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I mounted my 18 inch steel wheels/Treadwright LT275/70R18s in Winter Kedge rubber, mixed with broken walnut shells and broken glass, which creates voids in the rubber to grab snow. The WK molded tires have only a 30k mile warranty. I will rotate these every 3k miles. Pics and more info to come...
From about 2004 through about 2012 I only bought Treadwright tires. I tried all the ones they offered over the years. The Guard Dogs were amazing off road but super loud on the road. I always had good luck with them and I can’t remember ever having a serious issue with any tire I bought from them. However, since about 2012 I stopped buying them. Mainly because:
- They fell under new ownership, and the new owners moved the business to Texas. When that happened prices went up so much that I could buy brand new tires for 5-10% more money.
- Around the time ownership changed, they began to do what they called “full mold” where they wrapped the sidewalls with a fresh layer of rubber before vulcanizing the tire. This means you can no longer read the critical information about the original tire carcass (load rating, age of tire, etc.) In my opinion this adds danger because technically they can be less picky about the tires they accept for remolding and the end user will never know.
- The retread/vulcanizing process adds about 1” of diameter to each tire and roughly 12 lbs. of weight to each tire. Most guys don’t mind a taller tire, but weight is bad.
- They specify that the tires must be balanced on the static machine setting. Most shop techs would get a deer in headlights look on their face when I asked them to do that for me.
Overall I just decided to part ways with them and go back to buying brand new tires. The very minimal added cost was worth it to me. I will be interested to see how you like these tires. Keep us updated and post more pictures!!
From about 2004 through about 2012 I only bought Treadwright tires. I tried all the ones they offered over the years. The Guard Dogs were amazing off road but super loud on the road. I always had good luck with them and I can’t remember ever having a serious issue with any tire I bought from them. However, since about 2012 I stopped buying them. Mainly because:
- They fell under new ownership, and the new owners moved the business to Texas. When that happened prices went up so much that I could buy brand new tires for 5-10% more money.
- Around the time ownership changed, they began to do what they called “full mold” where they wrapped the sidewalls with a fresh layer of rubber before vulcanizing the tire. This means you can no longer read the critical information about the original tire carcass (load rating, age of tire, etc.) In my opinion this adds danger because technically they can be less picky about the tires they accept for remolding and the end user will never know.
- The retread/vulcanizing process adds about 1” of diameter to each tire and roughly 12 lbs. of weight to each tire. Most guys don’t mind a taller tire, but weight is bad.
- They specify that the tires must be balanced on the static machine setting. Most shop techs would get a deer in headlights look on their face when I asked them to do that for me.
Overall I just decided to part ways with them and go back to buying brand new tires. The very minimal added cost was worth it to me. I will be interested to see how you like these tires. Keep us updated and post more pictures!!
Yeah, they are heavy tires... I will keep the thread informed... they had a 20% sale on at the time and I got those tires for $690... free S&H. For that price, I'd figured I would give them a shot.
You will probably really like them. I'm interested to see how the tread life is on your truck. If it's good I may try a set again myself. These stock Goodyears with Kevlar on my truck don't seem to be wearing well at all. PO put two new ones on the front in February of this year. Those already appear to be about half worn down at 13,000 miles driven. Ouch.
You will probably really like them. I'm interested to see how the tread life is on your truck. If it's good I may try a set again myself. These stock Goodyears with Kevlar on my truck don't seem to be wearing well at all. PO put two new ones on the front in February of this year. Those already appear to be about half worn down at 13,000 miles driven. Ouch.
So I recently discovered my right rear spring was broke.. 2nd leaf under the main leaf... That was repaired last week under my extended warranty that I purchased when I bought the truck new in December of 2016. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the left rear spring was broke also... Same leaf at the same spot... Have an appt next Friday for that spring...
I also discovered that the top BJ on the driver's side is shot. When I put the wheel over the life, I could feel side to side movement. I started hearing a squeaky sound which I thought was the broken right spring piece of the leaf that swung out and was reading under the bump stop.
My passenger side BJs were already replaced under warranty earlier this year but what was nice was that they destroyed the bearing trying to get it out but because of the salt and corrosion here in WNY, I got a brand new bearing too! $100 deductible for all that work...
Now I'll have new BJs and a bearing on the driver's side as well for $100...
With brand new rear and springs, and new BJs/bearings on front, I'll be set for another 100k miles.
Have more to post... Will edit later...
These are heavy tires... They say the sidewall retread adds 12 lbs to each tire. They recommend a static balance and say that 1 to 8 oz to balance each tire.
Talked to my buddy today who said it would have been over 10 oz to static balance the tires so he dynamically balanced them which required a decent amount of weight.
The front is smooth but I am getting a vibration between 45 to 50 mph... It feels like that rear end bounce that has been talked about here before and that I've experienced before.
I will post more pics soon but I did order a ceramic balance beads kit from Innovative Balancing that used to be in Rochester, NY but are now in Las Vegas. I have used them before on my 96 Ford with good results when I had a problem. More info on this coming up...
Last edited by Overkill2; 11-01-2023 at 06:23 PM.
Reason: Add to post
So I recently discovered my right rear spring was broke.. 2nd leaf under the main leaf... That was repaired last week under my extended warranty that I purchased when I bought the truck new in December of 2016. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the left rear spring was broke also... Same leaf at the same spot... Have an appt next Friday for that spring...
I also discovered that the top BJ on the driver's side is shot. When I put the wheel over the life, I could feel side to side movement. I started hearing a squeaky sound which I thought was the broken right spring piece of the leaf that swung out and was reading under the bump stop.
My passenger side BJs were already replaced under warranty earlier this year but what was nice was that they destroyed the bearing trying to get it out but because of the salt and corrosion here in WNY, I got a brand new bearing too! $100 deductible for all that work...
Now I'll have new BJs and a bearing on the driver's side as well for $100...
With brand new rear and springs, and new BJs/bearings on front, I'll be set for another 100k miles.
Have more to post... Will edit later...
These are heavy tires... They say the sidewall retread adds 12 lbs to each tire. They recommend a static balance and say that 1 to 8 oz to balance each tire.
Talked to my buddy today who said it would have been over 10 oz to static balance the tires so he dynamically balanced them which required a decent amount of weight.
The front is smooth but I am getting a vibration between 45 to 50 mph... It feels like that rear end bounce that has been talked about here before and that I've experienced before.
I will post more pics soon but I did order a ceramic balance beads kit from Innovative Balancing that used to be in Rochester, NY but are now in Las Vegas. I have used them before on my 96 Ford with good results when I had a problem. More info on this coming up...
a cop talking about $100 BJ's......hahaha. I thought you get them for free!
My factory 20s with the original set of Michelin LTXs
that I saved when I originally pulled them off to put on snows on my 20s before I had the 18 wheels.
These are the two that went on my passenger side... Yeah I know... A schitt ton of weight... It is what it is.
I said screw it and had my 18s powder coated because they were in great shape and less work for my powder coater family... It's a family business. Good folks... Love the black wheel look with the chrome lug covers.
These are for you Troy... The nubbies are almost gone from the fronts and the rears are already down...
Last edited by Overkill2; 11-02-2023 at 09:03 AM.
Reason: Add to post -- pics
With that much weight 180 degrees apart I would think that they could have turned the tires on the wheels to make it work better. I guess if it rolls smooth down the road it doesn't matter!
My buddy has a ton of experience and I trust him... I know Jack squat about balancing tires other than the difference between static and dynamic...
The balance beads will be coming...
They are smooth other than the vibration at the speeds I listed...
I also talked to the manager of a local tire shop I know, where I'm sending my friend who got a set of tbe same tire in LT275/65R18 for his F150 but in the premium rubber -- 50k miles, he said he had a GMC in there, at least a 3/4 ton, that had name brand 35s installed there. He had a vibration... Jay told him the tire machine is 2 weeks old, that he balanced them statically AND dynamically... So he looked into balance beads for the guy, went with cheaper glass beads and it worked... So you can always have a problem with regular new tires, let alone 12+ lb more Treadwrights...
Last edited by Overkill2; 11-02-2023 at 12:22 PM.
Reason: Add to post
My factory 20s with the original set of Michelin LTXs
that I saved when I originally pulled them off to put on snows on my 20s before I had the 18 wheels.
These are the two that went on my passenger side... Yeah I know... A schitt ton of weight... It is what it is.
I said screw it and had my 18s powder coated because they were in great shape and less work for my powder coater family... It's a family business. Good folks... Love the black wheel look with the chrome lug covers.
These are for you Troy... The nubbies are almost gone from the fronts and the rears are already down...
That's good to hear. All those nubbies were making my neck tense up.
10-31-2023, 08:59 AM
$100 deductible for all that work...
