well if its any consolation 90% of all 18 wheelers are using some type of retread tires on them. and 10 million trucks cant be too wrong.

 

This is true but only because it is way more expensive to use virgin rubber vs using recaps. When you run a truck with 18 wheels and have to choose between a $300x16(recap) vs $400+x16(virgin) adds up quick. Only 2 tires on a truck that must be virgin rubber are the steer tires. Its against the law to use recaps on steers. But when you use a recap they have a higher amount of rolling resistance than virgin rubber. Plus you have to look at the composition and tread of the tire as well. When you use a bad composition tire you will spend more in fuel. If you use a good composition tire, you should get good gas mileage and less rolling resistance. The other thing is what is the weight that the tire is designed to carry for that specific tire. If its been designed to carry a high amount of weight and its not used as such. You will get a bad tread wear from the tire. So there are a lot of things that should be considered when purchasing a tire.

You can search OOIDA.com or Landlinenow.com for all the information you need on how to properly run a tire.

 

Not everywhere, only buses are banned federally from using them. Most states have their own specific laws regarding them.

From the research I've gone through a properly manufactured and maintained retreaded tire has little difference than new.

 

I work at a retread shop for large tires. Bandag, the company that supplies our tread rubber, actually has a line of rubber that lasts longer and has less rolling resistance than a comparable virgin casing.(It's the Fueltech line.) And actually, the cost of a retread can vary greatly depending on tire size and type of tread. Our tread is a certain price per pound. This means a standard truck tire can run anywhere from 250 dollars all the way to 400 dollars, whereas a virgin casing can cost 300-700 dollars, depending on brand, tread, etc.

 

I have been in trucking for 13 years and I'm telling you FMCSA does not allow recaps on a steer tire on a big truck, ITS AGAINST THE LAW. And when I did own my truck, I still would never put recaps anywhere on my truck. That gives me peace of mind that I decreased having 80,000lbs under my ***, from etting out of control cause of tire failure. And also, you're family could be next to me if a recap was to let go.

Now as far as passenger vehicles. I wouldn't put my families life in jeopardy to save a few bucks.

 

FMCSA
393.75 Tires.
Paragraph
(d) No bus shall be operated with regrooved, recapped or retreaded tires on the front wheels.

(e) A regrooved tire with a load-carrying capacity equal to or greater than 2,232 kg (4,920 pounds) shall not be used on the front wheels of any truck or truck tractor.

Sounds to me like they aren't explicitly against the law.

FWIW even the NHTSA has done a study and concluded that retreaded tires have no higher failure rate than new tires.

NHTSA Tire report

and the University of Michigan has done a study showing most tire failures are due to improper maintenance regardless of whether new or retreaded.
UofM Study

I'm just saying there is for some reason a negative view of retreaded tires where there is no research to back it up and we'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

We have barely any failed retreads and most of the ones we do see are from over/underinflation, overloading, or striking a curb/object with the tire. A few guys i work with are running our recaps on all 4 tires of their trucks and some are on their second set and have had no problems. I would consider running them.

P.S. Technically it's not a glue holding the tread on but a thin layer of special rubber that cures the tread to the casing.

 

Subpart G—Miscellaneous parts and accessories §393.75 Tires.

(a) No motor vehicle shall be operated on any tire that (1) has body ply or belt material exposed through the tread or sidewall, (2) has any tread or sidewall separation, (3) is flat or has an audible leak, or (4) has a cut to the extent that the ply or belt material is exposed.


(b) Any tire on the front wheels of a bus, truck, or truck tractor shall have a tread groove pattern depth of at least 4/32 of an inch when measured at any point on a major tread groove. The measurements shall not be made where tie bars, humps, or fillets are located.


(c) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, tires shall have a tread groove pattern depth of at least 2/32 of an inch when measured in a major tread groove. The measurement shall not be made where tie bars, humps or fillets are located.


(d) No bus shall be operated with regrooved, recapped or retreaded tires on the front wheels.


(e) A regrooved tire with a load-carrying capacity equal to or greater than 2,232 kg (4,920 pounds) shall not be used on the front wheels of any truck or truck tractor.

 

That's a total of 9840Lbs. And the front axle weight of a tractor trailer empty is approximately 10500lbs. So no you can not run them. The gross weight of a class 8 front steer is 12500lbs. and some axles are rated for 20,000 like a bus

 

ok so i opened a big can of worms. opps. but for the money treadwrights are a pretty good deal. i would use them on my 89 conv. and they look good too....