your virgins would be just fine. Most drivers out here just don't GAF and I see guys that have been doing this a long time, "great driver", blah blah that could and should do better but don't.

 

I’ve been hoarding them too for 20 or so years. Good first lines mainly for my antique trucks and storage trailers. So they are getting reused slowly as time go’s by. At one time I had 12 Xza2’s and 3’s and 32 XDA3’s lol! All 11r22.5’s. Since we are authorized and trained by Michelin to be defect warranty claim inspection center Michelin gave us free tires and we would take them off our two 6 wheelers every 2-3 years at 50% and I’d bring them home.

 

I ran some recaps once. Michelin tires and Michelin caps. They were cheap, but of course I got what I paid for. Had a sidewall blow on one around 30k miles, and the tires were as good as shot around 60k. That bein said I do get on gravel roads and I don't haul small loads.

 

I use the Goodyear retreads , they only use high-end casings and out of 8 I purchased they are terrific and the wear is even. I did curb one and had it replaced , going on 2 years on my drives . I used JB hunt Goodyear account since contractors can get JB discounts at Goodyear.

 

I cap the good casings coming off the trucks, and use on the trailers. Been doing so for many years, and overall been happy. Rocks taking out the sidewalls, is the main reason for tire failure in my world.

 

I've ran bandag caps until recently I had 3 blowouts and one had giant 6 inch crack on sidewall which I replaced before it blew. Recaps can last you 200k or 200miles

 

Recap = hit or miss, 50/50, will or will not.. I try not to gamble with my nerves, as 70mph is standard, 80 often, 85 sometimes. My nerves are more pricey, than any money I can "save" on a "use it again" rubber. Save 6-8 hundred and then drive and watch the mirrors whole the time? No, thank you, but no. But yes, to each his own, run whatever your soul desires, money, or more money on a service call somewhere in WY.. We have a saying: greedy pays twice)

 

I can't equate saving maintenance costs with greedy, but I like that statement.
Now I only use my own tires for casings.
I had more virgin tires fail on my trailer that used 17.5 tires for 4 years, than I had drive tire caps fail in 20 years.

My first 10 years I used exclusive recaps on my single drive axle truck. I only had a couple caps fail. Less count than Virgin drives.

I think it makes a huge difference on the supplier. It takes a little searching to find a good local supplier. I have a local recap shop. Their business is dependent on return customers so they put out a quality product.

They x-ray and inspect every casing. They won't cap any casing that has a shadow of imperfection.

A lot of airplane tires are recapped. That's a lot of trust in a product.

As said caps aren't for everyone.

 

Recaps are a crap shoot. Some are better than others. I've blown recaps, I've blown virgins. I know one thing, I'm not fond of running recaps on the drive axles. I've worked for a company that would do that in the name of saving money, and that was counter productive. Drive axle tires get a lot of work out here on the road. I think recaps are ok for trailers, unless you have a spread axle.