Retread Tires

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I'm new to the forum thing (Look at my posts) so forgive me if this has already come up. I'm stationed in England and would like to put new tires all around. Currently I have four different brands on right now. All the same speed rating. The base sells some off brand tire for $135.00 each/installed. I wanted to see if I could get them cheaper on the local economy. The only way to do that is to buy retreads (due to the exchange rate) and instal them myself. My plan is to see if i can get four matching and go from there. Are retreads gaining in quality as adhesives and manufacturing processes improve, or am I just waiting for a wheel well to blow up at speed on the highway? I'm really just looking for piece of mind if I do this.
 
Gee, I wish I could help with your question. You will actually need someone from England that knows exactly what is being manufactured & available there, pricing and the British economy!

I don't know anything about retread tires except that, I don't want them!
We have too many good choices/opportunities here in the States to purchase brand new, highly rated tires from all manufactures, at several sources either locally or online!

I do look forward to what other have to say on this subject!

Best of luck to you my friend
smile.gif


CB
 
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I also agree that I personally would avoid them. Maybe they qre fine, and i have seem them on a lot of commercial trucks but it would make me uncomfortable.
 
Most of the commercial trucks in the USA do run them like buck91 stated. If you get them from a respectable retreading company, they can be very good tires for the cost.
We do see shredded truck tires on the side of the road here on occasion. The main problem there is that truck drivers sometimes drive with under inflated/flat tires. The heat generated when run like this will tear up any tire. When you run 18 to 42 tires on one vehicle it can be problematic to keep them all up to perfect pressures.

Because of this, I think retreads get a bad rap.
 
Around my area near Indianapolis there are many used tire shops and if you tell them your size and pay a little more you can get an almost new set as someone wants a different tire on their new car. Iften they change rims and tires for looks. Great way to get a nice set cheaper but it is by luck that they have or you wait until they get them in. These will usually run about 30-50% of a new set around here.
 
First, I don't think it is economical to retread passenger car and light truck tires - except for "commercial" light truck tires. Reason? Those tires mentioned are NOT designed to be retreaded, where "commercial tires" are.

Commercial tires will cost you more initially, but the pay off is in the ability to retread. For over the road truck tires, it is hard to find tires that aren't retreadable, due to the nature of the business.

So I tend to think it would be wise to avoid retreaded passenger car and light truck tires - the exception being winter tires.

I don't think this matters where you are in the world as no matter where you go, there will be good retreaders and bad retreaders.
 
I was in the Army and stationed in Europe for 7 years total.
While overseas, you are paid a Cola, or cost of living allowance. If you live off base you also get paid an OHA or overseas housing allowance.
This is paid to you every month based on exchange rates, your pay grade, etc. It is a non taxable pay.
This money is paid to you because it costs you more to live and maintain your household

So if I was you, I would skip the retread tires and go get the $135 tires mounted and installed.
This way you will have good and safe tires for your excursions around Europe.
And you can just thank the taxpayer of the USA for paying the COLA to you.
Above all else, keep your vehicle in good and safe operating condition. Maintain it properly. Don't let a few dollars slow down good maintenance. Remember we pay you extra for being stationed outside the USA

Enjoy your paid vacation in England
 
It should also be noted that while pretty much all commercial trucks here in the US do run retreaded tires, they are not allowed on the front axle. They can only be used on the truck's rear axle(s) and trailer.

I drive a truck every day for work that has retreads, but I don't think I'd ever use them on my personal vehicles.
 
Do they let you mail order tyres in merry old England? What size are you looking for? Do you have access to a base hobby shop where you can literally mount and balance them yourself, or bribe a buddy with the skills to do so?
 
Blah blah blah - back in the 1970s retreads were poorly made.

A few truck drivers run NEW tires low on air and they throw their cap - so all retreads are bad.

I run treadwright remoulded tires on my Cherokee. Love them. I have done many things that are a no-no (air them down off roading, have run them on the highway with no air, and drove them on the highway with a bent tierod). Excellent tires.

I wouldn't hesitate.

In fact, because the factory steering setup on my Cherokee isn't good enough and damaged my original set ... I'm ordering another set from treadwright in the spring!
 
If your situation can afford new tires, get new and you will have piece of mind. Sometimes the piece of mind is worth paying for.
 
Before going retreads, check the used tire market. If the local auto wreckers can source good used tires (tyres ;o) that could be an option provided the date stamp doesn't show older than 3-4 years you can save some shillings.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88

I run treadwright remoulded tires on my Cherokee. Love them. I have done many things that are a no-no (air them down off roading, have run them on the highway with no air, and drove them on the highway with a bent tierod). Excellent tires.


Interesting. I've never seen any retread passenger tires in real life before. I used to work at a bus company and dealt with many retread bus tires.

This thread made me go down a rabbit hole of tire retreading videos.

I found a few places online that specialize in retread tires, including Treadwright.
https://www.treadwright.com/
https://www.tirerecappers.com/

Tire Recappers sells tire they retread themselves on their website and ebay. But they don't have any videos showing the process.

There are some high-tech operations performing the work. Here's a video of a company in Italy.


To the OP,
What is the exact brand of the retread tires you're considering and what is the brand and model of the new tires?
 
Having used Treadwrights on four vehicles...yes, it does! Mostly: I have found that nothing short of metal studs will match their Kedge Grip on icy roads.
 
I run a large fleet +1000 trucks with 16" to 22.5" tires. Never could get a viable recap program going on the 16" drive tires, in that fabric casings were difficult to recap correctly.
22.5 tires on tractor drives or trailers you can do reliably all day long.
My 2 cents is to buy new if a passenger vehicle application.
 
Originally Posted By: tom slick
The only federal regulations on retread tires on a steering axle applies to buses, not trucks or light vehicles. Retread manufacturers, such as Bandag, make "all position" tread patterns for steering axles.

http://www.crashforensics.com/tirefailures.cfm

http://www.moderntiredealer.com/channel/...teer-axles.aspx


I agree with CapriRacer, the economics of using them on a light vehicle doesn't pay out.


Interesting. I just took my CDL test last month, and a required part of the pre-trip inspection is to verify that the steer tires are not retreads.

 
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