Recaps
- Thread starter eaust96
- Start date
My buddy ran em on a lifted half ton. Not sure about on a heavy truck. He loved em. They said they were procomps on the sidewall lol
Although there is some very good recapers out there, there is just not a big enough market for them outside of commercial trucking for anyone to invest in good materials and processes for capping tires for pickup trucks and passenger cars. There maybe some good ones out there but most of what you will find is going to be trash.
There is a saying: "If you can't afford to do it right, you can't afford to do it twice."
The older I get, the more I wish I had listened to that...
If you really are that desperate, I would recommend looking at used tires instead. Go to the shady parts of town and find the "licensed" (note scare quotes) tire places. When you feel you might get robbed driving through the neighborhood, you're at the right place.* Bring cash, but not much. Like $80 (total, not per tire)**
Tell them you are looking for some used tires (tell them the truth, make up a story about wanting to do burnouts, traveling through and hit a nail, whatever) and see what they have.
Next thing you know, you'll be rolling on some high-mile, but still legal, tread! Way safer than recaps, and probably cheaper.
Then start putting your pennies aside for real tires.
* Getting used tires installed is not legal in all areas, which is why you have to find the shady tire stop. If your state allows this, then just walk in like you own the place and order up the cheapest pull-offs they have!
** Note: I have done exactly this when dirt broke in college. That number is what I paid for 4 BFGoodrich Radial All-Terrain tires with just barely enough tread to be legal (and get me through the semester).
Edit: also, might look at what junkyards have. Some junkyards will sell wheel/tire combos dirt cheap. Any 1985(ish) up Ford truck, 1990s up Dodge truck, and basically any year Chevy truck tire/rim will bolt on. Unless you have a 2011+ Duramax, when they changed the bolt pattern. But if you have a 2011+ and can't afford tires, I am not sure I can help you
The older I get, the more I wish I had listened to that...
If you really are that desperate, I would recommend looking at used tires instead. Go to the shady parts of town and find the "licensed" (note scare quotes) tire places. When you feel you might get robbed driving through the neighborhood, you're at the right place.* Bring cash, but not much. Like $80 (total, not per tire)**
Tell them you are looking for some used tires (tell them the truth, make up a story about wanting to do burnouts, traveling through and hit a nail, whatever) and see what they have.
Next thing you know, you'll be rolling on some high-mile, but still legal, tread! Way safer than recaps, and probably cheaper.
Then start putting your pennies aside for real tires.
* Getting used tires installed is not legal in all areas, which is why you have to find the shady tire stop. If your state allows this, then just walk in like you own the place and order up the cheapest pull-offs they have!
** Note: I have done exactly this when dirt broke in college. That number is what I paid for 4 BFGoodrich Radial All-Terrain tires with just barely enough tread to be legal (and get me through the semester).
Edit: also, might look at what junkyards have. Some junkyards will sell wheel/tire combos dirt cheap. Any 1985(ish) up Ford truck, 1990s up Dodge truck, and basically any year Chevy truck tire/rim will bolt on. Unless you have a 2011+ Duramax, when they changed the bolt pattern. But if you have a 2011+ and can't afford tires, I am not sure I can help you
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I don't see it being life threatening but throwing a cap can make a mess out of a fender. Sometimes we got to do what we got to do. Maybe look for some good used tires to get you by.
Look up treadwright I have ran them before on a heavy truck with no problems. I wouldn't trust them towing or anything like that but not bad for the money
X2. I have run my fair share of used tires. Craigslist is a good place to shop too.There is a saying: "If you can't afford to do it right, you can't afford to do it twice."
The older I get, the more I wish I had listened to that...
If you really are that desperate, I would recommend looking at used tires instead. Go to the shady parts of town and find the "licensed" (note scare quotes) tire places. When you feel you might get robbed driving through the neighborhood, you're at the right place.* Bring cash, but not much. Like $80 (total, not per tire)**
Tell them you are looking for some used tires (tell them the truth, make up a story about wanting to do burnouts, traveling through and hit a nail, whatever) and see what they have.
Next thing you know, you'll be rolling on some high-mile, but still legal, tread! Way safer than recaps, and probably cheaper.
Then start putting your pennies aside for real tires.
* Getting used tires installed is not legal in all areas, which is why you have to find the shady tire stop. If your state allows this, then just walk in like you own the place and order up the cheapest pull-offs they have!
** Note: I have done exactly this when dirt broke in college. That number is what I paid for 4 BFGoodrich Radial All-Terrain tires with just barely enough tread to be legal (and get me through the semester).
Edit: also, might look at what junkyards have. Some junkyards will sell wheel/tire combos dirt cheap. Any 1985(ish) up Ford truck, 1990s up Dodge truck, and basically any year Chevy truck tire/rim will bolt on. Unless you have a 2011+ Duramax, when they changed the bolt pattern. But if you have a 2011+ and can't afford tires, I am not sure I can help you
Also if you have decent or better credit you might find a place that offers financing. I still do that for my tires. I have an open 12 month 0% interest credit account at Tire Kingdom. Why not use someone else's money for free for a year?
I mean I'm not saying go either way. But used tires can make a mess of a fender to if they come apart the wrong way. And recaps may or may not be good but if they were like totally junk and came apart all the time I doubt they would be leagle. Really it comes down to what you want to do. Recaps are cheap and it's basically tread wise, brand new,with used sidewalls. Used tires may be not capped but the whole tire is used and has miles. I don't tow at all but I wouldn't be scared to run recaps based of my buddy's experience, probably better and safer than what your running on now.
Twice now I've looked at the Treadwrights and even if discount the horror stories, after shipping and mount/balancing, it's really no deal compared to the hankooks at PepBoys. The usual deal is buy 3 get one free and 20% off online coupon. YMMV
Wally
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