Just a dumb question on tractor tires

Lou from Wi. · Feb 9, 2011

Well it's 2;14 am and I guess I'm up for another night.Been reading the posts and the one that caught my interest was, Tractor tires. Cheap Made V/s Firestone.Noticed one poster said he run (I believe Firestone Tires) till they were Smooth. Now that made me think of a dumb question,(hope I'm Not chastised for this inquiry)Is there such a place that RE CAPS TRACTOR TIRES< AND IF THERE IS, how good do the recaps hold up.?? JUST wondering. Thanks . REGARDS
LOU

tlak · Feb 9, 2011

I don't know but wouldn't think so because they would be recapping what might be 10+ year old tire. I don't think there's anything left after rust, calcium, roots, etc, to recap

ericlb · Feb 9, 2011

there has to be someplace that does it ive got 1 recap on a industrial john deere i have, cant say how well they hold up as mine has a few chunks out, but i got no way to know how old the tire is, or what the tractor has been thru before i bought it the lugs are still 50 % or better

KYfarm · Feb 9, 2011

I visited a re-capper once while selling industrial air compressors and if my memory serves me right (it has been awhile) the tire goes into some sort of pressure chamber during the process. The size of that chamber would limit the size of tires that could be re-capped

Not enough tractor tires to make it economical

onefarmer · Feb 9, 2011

Yes I have recaps on my JD4320. My dad had them done quite a few years ago. I think the place was in Mt Pleasant MI. They seem to be holding up pretty good so far. Have both the mains and the duals recapped.

Mike M · Feb 9, 2011

If it's anything like the light truck recaps they want more for them then NEW tires.
Semi truck tires seems to be where they get used the most.

mkirsch · Feb 9, 2011

There are facilities that recap large tires for the big Trojan-style wheel loaders. Apparently they can't make enough new ones to keep up with demand, so it's big business. People are searching junkyards for good carcasses to recap just to keep those big wheel loaders moving.

Recapped tractor tires don't seem to be very common. I suspect it's because farmers don't replace tires unless they're beyond repair.

If a tire has a break or a cut, it can't be recapped. If the tire is dry rotted, it can't be recapped. These are tires that farmers will continue to use if traction isn't a consideration. If it holds air, it's on a tractor.

Leroy · Feb 9, 2011

Don't think anybody does that any more same as nobody does car tires anymore but back when they were doing it was easy to find good carcusses to cap that were even 20 + years old and they held up well, what did not hold up so well was simply replacing only the lugs with new ones as they would break off where attached due to stress.

hd6gtom · Feb 9, 2011

There is 1, unless you use your casing, do you know what you are getting. even if you use your casing, how do you know it has not been rock brused. Do you have the time to stop during planting to get another 1 and replace it. It used to take up to two weeks to get them done. If you can find some, use them for duals, put your money in the new ones.

jm. · Feb 9, 2011

Can,t say about today but for years there was a place neare here that recapped road grader tires which are around 2400 size. I think I have seen rear tractor tires recaped but not lately..

buickanddeere · Feb 9, 2011

Re-caps are mainly for aircraft and offroad industrial equipment.
In applications suject to extreme tread wear or damage. Yet the sidewalls and cords on the face are undamaged due to low hours.

Fordfarmer · Feb 9, 2011

You should add semi trucks to that list. Most any semis around here (including tri- and quad-axle straight trucks) run them, just not on the steer axle.

Fordfarmer · Feb 9, 2011

As someone else posted, there is (or was) a company in MI that recaps tractor drive tires.

blinwmiaol.com · Feb 9, 2011

my 5020 had all 4 tires on the rear were recaps done at that place in Mt Pleasent also. So someone still does recaps for ag tires.

RodinNS · Feb 9, 2011

It used to be done... and mabey still is in some places... but generally the casing is going to blow before you can wear a second set of tread off... so you're further ahead to just buy a new tire. If you want cheap tires, buy India/China...
Recapping IS a big business with OTR truck tires and some earthmoving stuff... but most ag/industrial tires are one use. I get some R4 skid steer tires capped but I would not cap an R1 drive.

Rod

JayinNY · Feb 9, 2011

Yep, and we see them laying on the Thruway every time on lets go off a trailer.!

Mike in Mn. · Feb 9, 2011

Was a common practice around here in the 50's and 60's, but haven't seen any in the last 40 yeas. Used them back then and they were cheap and lasted good. Have a parts tractor setting out back with a set on and they look good, used to run recap snow tires when I was a kid all the time, they took a lot of abuse! They still cap radial truck tires, some of the popular cores are worth up to a $100.

rrlund · Feb 9, 2011

Yes,there is. Olson Tire in Mt Plaesant Michigan.

RandyB(MI) · Feb 9, 2011

....and while I don't profess to know all their bussiness , I do know a couple guys that work there and I would say they sell "re-caps" at least 4 to 1 over new tires for tractors and trucks. John is no dummy and being a family bussiness , wouldn't build an unsafe tire just for monetary gain. Re-caps are like "bondo" in that they get a bad "rep" earned back in the early days of their development. Things have changed.

willie in mn · Feb 9, 2011

Not entirely true. Approx 75% of the "alligators" found on the highway are original tread. Seems a lot of drivers now days just look for the bulge, not use a gauge or even thumper, so they run low or flat until they overheat & go kaboom. Most alligators have carcass cords in them, original tread. Recaps don't have belts or carcass cords.
Willie, diesel pilot-retired

Bob Bancroft · Feb 9, 2011

And believe it or not back in the 90's Red Star trucking had their own tire shop in Auburn NY, and they would make caps for the steering axle on my truck! That's right! 12R22.5, 7000#+ tires. When I questioned about the wisdom/legality of that the director replied indignantly- "I wouldn't offer it if it wasn't safe and legal"! Never had any problems. Of course it wasn't an "over-the-road" truck either.
Local delivery.

Bob Bancroft · Feb 9, 2011

I've found that if I go out for a little walk in the decent weather, or go for a ride around the block(like I did last night) then I can get back to sleep!
Until last month, recaps are all I've ever had on the back of a truck.
I literally hate"spinning my wheels", and don't travel the roads much with tractors. So it seems like I never wear the tread out on a tire. Seems like something else is apt to be an issue before the tread is gone.

Derek-U.P. · Feb 9, 2011

Recapped vs remolded tires when given the option, the remolded are the way to go. Not only is the tread redone so is the sidewall and it is done in one process. We just got a 20.5-25 remold to replace one on a wheel loader slightly more than half-price vs new.

Lou from Wi. · Feb 9, 2011

THANK ALL YOU GUYS FOR THE REPLY> The reason I wanted to know was when we got the tractor. the R side was so badly checked was afraid to run it. The previous owner used the tractor for haying.I wouldn't take it to the field for love nor money.
Now I don't farm but use the tractor for going after fire wood with a hay wagon in tow. So now if I wear out the tires I do have a chance for using re-done tires. I truly do appreciate ALL the reply's. Sure gonna look into it. Next year Fire wood all over again. Warmest regards LOU & VICTOR.

LenND · Feb 9, 2011

Some states it is against the law to use recaps on the steering wheels. It is here unless it changed since I retired. There are still quite a few truck recaps being used. But getting less since radials are used more now.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 9, 2011

Truck radials are recapped all the time. Dave

Just a dumb question on tractor tires

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