Tire prices 2011

[rcbeam]

Have been reading archive posts on the boards for a week now researching tires.  Pondering the age old question of new/recap, 11R/12R,etc.  I have a MC8.  The bus came to me with 10 year old tags.  Drives are a little better I think in age, but figure they are probably 7'ish.  Haven't found the dates on the drives yet.  I think they must be on the inside so I'll have to take off the wheel to check.  Anyway I'm figuring that I'll need 6 tires.  I replaced the two steers last summer with Firestones. Out the door cost was $998 and change for the pair. 

I went to one of the local bandag shops close to me... great guys and very helpful.  He spent right at two hours with me talking tires, looking at specs, pricing, and also gave me a tour of the plant.  They actually do the recap at this location.  I was impressed with everything I saw and all that he explained.  The shock came with pricing.  They can't get 12R22.5 like I have now except in Bridgestone and they will cost me $4360. for the 6 tires.  OUCH.  This is out the door costs.  I can go to 11R24.5 also in Bridgestone for $3465 but I'll have to buy new wheels.  I can get 11R24.5 bandag's for $2130 out the door, but again I have to buy 6 wheels.  I am ball parking wheels @ $150 each.  Hoping for less.  This makes the 11R24.5 Bridgstones slightly less than the 12R22.5, however the bandags are of course the cheapest.  They would be cheaper if I had good casings, but mine are too old.

I'm going to check my dates on the drives and stew about this until next week, but right now I'm thinking of doing the 11R24.5 bandag on the rears with new wheels.  Just in case anyone else is going through the tire issue, this may give you some more info for thought.

Russell

[artvonne]

  $499 each for brand new Firestone steers, and $716 each for recaps? Kind of a no brainer to me, put 6 new Firestones on it.

[PP]

Russel, Can I assume that you can't do a repeat deal on the Firestones? Inflation? What's the weight rating on the 11R24.5's? I'm still contemplating a set of Ohtsu's since I'm stuck here for a couple more months yet. This is the first time I've ever parked for any period of time and didn't bother putting her on wood (Tires are shot anyway LOL)
Will

[luvrbus]

Bandag caps are good they are subsidiary of of Bridgestone/Firestone I never had a problem running Bandag caps on my trucks and trailers they are not your dads caps lol

good luck

[Uglydog56]

My crown has 11R24.5 firestone recaps on the rear, and I'm not going to tell you how old they are, but they look brand new - always been covered and jacked up.  They are quiet and don't vibrate or anything, and I'm going to roll the dice on them until next summer probably before my next big trip.  I just got new yokohama's installed on the front.  I believe they are regional steers.  I don't know what their reputation is as a tire, but they were 400 ea balanced and installed, and aren't loud on the highway.

[Joe Camper]

I am getting new, off brand, 315-80s in the chicago area in the 450 range. These fit the 22.5 rims and are the next size bigger. They are way more common around here than 12-22.5s

Toyo Yokohama Double-coin to name a few.

I stopped buying caps that were on cases that I have no idea where they came from long ago. The risk is just not worth the savings when I can get new for 400 dollar range.

[saddleup]

Put four  caps on goodyear caseings on this summer, 12r 22.5 for 1,300 mounted and balanced, had to do some shopping around, recap prices seem to be whatever the tire guys want to dream up.
Matt

[wal1809]

I read several pretty in depth articles on the Chinese brands vs American brands.  The only detrimental thing they say about any of the Chinese brands are stopping distance.  In a full skidding brake situation the Chinese brands did not stop as fast as some of the American brands.   They still passed the standards testing to be sold here.

I have heard horror stories about Chinese tires time and again.  My brother in law was shocked that I would consider it.  I asked him why and his answer was "They just suck".  I asked for specific information like component materials ect. and of course he was not able to give it.  So I researched.  All the required componants are exactly the same.  Heck in my research I found out Michelin owns the Double coin car tire factory in China.  The drive out price on a Ling Long or Double Coin tire is about $350 to $400.  Drive out on a Michelin is $700 to $800.  I would much rather buy something built right here in America from American materials by American hands.  I will when the American industry sells a product at a fair price.

[muldoonman]

Just put 8 tires down. The 6 on back, Chinese, at 400 bucks and 2 Michelin on front at 750 bucks. The guy told me (Forrest Tire, Odessa Tx.)  that all the major tire boys have factories in China. I guess it's us looking for the cheapest crap we can buy. Our boys can't compete with that 1.00 a hour labor!

[TomC]

Paul-the recaps were $355.00 each.  Recaps are fine for the rears.  Although, I saw the Bandag bus and he was running them in all positions-and at a lower pressure to boot!  UPS runs recaps on their delivery cars in all positions. Just remember what is riding on your tires-everything!  As mentioned they also determine stopping distances.  Tires are much more then just big round black rubber things that support your bus.  In my opinion-tires and brakes are two areas where you don't want to be cheap.

Changing from 12R-22.5's to 11R-24.5 (what I did) is a good choice.  The 11R-24.5 is easier to find when on the road, they are cheaper, they carry almost the same weight when in 16ply, you go from 485 to 476 revs per mile and they will make the bus about 1/2" higher.  Good Luck, TomC

[wayne]

I run 7 gravel trains up here in Michigan, were allowed 11 axles, 160,000 + lbs. That's 42 tires on each vehicle. I've seen the destruction a cap does when it comes apart, and I'm talking about steel trailers with 1/4" plate framing. I've had trucks limp back with sections of the aluminum boxes ripped off from a cap that came loose and beat it to death before it finally let go and laid dead on the road for the next vehicle to dodge. Caps are a necessary evil in trucking but I will never have them on my personal vehicles. The amount you save won't compare to the damage that can happen, and that's just on the financial end of it. We've all seen the treads laying on the side of the highway, I'm sure the salesman said they were a quality tread.
As for the imports, does anyone still believe you can buy a tire made in America. Michelin has slowed down production in china only because of the import tax hike on chinese tires coming to the u.s., and now they are building a new facility in Mexico to skirt the taxes and still remain the most expensive tire. I'm not saying they don't manufacture any here but a percentage of what they import. 

[artvonne]

  All retreads/recaps arent all the same. Bandag cuts the tread off the casing down into clean rubber almost into the cord, then rotates the casing while a ribbon of virgin rubber is strung on like you would thread on a bobbin. Then the bugger is placed in a mould and baked in an over to cure.

  All the other ones are "caps", basically a giant rubber band of moulded tread, stretched and slipped over the casing, and "glued" on. And those are the big tread hunks we generally see on the road. I dont believe a Bandag would sling off its tread like that.

  But any tire can sling off tread off the casing, they dont have to be retreads.

  All said and done however, I cannot see any justification in paying more for a Bandag than ANY virgin tire, Firestone, Chinese, or whatever. And while I would be among the first to buy foreign if price were a big issue, I wont buy Chinese unless there is no other choice. And then I would rather buy used.

[wal1809]

  All said and done however, I cannot see any justification in paying more for a Bandag than ANY virgin tire, Firestone, Chinese, or whatever. And while I would be among the first to buy foreign if price were a big issue, I wont buy Chinese unless there is no other choice. And then I would rather buy used.
[/quote]
How come?

[desi arnaz]

i found 11 22.s bandags for @$222 in lancaster nh  sounds good to me.

[TomC]

Bandag uses both the hot mold and cold mold process.  With the hot mold-as described the tire is ground down to just above the belts then a hot ribbon of virgin rubber is rotated on.  They then quickly put the tire into the mold with the tread then it is baked.  I don't believe even Bandag is using this method anymore.
The other cold mold is where the tire is ground down just above the steel belts.  Then glue is applied and a preformed tire tread is rotated onto the tire.  Then this is also baked.
It has been proven over and over again that nearly half of the tire treads you see on the side of the road are from brand new tires.  The number one, by a far shot, reason for tire failure-running the tire low on air pressure.  The best investment to preserving your tires is to have some sort of wireless tire pressure monitoring system-like PressurePro.  I have it on my bus and towed and never have had a blow out yet.  All should also have a 50ft air hose that ties into the air pressure system of the bus to be able to air your tires up at any time.  Even with a nail in the tire-you can keep airing the tire up to get to the next tire shop and avoid possible tire failure ($$$$).  Good Luck, TomC