Treadwright - 235/80R17 - Winter Kedge
- Thread starter Sleepeyes
- Start date
~1200 miles today. Still good.
Except when I don't.
Sometimes US Forest Circus...
Oh I love it!
Except when I don't.
Sometimes US Forest Circus...
I purchased a set of Treadwright Wardens (BFG K02 knockoffs) in P265/70/17 load E w/ the kedge grip for my 1985 F-250 around July of 2016.
Within the first two weeks I had a tread separation on the passenger rear tire. I had them aired up to spec. I was driving down the highway going about 65 when I heard a loud bang and the truck shake, almost felt like a car had hit me. I looked in the rearview and thought my toolbox lid flew open or something, but nothing was amiss.
I stopped and looked back there and the tread was torn off leaving just the shaved carcass. I wish I'd have kept the photos, it was ugly. Dented in the corner of the lower pickup bed pretty good and left black streaks all over it.
The real disappointment is that it took Treadwright about 3 months to make it right. It was like pulling teeth to get them to replace it in the first place (they tried to use every reason in the book not to honor the warranty). It took about 2 months to receive the first replacement-- TW kept sending tracking numbers whose "waiting for package" status would never change. They would tell me the package was lost or that the courier screwed up. When I finally did receive the first tire, there were defects in the sidewall molding. The remolding process is supposed to cover the sidewall with new rubber, there was an area of the sidewall where the veneer looked like Swiss cheese and had several holes in it right down to the carcass.
I sent photos and they promised another one. That one took about 4 weeks (if memory serves) but I received one that I felt comfortable putting on the truck. Had no further issues after that; probably put about 15-20k on the tires before I sold the truck.
The whole experience left me with a sour taste in my mouth such that I probably wouldn't consider their tires ever again. It's a shame because I believe in the sustainability angle, but I don't think the price difference between TW and a mid-grade new tire is enough to justify the risk/headache. My parents always used winter retreads when I was a kid and never had any issues at all-- so I'm not at all against retreads or remolds.. I'm more against what I saw as poor quality and poor customer service.
Here's my old thread: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/treadwright-retread-failure-500-miles-thoughts.261123/
Keep us updated, I wish you the best of luck with them!
Within the first two weeks I had a tread separation on the passenger rear tire. I had them aired up to spec. I was driving down the highway going about 65 when I heard a loud bang and the truck shake, almost felt like a car had hit me. I looked in the rearview and thought my toolbox lid flew open or something, but nothing was amiss.
I stopped and looked back there and the tread was torn off leaving just the shaved carcass. I wish I'd have kept the photos, it was ugly. Dented in the corner of the lower pickup bed pretty good and left black streaks all over it.
The real disappointment is that it took Treadwright about 3 months to make it right. It was like pulling teeth to get them to replace it in the first place (they tried to use every reason in the book not to honor the warranty). It took about 2 months to receive the first replacement-- TW kept sending tracking numbers whose "waiting for package" status would never change. They would tell me the package was lost or that the courier screwed up. When I finally did receive the first tire, there were defects in the sidewall molding. The remolding process is supposed to cover the sidewall with new rubber, there was an area of the sidewall where the veneer looked like Swiss cheese and had several holes in it right down to the carcass.
I sent photos and they promised another one. That one took about 4 weeks (if memory serves) but I received one that I felt comfortable putting on the truck. Had no further issues after that; probably put about 15-20k on the tires before I sold the truck.
The whole experience left me with a sour taste in my mouth such that I probably wouldn't consider their tires ever again. It's a shame because I believe in the sustainability angle, but I don't think the price difference between TW and a mid-grade new tire is enough to justify the risk/headache. My parents always used winter retreads when I was a kid and never had any issues at all-- so I'm not at all against retreads or remolds.. I'm more against what I saw as poor quality and poor customer service.
Here's my old thread: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/treadwright-retread-failure-500-miles-thoughts.261123/
Keep us updated, I wish you the best of luck with them!
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Hurricane Harvey was in 2017....
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Out of curiostiy, what was the stock tire size for that truck, and what PSI did you inflate them to?
Stock tires for that old truck were pizza cutters, P235/80/16. I switched rims and went with P265/70/R17, ran those for years. Stayed with that size when I bought the TW.
As far as PSI, probably had them at 65psi when the tread separation occurred, that's the pressure I typically run LT tires when unloaded. Like I mentioned, once I replaced that one, I drove on them for 20k or so without any issues before I sold the truck. In that 20k, I had them aired up to 80 PSI at times when hauling/towing heavy loads, no problems.
Ah ...... Mmmmm ...... Something's not right here!
First, there are no P235/80R16's. There are, however. LT235/85R16's. And 65 psi wouldn't be an appropriate inflation pressure for a P type tire!
So maybe the retreads were P265/70R17's? And maybe that is why Treadwright balked at replacing the tire? Maybe you told them the tires were P type, when they were LT type - and, again, maybe that's why they balked?
oops didn’t mean to throw the P in there, course of habit. Both sizes would have been LT. I mentioned before these were load range E which is by default an LT tire. And you’re right 235/85/16 was the stock size, not 235/80.
I have a set of TreadWrights on my 2005 Grand Cherokee. I've been really impressed with them; no issues with their quality, but I know they had a reputation for a while under some different ownership.
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- Sep 19, 2020
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I wish they'd offer a service of remolding a customer's casings for them; that would solve the issue of not knowing the history of the casings.
Probably not cost-effective shipping them both ways.
2600 miles. Still going good. Had their first real winter-y conditions (light slushy snow), and preformed great. Didn't spin any tire backing out of my driveway and then turning to go up my road's slope (I live on the side of a mountain, the main road varies between 10-30% slope on my clinometer depending on where you shoot from).
At the end of the day, casing failures of remolds and retreads are rare, and casing failures of any tire, unless abused in some way, aren't exactly common. Most of the failures described by people with treadwrights aren't actually casing related.
Something that has actually been eating at me is people saying non-commercial LT tires aren't designed to be retreaded or remolded. What exactly is different about the manufacturing process of a Load Range E 10-ply non-commercial tire, and a Load Range E 10-ply commercial tire?
I legitimately want to know, not just assume that there must be a difference.
If you look on their site they say that it simply isn't cost effective for anyone. They would also have to deal with customers upset that their casings were rejected, but were still on the hook for shipping costs.
At the end of the day, casing failures of remolds and retreads are rare, and casing failures of any tire, unless abused in some way, aren't exactly common. Most of the failures described by people with treadwrights aren't actually casing related.
Something that has actually been eating at me is people saying non-commercial LT tires aren't designed to be retreaded or remolded. What exactly is different about the manufacturing process of a Load Range E 10-ply non-commercial tire, and a Load Range E 10-ply commercial tire?
I legitimately want to know, not just assume that there must be a difference.
My first set of retreads were commercial tires - I want to say Bridgestone M773? Casings. They were LTE but the sidewalls were like 1/4 thick. They were ridiculously heavy!
Actually, the division between "Retreadable" and not isn't along the lines of Commercial vs non-commercial. As a general rule, retreadable LT tires are made similarly to their larger cousins, the Over-the-Road trucks tires (18 wheeler type). Those tires have steel body plies (as opposed to polyester for non-commercial LT's).
Because Over-the-Road truck tires ARE designed (and tested) to be retreaded (some even have guarantees!), the smaller steel casing LT's have benefitted not only from the technology, but the testing required to assure a tire is retreadable.
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Remolds (like treadwright) isn't the same as retreads though.
Retreads have preformed tread pattern that are cut to length and glued onto the prepared casing.
Remolds are similar to new tire production, which unlike new tire production, instead of building the casing from the ground up, it re-uses a casing that has been "prepared" then rubber applied to it and put into molds to have the tread pattern and sidewall markings molded in and vulcanized.
But... they allow punctured tires with compromised belts to pass through as acceptable.
Retreads have preformed tread pattern that are cut to length and glued onto the prepared casing.
Remolds are similar to new tire production, which unlike new tire production, instead of building the casing from the ground up, it re-uses a casing that has been "prepared" then rubber applied to it and put into molds to have the tread pattern and sidewall markings molded in and vulcanized.
But... they allow punctured tires with compromised belts to pass through as acceptable.
Ah ..... Mmmm... I don't think that's correct.
I think "retread" means ALL of the ways that worn tires get renewed so they are reusable - and there are 3 methods:
1) Recap - where the old tread rubber is buffed off, new, uncured rubber is added, and cured in a mold that only molds the tread area. The original casing is visible and readable, so the original manufacturer and date can be determined. Usually there is a number branded in the sidewall to indicate who recapped it and when. In tires designed to be retreaded, there is a black space designated for these numbers.
2) Remold - where not only is the tread rubber buffed off, but so is the sidewall. The original casing information (including the size) is no longer visible - meaning only what the retreader has in the mold is visible. These would including coding so the date and retread manufacturer are indicated, but the date and manufacturer of the original casing is not (but there might be a way to figure it out - barcode?)
3) Precure - where the tread rubber is buffed off and a precured tread is cut to length and cured onto the casing. The original date and manufacturer of the casing is visible, but there is coding so the retreader's information (including date) are indicated. The advantage of precure is that less heat is put into the casing, the retread rubber can be made of better, harder to process rubber, and is less expensive than the other methods. The disadvantage is that there is an obvious splice (discontinuity). It's more of an appearance issue, not a performance issue. Bandag and Oliver are 2 manufacturers who come to mind.
FWIW...the truck I picked up from Ryder with 4 new drive tires had what looked like splices in at least a couple, so that might be a precure. Tires were Bridgestones capped by Bandag.
Actually, the visible splice is a characteristic of precure, not just Bandag..
When riding buses to work was still a thing, I noticed the local transit agency was using Oliver or Prince retreads on Michelin or Goodyear transit bus/waste hauler carcasses on the rear/middle axles and whatever tire they’re leasing new on contract(Goodyear Intercity Cruiser currently, was Michelin XZU3 or X Incity).
I know FTA/DOT rules dictate only new tires are to be used on the front axles of any bus for obvious reasons. But I thought the tire makers had their own retread line as well?
