Should You Retread Tires? Pros & Cons

Can you retread tires? Sure. People and businesses have been doing it, in some form or fashion, for about 100 years. This is still the case for many types of commercial vehicles, such as semi-trucks, aircrafts and buses, to name a few. However, due to the improved longevity of modern tires, it's not typical for passenger vehicles to have retreaded tires.

How do you retread a tire? The act of retreading a tire, which is sometimes called remolding or recapping tires, is relatively simple. As time goes on, tire tread wears down—we won't go into the myriad reasons why tires lose tread—though the tire's casing and sidewall are typically still in good condition. Old tread can then be ripped and buffed off, and new rubber tread can be adhered onto the bald tire, either via a pre-cure or mold-cure process.

Why do people retread tires? The reasoning behind tire retreading is simple: It saves money. Compared to full-on replacement, recap tires can be a fraction of the cost. This is because tread material really only accounts for 20-30% of the entire tire.

But the important question to ask yourself is: "Should you retread car tires?" That, friends, is a whole different topic. Although there are several advantages to remolded tires, in many instances, getting or buying recap tires is not going to be the best option for light-duty vehicles like your standard Subaru Outback or Crosstrek.

Let's discuss and compare the pros and cons.

Retreading Tires: Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

Price

As previously mentioned, retread tires cost less than new ones. However, the cost savings may be minimal depending on the vehicle, labor required, and availability. One must also consider the reduced life expectancy of remolded tires when comparing price.

Commercial Use

In the commercial industry, retread truck tires are fairly common. Large tractor-trailer tires are routinely recapped as new replacements are oftentimes several thousands of dollars. It can make more sense economically for these types of vehicles—particularly vehicles that have multiple tires to serve as emergency backups, like semi-trucks—to get remolded tires instead of replacements.

Of course, one must also account for downtime caused by a tire blow-out... Is it really worth the cost savings?

Recyclability

Easily, the biggest advantage to retreads is that they are more sustainable than new tires. Producing tire retreads takes about 1/3 the oil and materials as a new tire. Recapping also keeps more tires out of landfills, which reduces the amount of chemicals absorbed into the ground and, ultimately, into our waters.

Disadvantages

Safety

While a tire casing may look to be in decent shape, it may not be. Worn steel belts and general weak spots or delamination in the rubber aren't always visible until they begin to fail, which makes it dangerous to retread old tires.

You also run the risk of having an inexperienced tire retread shop do a poor job. While retreading may sound simple in theory, it's not a simple DIY job in the slightest. It takes a very well-trained eye to identify a tire's ability to be recapped, as well as specific tools and equipment. If the tire retread is not done correctly, failure (typically tread separation or a blow-out) is most certainly in your future.

Road "Litter"

In theory, tire retreads are more environmentally friendly than new tires. However, in real life, retreads that fail are oftentimes left on the side of the road. This is especially true of semi-truck or commercial vehicle retreads after a blow-out. If you've ever seen remnants of tire on the side of the highway, there's a good chance it was a retread that gave out.

These retread blow-outs are also a cause of high-speed accidents, some of which prove to be deadly. And if your retreaded tire is determined to be the cause of an accident, you may even be liable for all associated damages and injuries.

Mismatches

Cars require the same tire size on each side of the axle. This ensures they rotate at the same rate and speed. If one of the tires is retreaded and not identical to the others, you could potentially damage the drivetrain, axle, transfer case, etc.

Even your more standard 11r225 recap tires are notoriously difficult to match. For this reason alone, they're not a great idea for personal vehicles.

Not ManyTire Retreading Shops

If there is no tire retreading shop near you, which is likely the case, you may need help from retread tire companies to find the correct fit. This will undoubtedly take extra time and effort. Extending your current tires' life, with routine maintenance and tire rotations, will prove to be a better use of your energy.

Life Expectancy

New radial tires typically last anywhere from 30,000 miles (cheap tires) to over 80,000 miles (quality tires). When you recap or buy retreaded tires, you shouldn't expect to drive safely for more than 10,000-20,000 miles before they need to be replaced. Even with regular tire rotations and wheel alignments, this is a best-case scenario.

More Prone to "Heat Damage"

The hotter the surface, the faster a tire's tread will wear out. Add friction to the mix, and retread tires won't last very long before they begin deteriorating or even separating from the rubber.

Warranty

Of course, when you buy new tires, you'll be covered by a fairly comprehensive tire warranty. Used retreaded tires, on the other hand, may not give you the same level of protection. Even big names in the retreading industry skimp on their warranty coverage. Bandag tires, for instance, pay out a percentage of the warranty based on tread depth remaining or original date of purchase.

Not Dependable

All in all, when you add the "disadvantages" above to the equation, retread tires are simply too unreliable. Imagine having retread snow tires or retread off-road tires separate and fail when you're in the middle of nowhere – that's a recipe for disaster. New tires are almost always your best option, no matter what, where or how often you drive.

Need new tires near Eudora? Visit our tire shop in Lawrence to get a great deal on a pair or set. We offer a Subaru 24-Month Tire Protection Plan that covers the replacement or repair of any tires within the first 2 years, and it also includes complimentary Subaru roadside assistance. Contact our Lawrence Subaru dealership at (785) 856-7127 to speak with an expert or place an order.