Just ordered 5 new crawler retreads and now Im looking for a place to mount and balance them. Called around, some places wont touch them due to liability issues, other places will install them. But when i called TireWarehouse they said they were told not to touch retreads because they are not legal on passenger vehicles in the state of NH. Anyone heard of this? Ive been looking on google with no definitive answer here. Called the DMV and they got me on a long *** hold, they dont seem certain either.

SHe finally got back on the line and said re-grooved tires are illegal but that there is no law that specifically states retread tires are illegal. The debate continues.

 

Almost every tractor trailer truck runs retreads... but whatever. I would just take it to a tire warehouse and not tell them.

 

Almost every blown-out tire carcass you see on the road is from a semi too...

 

Haha true, very true

 

The rep from tirewarhouse was implying that retreads are not legal on "passenger" vehicles Zack. Commercial fleet it different.

Either way i cleared things up with the DMV rep. She said there is no current law in effect that prohibits the use of retreads but that they must have a "DOT" number on the sidewall. I called retreads and ask about the dot number and they said that their tires do have a dot number on them. So i guess the only tires you have to worry about are regrooved tires.

I called tirewarehouse back and spoke to the manager and explained to him my findings, seems he is not to familiar with NH state laws or current events. He had to contact "corporate" to verify whatever then he called me back and said they could install my retreads! $20 per tire. He also asked me where i got the retreads, "i did not think anybody could buy retreads....." Lol.

Contrary to popular believe some research studies suggest that much of the tire debrees found all over the highway are NOT from retreads. In the early years yes but with the improvements in tire technology, there is less retread debrees.

 

Just get some of those goofy numbers and letters and stick them on your fender.
You're welcome

 

Of course all retreads have DOT numbers on them, the DOT numbers are from the original tires! The sidewall is kept from the original tire, unless it's a B2B retread

 

Yeah, the tire casings were virgin at one time, so they will have DOT #'s. Id check your tire casing dates though, see how old they are. They have "cold" and "hot" applied caps. We always had good luck with running the "hot" cap tires on our dump truck trailers and drive axles. YOU NEVER RUN A RE-CAP TIRE ON YOUR STEER AXLE...thats voo-doo, I'm not sure why anyone would run re-caps on a passenger vehicle though? The days of 16.5" Bias ply truck tires are over. MO

 

Funny I'm running retreads on my steering axle and I would call the 110 a passenger vehicle. Works great and have been doing fine on it for many miles. They days of retreads being total crap are also gone.

FYI Town Fair Tires in NH mounted tires for me all the time never asked any questions. Decent price quick and professional service.

 

ArmyRover I really like Town Fair Tire, they were the guys who did my alignment when i got my new 16" wheels installed. Great service and they seemed to know what they were doing. Today I called them and asked them flat out if they would mount/balance retreads and the manager said no due to liability reasons. Maybe some stores will, maybe I should not have mentioned retreads. But I figured that If i brought in my truck then would be able to tell that i was running retreads. Also I have done ALOT of research on retreads and concluded the same thing, that the issues are a thing of the past. Every now and then somebody will post pictures of a busted retread tire but the commentors always reassure me. Sometimes a blown tire is the result of abuse or improper tire pressure.

Either way my crawlers are on their way and ill be sure to post some pictures when I get the mounted.