Old tire ad

[MParr]

I didn’t intend to have that old yellow pages ad spark a debate about the pros and cons of retreading tires. But I do understand that in 1950 money was probably an issue for many. It was not as much a disposable item economy like we have now.

It was back when a buck was still silver
From an old Merle Haggard song. However, it's true.

 

[Vercingetorix]

I’m curious if these divots on the sidewalls of these tires are sidewall wear indicators? These were taken in northern Italy.

 

[CapriRacer]

I’m curious if these divots on the sidewalls of these tires are sidewall wear indicators? These were taken in northern Italy.

View attachment 324916

View attachment 324918

I'll bet those are indicators for how far they can buff off rubber in the retreating process - as in, if the indicator is gone, you've gone too far.

 

[JohnnyG]

I am opposed to retread over the road truck tires. My reason is simple. I had to pay out of my pocket (what my insurance didn't cover) to fix the hood and grill of my then 1991 Ford Ranger. I was traveling at highway speed and the car in front of me struck a piece of retread. It came out from underneath that car and was airborne. It hit the center front edge of my hood and center grill. It's a scary feeling seeing a huge chunk of rubber coming at you.

Same thing happened to me, Insurance covered it though.

 

[MParr]

Same thing happened to me, Insurance covered it though.

I had a deductible to pay.
Recaps are dangerous.

 

[SeaJay]

I worked at a recapping shop in High School. I remember the failure rate was pretty high but a customers Full size Buick could be shod with 4 recaps for $80 OTD in about 1970. They should have been outlawed decades ago! large trucks can still use recapped tires on drive axles and trailers but should be outlawed altogether nationwide as well!

Ten or twelve years later I put on a set of 14 inch recaps on a Nova I inherited. $100 was the cost.

 

[circuitsmith]

Also phone number was 3 digits.

Actually 5 digits: 22-415. Ba in barnesboro = 22
See the letters under the numbers:
https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/encyclopedia-terms/touch-tone-_3x4key.fit_lim.size_1050x.gif

 

[Opelman]

We ran recaps on the drive axles on our school bus fleet. 1 or 2 issues, not catastrophic failures, attributed to the new tread in 30 plus years. We wouldn't run tires over 5 years old. Usually that was 2 caps. The brand of the tire casing has a lot to do with holding up for several years. No tire retreaded or not will survive being run flat or sidewall damage from the curb. That is where the majority of your gators come from.

 

[Opelman]

I forgot to add that improper downhill driving techniques causing brake overheating will also cook the inside dual leading to cracking along the bead and resulting in air loss and failure. On another note, We used to race on an asphalt 3/8 oval track using class mandated Hurst retreads. Initially tires were bias ply but the supply of casings dried up and they switched to radial. Never saw a tread tossed there.

 

[Allaned]

There are 2 things about that ad: thread rather than thread and the 2 to 1. With the latter you wore down the summer tread and you were left the mud/snow tread. Not very sophisticated but it was 1950.

Also phone number was 3 digits.

Thread rather than tread

 

[Kestas]

I only have one experience with retreads, back in 1982. It wasn't a good experience.