Tires: Recaps or New for DOT inspection

klippencott · Mar 10, 2006

Today I called a local tire store to get pricing on drive tires. The tires that are currently on my truck are re-caps and have 75% of their tread left but on one tire the seam is starting to seperate. The tire store guy told me that if I'm running the truck over the road I can't use recaps. Is this true? I have done a lot of work on this truck to get it in shape to be approved by the carrier. Will recaps keep the truck from passing a DOT inspection? I had the truck inspected here in Texas and it passed the TX DOT inspection. I asked the service center if there is a federal DOT inspection that I need, he said there is only one vehicle inspection in Texas.

Please advise me on this.

Kathy

RichM · Mar 10, 2006

You can run recaps over the road,look at how many times you see a gator laying out there. However spend the extra bucks and have new tires,never scrimp on tires or batteries.

Moot · Mar 11, 2006

At one time it was illegal to run recaps on the steer axle. I don't know if that's still the case today. It is legal to run recaps on drive, tag and trailer axles. And this is common practice with many O/O as well as with large fleets.
Some tires can be recapped more than once. A quality recap should have a life expectancy close to a new tire. The key factors affecting a recap are the condition of the original casing (side-wall damage, belt separation) and expertise of the company doing the recap.
Not all gators are recaps. Run any tire with low air pressure and it will get hot and throw tread and eventually disintegrate.

rode2rouen · Mar 11, 2006

> At one time it was illegal to run recaps on the steer
>axle.

It is NOT legal to run caps on a steer axle.

> Not all gators are recaps. Run any tire with low air
>pressure and it will get hot and throw tread and eventually
>disintegrate.

Plenty of evidence for that....look closely at the next gators you
come across, if there is any wirey looking stuff on the rubber chunks it was not a cap.

Rex

klippencott · Mar 11, 2006

It is the drive tires that are caps. My steers are not caps.

bcurt · Mar 13, 2006

www.epa.gov/whyretreads.htm or www.retread.org Save money where you can, steers no....

mhoy40 · Mar 13, 2006

recaps on drive and tag axle are legal for otr.thats all i use why pay for new when u can buy two sets for the price of one.just cant use them on steers,but who would want to saftey first.

dieselphreak2K · Mar 13, 2006

I was under the impresson that recaps were not legal for steer axles on busses, but OTR was ok

arkjarhead · Jul 18, 2006

A good recap is just as good as a new tire in my opoinion. It is illegal to have caps on steer axles but they are legal on everyother axle.

davekc · Jul 18, 2006

Recaps are illegal on the steers. Ok on other axles.

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

LDB · Jul 18, 2006

as a new tire they wouldn't be prohibited on the steer axle. I believe in saving money wherever possible but won't buy retreads.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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x06col · Jul 19, 2006

Tried them once. Never again!!!

Jack_Berry · Jul 19, 2006

yes to no recaps on steers. everything else is good.

i was westbound heading to madison one morning and was being showered by the truck in front of me by small pieces of hot disintegrating rubber. i was about 100 ft behind him trying to decide what to do when the thought of a carcass in front of me was not what i wanted to see besides this stuff was sticking to the windshield. his left rear drive was smoking but evidently he hadn't looked in his mirror. i roared up, honked and pointed at his drive axle. he had to look a couple time an then he pulled off quicker than i would have thought possible.

i havenever sen as many recaps on the road as the weekend i spent driving between chicago and indy. it seemed like every 20 miles there was a carcass laying somewhere.

Jack Berry

arkjarhead · Jul 19, 2006

The heat really puts a hurt on tires. Recaps or not. The next you stop after you've ran for lil while take your hand and rub it on the tread of your tire. You'll be surprised at how black your hand will be from rubber coming off. And remember you left more than that on the highway.

terryandrene · Jul 19, 2006

With tens of millions of tires passing a given point on a busy interstate, how come there are not huge dunes of rubber dust on the shoulders? Where does all that rubber go?