If you’re considering TreadWright tires for their eco-friendly appeal and budget price, I’d strongly advise against it. While they promise rugged off-road performance, my experience and numerous reviews reveal significant safety issues, such as blowouts and balancing difficulties.
The tires are heavy, prone to wear, and often unstable at high speeds. Despite their environmental benefits, the risks far outweigh the savings. If you’re looking for reliability and peace of mind, TreadWright isn’t the best option.
My Experience With TreadWright Tires
I decided to try TreadWright tires after hearing about their eco-friendly approach and affordable price point. As someone who enjoys off-roading, the aggressive tread design on the Warden series caught my attention.
After reading up on their remolding process, I was intrigued by the idea of recycled tires offering solid performance.
The first thing I noticed when I got the tires mounted was how heavy they were. It took a surprising amount of weights to balance them properly, which worried me a bit. Driving on the highway, I could feel a persistent vibration that wouldn’t go away, no matter how much we adjusted the balance.
Off-road, the tires did okay, providing decent traction on dirt trails and in mud, but the overall ride quality wasn’t smooth.
After about two months of use, one of the tires had a sidewall blowout. Thankfully, it happened when I was parked, but it was enough for me to lose confidence in using them for long drives. I ended up replacing them for daily use, only keeping them on for short, slow off-road adventures.
In the end, while TreadWright’s environmental focus is commendable, I wouldn’t recommend them for regular driving due to balancing issues and durability concerns.
Pros of TreadWright Tires
Let’s start with what initially drew me and many others to TreadWright tires. There are definitely a few advantages that are hard to overlook:
- Environmentally Friendly: One of the strongest points TreadWright makes is their eco-friendly approach. Each tire is made from 70% recycled materials, reducing the number of old tires ending up in landfills. The process also uses about 6 gallons of oil per tire versus the 18 gallons required for new tires. As someone who tries to reduce my environmental impact where possible, this was a big selling point.
- Affordable Pricing: Another perk that really catches attention is the price. Compared to brand-new tires from popular manufacturers, TreadWright tires are significantly cheaper. For those of us on a budget, this can be a big temptation.
- Aggressive Tread for Off-Roading: TreadWright tires, particularly the Warden series, boast aggressive tread patterns designed for both on-road and off-road use. The interlocking tread blocks and sidewall traction bars are impressive, especially for off-road enthusiasts who need solid traction in difficult terrains like mud, sand, or snow.
- Promised Durability: The company promises a 50,000-mile tread life, thanks to their commercial-grade rubber. They also offer a 2-year workmanship warranty, which can provide peace of mind if you’re willing to give the tires a shot.
The Cons: My Personal Experience
While the pros are certainly attractive, the reality of these tires, at least in my experience and from what I’ve seen online, isn’t as rosy. Here’s where things went downhill:
- Poor Build Quality
After mounting the tires, I immediately noticed some issues. Balancing these tires was a nightmare. I’ve never seen so many weights needed to get a tire balanced.
Even then, the ride wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped, with a noticeable vibration at highway speeds. It got me wondering about the structural integrity of the tires. Other users have reported similar problems with balancing, and in some cases, tires wouldn’t hold air due to sidewall issues.
- Safety Concerns
One major red flag is the safety concerns reported by various users. There are too many instances of blowouts, shredded sidewalls, and tires coming apart to ignore.
Several users have shared horror stories about catastrophic failures after only a few months of use. While I didn’t experience anything that extreme, the persistent issues with tire stability left me concerned.
- Heavy and Hard to Balance
TreadWright tires are heavy—significantly heavier than the new tires I’ve used before. The extra weight, combined with balancing issues, makes these tires less than ideal for daily driving.
They’re more suited for specific off-road uses where you’re less concerned about the ride quality or weight, but for a regular truck or SUV used both on and off the road, it’s not practical.
- Quality Control Issues
Another common complaint is the inconsistency in quality. While TreadWright claims to inspect each tire thoroughly, many users, myself included, have found significant defects.
From the sidewalls not holding air to chunks of the tread separating, it’s clear that quality control may not be as tight as it should be.
Maintenance Tips For TreadWright Tires
If you do decide to go with TreadWright tires, it’s crucial to take extra care of them to get the most out of their lifespan. Based on my experience and that of other users, here are some maintenance tips:
- Regularly Check Tire Pressure: Due to potential sidewall issues, it’s important to check your tire pressure frequently. Don’t wait for the tires to feel flat—be proactive.
- Rotate Tires Often: To avoid uneven tread wear, make sure to rotate your tires every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. This is particularly important with TreadWright tires, given their remolded nature.
- Inspect for Wear and Tear: Keep a close eye on your tires for any signs of cracking or separation. If you notice anything unusual, it might be time to replace the tire, even if it hasn’t hit the promised 50,000 miles.
- Avoid High Speeds: Many users have reported that TreadWright tires don’t hold up well at high speeds. I would recommend keeping your speeds under 65 mph, especially if you’re using them on a daily driver.
Comparison With Other Tire Brands
To give you a clearer picture of how TreadWright tires stack up, let’s compare them with a few other budget-friendly tire brands: Lexani Tires, Ohtsu Tires, and Priority Tire. These brands are known for their affordable pricing, but how do they perform compared to TreadWright?
- TreadWright Vs. Lexani Tires
Lexani Tires are cheap but popular for their sleek, high-performance tires that cater primarily to street and luxury vehicles.
While they may not offer the aggressive off-road tread that TreadWright specializes in, Lexani tires are significantly smoother and better suited for highway driving.
Lexani focuses on performance and aesthetics, so if you’re mostly driving on paved roads, they offer a more comfortable ride, better handling, and far fewer issues with balancing.
On the downside, Lexani doesn’t specialize in off-road durability, so if you’re a frequent trail driver, they may not be as reliable as TreadWright’s rugged treads. However, for daily driving, Lexani is a much safer and more reliable option.
- TreadWright Vs. Ohtsu Tires
Ohtsu Tires, a subsidiary of the well-known Falken brand, offer a solid balance between affordability and reliability.
Ohtsu tires are particularly popular among budget-conscious drivers who want dependable all-season performance.
Unlike TreadWright, Ohtsu tires don’t face the same balancing issues or structural integrity concerns. They’re easier to maintain, provide a quieter ride, and handle daily wear and tear much better.
However, if you’re after an aggressive off-road tire, Ohtsu may not match the rugged design of TreadWright’s Warden series. That said, Ohtsu’s quality control and overall safety record are far superior.
- TreadWright Vs. Priority Tire
Priority Tire is not a tire manufacturer but a distributor that offers a wide range of tire brands at discounted prices.
When comparing TreadWright to the options available at Priority Tire, it’s clear that buying through Priority allows you access to multiple trusted brands—often at competitive prices.
While TreadWright offers an environmentally friendly product, the broader range of choices from Priority Tire means you can select new, quality tires without the potential safety risks associated with remolded tires.
Furthermore, you can often find great deals on brands like Goodyear, Michelin, and BFGoodrich through Priority Tire, which tend to last longer and perform better than TreadWright’s offerings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, TreadWright tires are DOT (Department of Transportation) approved. This means they meet the minimum safety standards required for road use in the U.S. However, just because they meet the minimum requirements doesn’t necessarily mean they perform well in all conditions.
Shipping times can vary depending on your location, but typically it takes about 7-10 business days to receive your TreadWright tires. Some users have reported longer wait times, so it’s best to check directly with the company for the most accurate estimate.
TreadWright is a privately owned company based in Houston, Texas. They have been in business for over 30 years, specializing in remolded tires made from recycled materials.
TreadWright tires are made in the United States, specifically in Houston, Texas. Their remolding process is done in-house, using tire casings from brands like Goodyear and Michelin.
Final Thoughts
In the end, TreadWright tires might seem appealing for their eco-friendly materials and budget-friendly prices, but there are too many red flags for me to recommend them. Between the safety concerns, quality control issues, and difficulty with balancing, these tires simply don’t hold up for everyday use.
They might work for specific off-road scenarios or for vehicles that aren’t used regularly, but for a daily driver, I’d suggest looking elsewhere.
If you still want to give TreadWright tires a shot, I’d recommend purchasing directly from their website, where they offer the most up-to-date deals and information. However, after my experience, I believe investing a little more in a reliable brand like Goodyear, BFGoodrich, or Cooper will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
