Treadwright Guard Dog Retread Long-term Review

[BlackRubi]

I know a few of you were skeptical and/or curious about how these tires perform and hold up. This will serve as my long term review of the tires, probably to a year out but possibly longer. I plan on posting after every trail run and periodically throughout the year describing trail performance, snow performance (after winter rolls around), tread depth, and any other isses. To see how the tires are made, sizes available (up to 37"), and tread patterns, check out the website at www.treadwright.com (http://www.treadwright.com).

After extensive thought and research, I decided to just replace the Rubicon's MT/Rs with the same size (31"). Since I still don't have the lift my wife promised me, I didn't really want to up the tire size yet. So, after picking the size, it was time to pick a tread design. They have multiple all-terrain designs including an almost exact replica of the BFG AT (Warden is the name of that design for Treadwright). On the mud tire side of the house, they have almost an exact copy of the old MT/R design (the Guard Dog) along with a few other designs. I seriously considered the Warden, but I would have to buy five tires to have a matching spare (not that it would cost that much more). I decided to go with the Guard Dog so that I would only have to buy four tires. Then to pick the sidewalls. Treadwright made it policy to send out matching sets of sidewalls. If you don't specifically request a certain sidewall, it seems that they tend to send out Michelin LTX MS2 sidewalls. If you request certain sidewalls, they do everything that they can to get you what you want (it's best to call to make sure they have what you want before ordering). Now to decide whether or not I wanted the "Kedge Grip", which is an additive composed of crushed walnut shells and crushed glass. The walnut shells are designed to come out of the tread, leaving small (approx. 1mm) holes that act as extra siping. The glass is designed to stay in longer to add a gritty feeling to the tread and provide extra grip on the road. I decided to just go the cheap route and leave the Kedge Grip out (however, it's only $10 extra per tire).

First off, Treadwright customer service is fan-damn-tastic. In the few times that I called to ask multiple questions, not once did I get any rudeness or anything but professionalism and hospitality. I called them up to see if they had MT/R sidewalls for the Guard Dogs. The representative that I spoke to said that they did and if that is what I wanted those, to make a note in the "Special Instructions" portion of the order form. So I ordered my tires exactly the way I wanted them, specifically requesting Goodyear Wrangler MT/R sidewalls. I told them that the representative I spoke to said that getting those sidewalls wouldn't be a problem, but if, however, they were not available to please use BFG Mud-Terrain or All-Terrain sidewalls. Total cost, delivered to my door: $394. I placed my order last Friday night. Monday was a holiday, so the tires shipped on Tuesday. They arrived on Thursday with regular old FedEx Ground (they offer faster delivery for something like $400, but the $55 FedEx Ground was plenty fast.

Today I took the tires to get mounted and balanced. After price shopping, I found that Wal-Mart had the best deal. Big O and Discount tire were around $80, plus additional cost for a lifetime rotate/balance plan. Smaller shops quoted me in the mid-$50 range with no lifetime plan. Wal-Mart was right at $50 with lifetime balance and rotations included. The guys at the tire shop said that if I didn't tell them that they were retreads, they wouldn't have known. The only thing that they noticed was that the finish on the tread was a little more rough than other tires. One guy even asked for the website so that he could check them out and maybe order some for his truck.

On the drive home I was expecting the usual rhythmic "wah wah wah wah" that I had becomed accustomed to. What I got...a slight whine. Much, much quieter than my old tires. Also, no more death wobble!!!! My old tires' treadwear had unbalanced the tires and the 47-51mph range scared the s#!t out of my wife a couple of times. They grip the road like they're made of glue and sandpaper. So far, I'm extremely impressed with the quality, look, on-road performance, and price of my Treadwrights.

Again, I'll be checking in on this thread often to update and review the tires. Hope this helps.

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[Chris]

I'll be watching this Kyle and thanks for stopping by on your way home. These are good looking tires and I'll predict the result will be good since the technology behind retreads has changed considerably over the years.

[colomil]

That is the same tread pattern I got. Mine were 285/75R16D. If I remember right, they were about $100/tire out the door mounted & balanced from Tire King.

Speaking of tires, I just mounted my spare 37x12.50R16.5 by hand.... Lets just say it sucked.

I will be following this thread as I am thinking of going with retreads on the cherokee...

[Mporter]

Very interested.

[Brody]

Speaking of tires, I just mounted my spare 37x12.50R16.5 by hand.... Lets just say it sucked.

That's a fact. The 38x15.50x15s that I have on my heap got hand mounted by me and Harry Lewellyn from Staun, because of the Staun beadlocks. Sucks....yes it does..

Interested to hear about these tires. They certainly look good.

[BlackRubi]

Thanks, Pete. I was really impressed with how they looked when they showed up. I figured that it would be easy to spot that they were retreads. Also, Pete, thanks for all of your insight about death wobbles. I crawled up under the Jeep to check out all of the linkage first, no shiny metal or anything that would indicate trackbar or anything like that. Then I figured it was the tire coming unbalanced from treadwear, and I needed tires anyway, so I went that route. Problem solved. I think I may still need an alignment looking at the wear on one tire (a little diagonal scuffing), so it's probably a toe issue.

If I had the time and equipment to make it a little easier, I would have mounted them myself. $50 with lifetime balance and rotations sounded good to me though. The wife told me that I should have just done the lighter fluid trick to mount them. I decided that I like having eyebrows, and with my luck......we all know what would have happened.

[JeffX]

They look great!

[Smash]

Will be watching this...

[Red Rhino]

Great thread, keep us up to date.

Bryan

[JeffX]

Any offroad pics yet?

[Red Rhino]

Have you had them in mud, snow or rocks?

Bryan

[BlackRubi]

Haven't had a chance to take them to any trails yet due to an issue with my 4WD (torque shaft on the transfer case linkage came out of it's retainer). I did take them in the mud behind Buckley in 2WD. They performed beautifully! I didn't get stuck, even in 2WD and they clean out very well. On-road/highway manners are extraordinary. By far, they are the quietest off-road tires that I have ever run on a rig. They emit a slight whine starting at about 20MPH and becomes a higher pitch as speed increases, but doesn't actually get louder. I am still very, very impressed with the tires. As soon as I get the linkage fixed, I'll get them out on the rocks and let everyone know how they do.

[Red Rhino]

Thanks for the update

[BlackRubi]

Still no offroad adventures for the Guard Dogs. Been working a lot and haven't had a chance to get the linkage fixed, much less wheel. Still extremely happy with their on-road performance. I did notice that they track a little more on grooved roads than the old MT/Rs. I'm guessing this is due to the slightly softer tread compound than regular tires. I don't have to fight to steer or anything, but grooved roads are a little more noticeable with these tires. They've seen just short of 1000 miles and they still look like I put them on yesterday. No abnormal treadwear, or anything of that sort. When I finally get to take them offroad and if they perform like I think they will, I think I will have found my new source for tires.

[AccordRanger]

If you wanna test the off road we can always put them on my explorer!:D
Hope you can get them off road soon.

[BlackRubi]

OK. I know it's only been 3 days since my last post, but I'll post again anyway. The tires are still performing beautifully! I finally got my linkage fixed and am planning on going on the MSV/Coney run this Saturday. I think that trail will provide a good variety of terrain on which to test the tire's abilities. Not sure if I'm going to air down very much, but I'll do a little. I'm still trying to convince the wife to go, but with her being 8 months pregnant, I'm not sure if it will happen.

[MelloYello]

Hey - This is an interesting thread. I'll be watching to find out after a year if you still like them. The price is sure right. : )
8 mo. prego and a bumpy trail may not be a good mix.?

[Brody]

I am curious as to how well they hold up when they are aired down. I usually air down to around 8 pounds for harder trails and between 12 and 18 for general trail use, so that is a viable concern for me. Someone who considers "airing down" to equate to 20 pounds probably isn't going to have an issue...

[BlackRubi]

I usually do 15 or so psi. I was thinking 18 or so for the first few runs I do with the Treadwrights. The magazines that reviewed them had them down to 10-12 range and they did well.

Keith, she's ready to be done with this pregnancy. We're doing a homebirth anyway and she even considered going camping when she is due and giving birth in the woods. This may just be the ticket. LOL.
You'll see how they do on the run this weekend.

[MelloYello]

Keith, she's ready to be done with this pregnancy. We're doing a homebirth anyway and she even considered going camping when she is due and giving birth in the woods. This may just be the ticket. LOL.
You'll see how they do on the run this weekend.

Maybe we should all bring extra towls and stoves to boil water... Just kiding : )

[Chris]

Birth on the trail, does that mean he/she gets named after the trail?

[BlackRubi]

Coney Flats Payne....it has a ring to it!:thunb:

[Rob]

Middle St. Vrain Payne sounds even better. And it rhymes! :lol:

[BlackRubi]

Finally got the Treadwrights offroad. They performed even better than I expected. I don't remember losing traction at all on either trail. The tires stuck like glue to the rocks, cleaned out great in the mud, kept traction on dirt, and ate through the water. On the drive to the trail, the tires were quiet and gripped well, as usual. On the trail, I had them aired down to 16-17psi. I didn't want to go too low this time, just in case. The sidewalls hardly flexed, so next time I'll take it down a couple more psi. I'm even happier with my purchase now, than when I bought them in the first place. I didn't expect them to do as well offroad as regular MT/Rs, but they did.

The tread still looks like new. No chunking, cuts, or anything like that. If they were clean, they would still look brand new. Treadwear has been outstanding.

I did have to drive to Lyons while aired down. I didn't want to do that, but my air compressor is a giant bag of fail. I kept it right at or just under the speed limit. No heat buildup of any kind. I wouldn't want to drive long distances aired down, but to get to a gas station they'll do the job. As a side note, after not finding my debit card and not having any change in my car, I ended up having to use my compressor anyway. It only took 30 minutes to air up 4 tires *sigh*. Time for a new compressor.

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[Smash]

You said "giant bag of fail." :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Aaron]

I might have to find me some bald 35s to buy and go this route. I'm interested to see how they handle with slightly less air...

[BlackRubi]

Treadwright already has their own carcasses. They say it's not cost effective to ship tires to them to have them treaded and then ship them back. I already asked.

[BlackRubi]

Been a while since I threw in a couple more cents about the tires. Haven't been on any real trails since MSV/Coney, but have been in some good mud and a lot of dusty, loose dirt roads (at pretty decent speeds). I'm still very, very impressed with these tires. They still don't look like they've worn at all. They give outstanding traction on loose dirt and gravel (however, they like to pick up some small rocks and throw them), and the mud traction is great. No chunking, no strange wear, no cracking. I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I don't think that I'll ever buy another tire. I'll get some more pictures up before long.

[BlackRubi]

Been a while again since this was updated, but I've been working quite a bit. The Guard Dogs are still performing beautifully for everyday driving. I got them out in the mud a couple more times, but haven't been able to get to any trails recently. I still don't see any signs of wear on them. The edges on the lugs may be a little more rounded from street wear, but other than that they look brand new.

While I was at work about a week ago, a Gov't truck (Chevy 3500, Gov't plates and everything) came through my area. If a vehicle has offroad tires, my eyes are automatically drawn to them. What shoes did I see on this truck, you ask? Treadwright Guard Dogs. The guy driving said that he was quite impressed with how they performed. He said he was apprehensive at first when he was told that they were going to put retreads on his truck, but he likes them better than the tires that were on there before (didn't ask what he was running previously).

Again, Treadwright gets a giant thumbs up in my book.

[Brad]

So, let me get this strait. The Kedge turns these tires into winter tires? For only about $440 shipped to your door?

[BlackRubi]

I opted to not get the Kedge grip, but essentially, that's what it is for. It's crushed glass and crushed walnut shells. The shells come out, leaving small pits in the tire to act as siping, and the glass is to give a gritty surface for more traction. I saw a report from a test in which they drove up an ice/snow covered hill multiple times to see how far they could get before they lost traction (or something to that sense). Without kedge grip, they made it 40ish feet, and with it they made it just past 60 feet. Without the kedge, my tires were delivered for under $400, but each tire is only $10 more if you add the kedge.

[Brody]

I might be thinking about about trying these if they had bigger than 37s and wider than 12.50s...oh and more options in 15". Everything they have for 15" I think I could stick on the Jeep with no problems and I don't need tires for that....

[BlackRubi]

I think it may be hard for them to get access to a lot of used tires over 37". I was a little disappointed with the options for 15" rims, especially the decision to discontinue making tires that were 33/12.50/15. I dont remember what prompted them to do that. Maybe it's just hard to get carcasses in that size too.

[AccordRanger]

I may be getting these soon!

[BlackRubi]

I'm telling you. I absolutely love them.

[MelloYello]

This has been a great thread. I think I will give these tires a try when I need new shoes for the Jeep.
Thanks!

[AccordRanger]

OK maybe i missed this but what load rating did you get?

[BlackRubi]

I got E, but they have pretty much everything. Basically, I matched everything to my spare.

[BlackRubi]

A couple videos. Moab Jeeper Magazine reviews Treadwrights. Plus a one year later video. I agree with most things the guys in the videos have to say.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQzzHR41zwk

[BlackRubi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LihRCk5jkWU

[southpaws3]

what you should do is tell the manufacturer of the tires about our site here, about the free info you've been doing and maybe they could hook up the site???? just a thought !

great job on the info

[Red Rhino]

They are selling 37"s now. I may give them a try, a discount would help me make the decision.

Bryan

[AccordRanger]

Any chance someone knows any discount codes for the website?

[BlackRubi]

Well, it has been a long, looong while since I posted in here. This is due, primarily, to the fact that nothing eventful has happened and I didn't want to constantly make "Things are still great" posts.

With the arrival of the snow, I can truly say that I LOVE THESE TIRES! I am getting outstanding grip on snow, and great grip on snowpack and ice. The grip is much, MUCH better than my old MT/Rs for some reason. I'm guessing it's because the lugs are just a little closer together. The only time that I have felt that they had no grip was when I stopped on the pop-up barrier on Buckley AFB at the stop sign and then gave it some gas. However, to the tire's defense, those barriers are slicker than greased owl S#!t even when slightly damp.

Again, for the money, I could not have asked for a better tire. Hell, for twice the money, I could not have asked for a better tire. Off-road/mud, snow, street, gravel, water and all performances have been as good or better than the original MT/Rs.

I'll let Shayne post about his tires with Kedge grip, but even without, these tires are friggin' awesome!!!

[Haku]

That is good to hear. I am going to look at a 26' Uhaul "cab and chassis" truck aka chassis with no cargo box, and am thinking about getting a full set of those in a G rated tire. Should make it a bit nicer on offroad and snow conditions. Can't beat $800 or so for 6 tires shipped to my door.

[BlackRubi]

It has been a few months, so here is a little update on the tires:

Even with almost a year of wear on them, they still look like they were shipped to me last week. I seriously don't think that they are showing much in the way of road wear at all.

They are still quiet (for the most part), with only a slight whine when I am humming along at 40-50 mph, but seem to quiet down when I get to about 60.

I take them down to the Springs when I have to go to Reserve training and have seen no issues on the highway at speed.

I haven't done any trails this season, as of yet, but when I do, I will make another post. They do perform beautifully in the rain, snow and mud, as well as dry pavement. They still grip like crazy.

Hopefully this is helpful to someone that may be looking to their next set of tires.

[huntingcrazy]

Thanks to the helpful comments in this thread, I just received my Treadwright 267/75/R16 Wardens on BFG AT casings. They look pretty tough. Now to find someone who won't stick it to me on mounting and balancing!

[Max]

Thanks for the updates. Anything new recently? This is helpful to me when I look for my next set of tires.

[huntingcrazy]

Just a FYI. I was able to talk Discount Tire into mounting and balancing my Treadwrights for $50, including lifetime balance/rotations.

[Yeti]

Any updates on these? I'm considering buying a set for my Disco.

[BlackRubi]

I no longer have the Jeep, but I would be willing to bet that the tires are still performing beautifully. I did order a Treadwright Warden on BFG A/T casing for a spare on my truck. It looks EXACTLY like the other BFG A/Ts on the vehicle, aside from the aforementioned rough finish of the rubber. As these tires wear out, I will most definitely be buying Treadwrights as replacements.

[Jim]

When the time comes I'd consider them too. Did you talk about shipping your old tires to them for retreading? (if it even came up)

[COFreeride]

I've had Treadwright Guard Dogs on for over a year now and they seem great.

[Yeti]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to order a set for my Disco. I will probably go with the Warden's as, living in the mountains, I need something that will perform well on icy roads.

[xaza]

I have had the Wardens on my ZJ for 2 years now. They have held up to my lead foot with a beefed 360. Haven't put a ton of miles on them, about 10k, but they look like new still. Still haven't had them off road yet though. I have been incredibly pleased with the performance even in snow and slick conditions. If you get the Kedge Grip I have heard it helps with ice but effects how long they last. I did not get the Kedge Grip on mine.

[Yeti]

I have had the Wardens on my ZJ for 2 years now. They have held up to my lead foot with a beefed 360. Haven't put a ton of miles on them, about 10k, but they look like new still. Still haven't had them off road yet though. I have been incredibly pleased with the performance even in snow and slick conditions. If you get the Kedge Grip I have heard it helps with ice but effects how long they last. I did not get the Kedge Grip on mine.

Glad to hear they do well in the snow/slick. My wife will be using the this truck to take the kids back and forth to school, just a couple of miles but I don't want to have to worry about her driving it. If we get a crazy snow storm that my Subaru cannot get me out and down to Denver for work, I will rely on it too.

I'm undecided on the Kedge. It sounds like a good idea and I do not mind giving up a little tire wear, I wonder how much though?

[AccordRanger]

I have the kedge on mine and the rears still look decently new. Fronts not so much, but that because I really need an alignment.

[Max]

I read on their website a while back that they do not have people ship them their old tires because it isn't cost effective. Check the FAQ.

[Jim]

k. thx. (it would be nice if they were still local where it'd be economical)

[Yeti]

I have the kedge on mine and the rears still look decently new. Fronts not so much, but that because I really need an alignment.

Any thoughts on how many miles you are going to get out of them? Do you think the Kedge is worth getting?

[AccordRanger]

I would say probably another 20-30k, but I also have the mtr replicas so I think they will wear faster than the all terrains. I want to say I have around 7k on them now.

[AccordRanger]

I have also run three trails with them. Roasted them pretty good on china wall a few years ago, they still look almost new

[Backcountryislife]

I've run mine for two hard seasons now, 315 70 17 guard dogs with Kedge.


For an on road tire, The treawright sentinel is a phenomenal tire, I've used them for years, and driving over Berthoud every day they did great & stick to snow & ice like studs. Truly an exceptional tire IMO. (I've got 300k+ miles on treadwright tires, with a few others mixed in the middle over the years, and the sentinels are the best I've had) I've been running these tires for about 11 years & had a few friends running them before that who pushed me into them, now most of my friends run them on their trucks.

For an offroad tire, the guard dogs are great, BUT I wouldn't get Kedge again for a tire that's primarily for the rocks. I feel the rocks yank out the glass worse than the road does and wear the tire very quickly. Mine are at about 1/2-2/3 tread after 2 years of beating... I feel like without the holes in the rubber from the glass, they'd have held up better.

My next set WILL be guard dogs again (37 this time) but they will be without kedge.

That said, my tires see 2-4 days a week on the trail, as I often head up in the afternoon when bids are stressing me out, and they see very little road use. They also saw most of their life on the H3 with no lockers, and did more than their fair share of spinning. For more of a mix I'd probably get kedge, the stuff works great on the road.


Btw, here's a pic of my tires up close, shows the corner wear they've received, and you can see the holes from the kedge grip

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/398342_3082533024367_842366803_n.jpg

Btw, on road the wear I've seen from these has been inline or better than the other tires I've run, even with the kedge... I think the spinning is the main culprit here, and perhaps with the lockers on the JKU, I won't see such aggressive wear anymore.


Edit, here's an even better shot, this is from just a couple weeks ago.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/156402_3900556514443_643254136_n.jpg

[Yeti]

I've run mine for two hard seasons now, 315 70 17 guard dogs with Kedge.


For an on road tire, The treawright sentinel is a phenomenal tire, I've used them for years, and driving over Berthoud every day they did great & stick to snow & ice like studs. Truly an exceptional tire IMO. (I've got 300k+ miles on treadwright tires, with a few others mixed in the middle over the years, and the sentinels are the best I've had) I've been running these tires for about 11 years & had a few friends running them before that who pushed me into them, now most of my friends run them on their trucks.

For an offroad tire, the guard dogs are great, BUT I wouldn't get Kedge again for a tire that's primarily for the rocks. I feel the rocks yank out the glass worse than the road does and wear the tire very quickly. Mine are at about 1/2-2/3 tread after 2 years of beating... I feel like without the holes in the rubber from the glass, they'd have held up better.

My next set WILL be guard dogs again (37 this time) but they will be without kedge.

That said, my tires see 2-4 days a week on the trail, as I often head up in the afternoon when bids are stressing me out, and they see very little road use. They also saw most of their life on the H3 with no lockers, and did more than their fair share of spinning. For more of a mix I'd probably get kedge, the stuff works great on the road.


Btw, here's a pic of my tires up close, shows the corner wear they've received, and you can see the holes from the kedge grip

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/398342_3082533024367_842366803_n.jpg

Btw, on road the wear I've seen from these has been inline or better than the other tires I've run, even with the kedge... I think the spinning is the main culprit here, and perhaps with the lockers on the JKU, I won't see such aggressive wear anymore.


Edit, here's an even better shot, this is from just a couple weeks ago.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/156402_3900556514443_643254136_n.jpg

Great info here, thanks!

I would like to run the Sentinel's but they do not make them in the size I want tor run, 245/75/16. So I think I will go with the Warden's. I could run Sentinel's in a 265/75/16 if I want to install the 2" lift I have. I'm leaning towards the 245's as the stock gears in my Disco are pathetically tall. I am afraid that it will go from gutless to really gutless with a 265. Decision time.

I apologize for hijacking this thread, that was not my intention.

[Jim]

Those Kledge pictures are curious. I ended up reading their FAQ on it. It's not just glass but also walnut shells. It seems the glass tends to offer an external surface from the tire where a removed walnut shell then creates an internal surface from the tire. The goal is for more surface area, more grip, though they do state 15-20% greater wear.


Are there any disadvantages to running tires with Kedge Grip?
Kedge Grip provides additional traction in slippery conditions. It does this by creating small pits on the tread surface with the walnut shell and adding additional grit to the tread with the crushed glass. With the additional open area on the tread the tire will wear about 15-20% faster than a tire without Kedge Grip.
What is the KG or Kedge Grip?
Kedge Grip is a traction additive that we blend into the rubber compound. Kedge Grip consists of a crushed walnut shell and crushed glass particle that works in a two fold manner. As the tire wears down the walnut shell is designed to displace from the rubber leaving a small (1mm) pit or void that provides additional traction edges. The crushed glass is designed to stay in place longer providing additional grit and grip on the surface of the tread.

[Tom]

I really appreciate this info as I'm in need of new off road tires next spring. The price is certainly right and they sound like a great value. Likely what I'll be purchasing.

[Rick]

Likely what I'll be purchasing.X2 for the 1500 dodge

[Backcountryislife]

Those Kledge pictures are curious. I ended up reading their FAQ on it. It's not just glass but also walnut shells. It seems the glass tends to offer an external surface from the tire where a removed walnut shell then creates an internal surface from the tire. The goal is for more surface area, more grip, though they do state 15-20% greater wear.






I really don't want to discourage anyone from getting the kedge grip IF you use the vehicle for on road winter driving much, my main point I suppose (sometimes I've got one, but it's kinda dull...) was that I feel when wheeling that 15-20% increases greatly if you're spinning.

I suppose I should mention also that I drove the H3 with a hand aligned front axle probably about 150 miles total, as a couple times after getting a new rack I couldn't make it to the alignment place in time, so had to drive it home, which can't be that great for the tire wear either!!!

[Backcountryislife]

Great info here, thanks!

I would like to run the Sentinel's but they do not make them in the size I want tor run, 245/75/16. So I think I will go with the Warden's. I could run Sentinel's in a 265/75/16 if I want to install the 2" lift I have. I'm leaning towards the 245's as the stock gears in my Disco are pathetically tall. I am afraid that it will go from gutless to really gutless with a 265. Decision time.

I apologize for hijacking this thread, that was not my intention.

Can't say I'm in love with the wardens, but they're a good solid tire. The only failure I've ever seen was a warden (1 in 11+ years of running them & having a bunch of buddies run them), they get pretty poor mileage, and don't seem to wear as well as the other tires for some reason, but they're real good in the snow.

If I had the option of the max trax I'd go that way, my one buddy that runs those says they're his favorite tire he's gotten from them.

The one tires I would specifically avoid from them... the howler. HORRID noise, howler is not a joke, they're terrible. Also terrible in the snow. I had a set of those one winter & sold them.

[glacierpaul]

Thanks for everyones input, I have the unfortunate timing of needing to replace 4 vehicles (3 Jeeps,one Ford 350) tires, to feel comfortable with winter traversing in any of the 4 rides. My Goodyear Kevlars are about toast. Almost 10,000 miles on these on my Rubicon, I would venture to say we put half of those miles on the trails, so I do not mind the fast wear. Love the tires, but I am used to tires lasting at least a whole year. The KM1 that came on the Jeep almost made 20,000. Been looking at the Goodyear Dura-Tracks too. I am also looking at the Guard Dogs for all 4 rigs too, way cheaper for sure.

[Backcountryislife]

WHOO... 4 sets, they're gonna be happy when you call!!! :D

For any that aren't serious offroad rigs, I'd give some thought to the sentinels, those are by far the best wear of the tires they have, and they're great on road.

[glacierpaul]

not seeing the sentinals on the site....
I am going to see if I can get a multiple tire discount :)!
Goodyear has a $60 rebate on their tires right now:rolleyes:

[Backcountryislife]

These:
https://www.treadwright.com/images/Product/medium/42.jpg

That's what I run on my Cummins with the sled deck, and they hold up really well.

[Yeti]

not seeing the sentinals on the site....
I am going to see if I can get a multiple tire discount :)!
Goodyear has a $60 rebate on their tires right now:rolleyes:

They do not have a good range of sizes in the Sentinel. Here is a link https://www.treadwright.com/p-58-265-75r16-sentinel-b2b-a-t-d.aspx
Note that the Sentinel in the 265/75/16 now has what Treadwright is calling a "B2B" mold, they have new rubber on the sidewalls too. I'm leaning this way even though it means lifting my truck and possibly having to re-gear. I wanted to lift and re-gear, I just can't do it all in one shot.

[Yeti]

I am going to see if I can get a multiple tire discount :)!

Maybe we could get a group buy going? I'm ready to purchase a set too.

[Backcountryislife]

Note that the Sentinel in the 265/75/16 now has what Treadwright is calling a "B2B" mold

Oh wow, didn't notice that... crazy.

So the whole tire essentially is a treadwright then huh, cool.

I wonder how they do that? Seems like it'd be a whole new tire then.

You guys talk about group buy... Paul is a "group" all on his own!!! :D

[Backcountryislife]

Goodyear has a $60 rebate on their tires right now


So, that only makes then 2x as much a treadwrights instead of 3x then???? :lmao:

[Max]

My Goodyear Kevlars are about toast. Almost 10,000 miles on these on my Rubicon

Holy crap, you only get 10k out of a set of tires??

http://us.coopertire.com/Tires/Light-Truck/DISCOVERER-A-T3.aspx
http://falkentire.com/tires/truck-suv-tires/wildpeak-a-t

[MelloYello]

Wow. This is great info. The prices are great!
I guess just take them to any tire store and get them mounted and balanced? Will they do tires that they don't sell?

[Tom]

Maybe we could get a group buy going? I'm ready to purchase a set too.I'd be interested in a group buy if they'd beat their prices and I didn't have to pick em up in South or East Denver.

[Yeti]

I will give them a call and see what they say about a group buy. If we shipped all together to my business location in Aurora, I have access to cheap freight. I'm guessing I could have quite a few of them shipped inexpensively.

[Tom]

I will give them a call and see what they say about a group buy. If we shipped all together to my business location in Aurora, I have access to cheap freight. I'm guessing I could have quite a few of them shipped inexpensively.Thanks. I could do Aurora (not my first choice though) if shipping was cheap.

[Rick]

X2!!!

[Yeti]

I called Treadwright. Very nice people but no go on a group buy.

Searched around a little a found a 5% discount code, also a couple of other forums that did a group buy with a 7% discount. It look like the group buy may not pan out, I can check on freight if there are enough people interested - let know. I'm guessing we would need at least 5 sets to make the freight worthwhile.

[BlackRubi]

Agreed about their customer service. Phenomenal compared to most other places.

[glacierpaul]

I actually purchased 2 sets of Guard Dogs for my Rubicon and my Ford last night. I talked with the guy for a while, no go on group deals, great prices already. Hell, all 8 Guard Dogs cost less than the 5 Goodyear Kevlars I bought in the summer( I even upsized my truck tires to 285/75/r16, 33"s). I am really looking forward to putting these tires to the test. If these go well, I will be running them on all 5 of my rides.

[Backcountryislife]

Did you get them with or without Kedge?

I'd be curious to look at a set of tires with some serious wheeling on them without kedge (well... and maybe that hadn't been run just hand aligned for any period of time as well...:erm:)

[glacierpaul]

I got the Kedge in both sets. I had the set put on the Jeep Tuesday, like them so far. The truck tires are not here yet, am anxious to see how it looks with 33's and how it handles with the new tires. My mechanic said the set he put on my Jeep balanced better than BFG or Goodyears as of late. The tires do make some noise while driving, but 4 things make this no issue for me: 1- I drive a diesel too, 2- the radio is louder, 3- Tinnitus is more annoying than the whine of tires :) and 4- they are off road tires, they hardly make any noise wheelin' :)

[WDoG]

I bought a set of Guard Dogs back in May. Man have they been great tires. Got them shipped, mounted and balanced for a little over $500. Now thats a deal. Performed great all summer. I can't wait to get them in the snow. I got them without the Kedge. I do more city driving than off pavement. Suppose to snow this weekend. Can't wait to try them out.

[Rick]

mounted and balancedwho did you get to do it?

[WDoG]

Surprisingly enough Wal-Mart. No Joke. They mounted and life-time balance'd for $48 bucks! I went to the one off of Tower Road in Aurora. Its a nice Wal-mart and the auto techs were nice and actually treated me like I knew what I was talking about. Asked me if I wanted new valves stems for a few extra $$. I declined. After I got the truck back they had put new ones on there anyway! Nice!

I called around a bunch of different places. Discount Tire, Big O, Costco, Goodyear. They all wanted almost double what wal-mart would do. I also wanted to get life-time balance. Wheeling and wheel weights don't like each other. I've had a few knocked off.

Hope this helps.

[Rick]

thanks:thumb:

[Chris]

I know it was gone for a long time but the "give thanks" button is back.

[clownracer]

got a set of 35s for sale in the classifides right now!!

[Backcountryislife]

Surprisingly enough Wal-Mart. No Joke. They mounted and life-time balance'd for $48 bucks! I went to the one off of Tower Road in Aurora. Its a nice Wal-mart and the auto techs were nice and actually treated me like I knew what I was talking about. Asked me if I wanted new valves stems for a few extra $$. I declined. After I got the truck back they had put new ones on there anyway! Nice!

I called around a bunch of different places. Discount Tire, Big O, Costco, Goodyear. They all wanted almost double what wal-mart would do. I also wanted to get life-time balance. Wheeling and wheel weights don't like each other. I've had a few knocked off.

Hope this helps.

One thing they won't do though is change tire size. They can only put on what is already on there.... pain in the azz.

I drove all the way down to evergreen to get mine put on & the guy was a pain about it.

[Rick]

They can only put on what is already on there.... pain in the azz.SOOOOO who did yours?

[Backcountryislife]

Firestone in Bergen park. Paid $70 to get them mounted... I was in a hurry, going to Moab the day after that & wanted to be sure the 35's worked in case I had to put the 33's back on. Got the 35's on, did a loop on 1st (going up tomorrow if you're up for it btw:D), they didn't rub at all... then got to Moab & they rubbed like crazy!!! Oops.

[ColoJeeper]

Where are they rubbing, and do you have any lift?

[Backcountryislife]

I had a 2" OME lift, they rubbed the fender (bad) and the bumper (only at full stuff & 75%+ turned) My front was pretty sagged out though, so now I've cut the stock fenders, and got 2" coil spacers up there as a temporary measure till I decide what kind of lift I want more long term, so no more fender rub, but still some bumper rub (I need a stubby)

[Rick]

going up tomorrow if you're up for it btwI cant, working on a friends car this weekend.

[WDoG]

One thing they won't do though is change tire size. They can only put on what is already on there.... pain in the azz.

I drove all the way down to evergreen to get mine put on & the guy was a pain about it.

I had 225/75r15 on there stock. They questioned me asking if the 265/70r16's that I brought would fit. I said it would and they put them on no problem.

The first walmart I took it to, the one off of Hampton, told me that they wouldn't fit and were generally kinda jerks about it. I assured them they would and they still didn't believe me. So I took my business elsewhere. (Walmart off Tower in N. Aurora)

[Backcountryislife]

The douche at Evergreen told me that IT IS POLICY!!! He can NOT put a different size tire on a vehicle, period.

This guys is a tool anyhow, I've dealt with him before a number of times & he's always loving to tell you what he won't or can't do. He's keepin it real...:rolleyes: you show up at 3, they close at 7, got 2 cars in the bay & none in the lot... "well... not sure if we'll be able to get to it today". Yep, it's like that!

It's like the Chris rock ski about how ignorant people Love not knowing SH**... like it's a badge of pride!:blah:


In case it doesn't ring a bell, here it is... (btw, spoiler, it's chris rock... IT'S PROFANE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8IQudhlTPM

[glacierpaul]

Scorpion Shell, Idaho Springs $40 to mount and balance mine. Truck tires are in Henderson,CO should get them on Mon. or Tuesday :)
I am happy with the performance of these on the Rubicon in the snow and ice last night!

[Backcountryislife]

Scorpion Shell, Idaho Springs $40 to mount and balance mine. Truck tires are in Henderson,CO should get them on Mon. or Tuesday :)
I am happy with the performance of these on the Rubicon in the snow and ice last night!

Wait till you've got a few hundred miles on them & the glass starts showing... THEN they're good in the snow. Right now they're just regular tires, they take a while to break in!

[Rick]

Scorpion Shell, Idaho Springs $40 to mount and balance mine.is that for everyone or should we mention you?

[glacierpaul]

is that for everyone or should we mention you?
I'll have to ask! He has an older tire machine and balancer, so I will ask what size is his limit, along with pricing :)

[Backcountryislife]

is that for everyone or should we mention you?

Pretty sure that's the everyone price... and by everyone, I mean everyone with a big red beard named Paul!! :D

[WDoG]

Too bad I'm in Denver. Thats a long way to drive just to get tires mounted and balanced. For me at least. Good find though.

[glacierpaul]

Well, Kaleb is sort of right. I do bartering with the shop, so I do get 'deals' now and then :) The shop charges $20 per tire, only up to 35".
I actually just purchased another couple sets, for my plow YJ I got 5 - 235/75r15 ATG (c) w/kedge, for my 80' J-20 4 - 235/85r16 AXIOM A/T w/kedge and bought the 33" spare for my Ford that I forgot when I upsized them. $2465 later, I have 4 new sets of tires for 4 vehicles, 2 included the spare replacement. Very happy with the guard dogs as of now!! I went up one of my roads, in the Rubicon with about 20" of snow, just to see the difference from the KM's and I did get a little farther with the guard dogs in the same setting.

[The StRanger]

Too bad I'm in Denver. Thats a long way to drive just to get tires mounted and balanced. For me at least. Good find though.

I do all my own tire work.
My machines will do up to 40's

[Tom]

My brother in law just bought a pair and is not happy. The tread is misaligned with the carcase: woobles. I'm now rethinking treadwright.

[Rick]

My machines will do up to 40'swhen time comes would you be willing to lend a hand??

[glacierpaul]

Sounds weird Tom, I have 8 so far, and another 10 due this week. So far so good with me. I find it hard to believe if there is a problem, they would not step up and take it back at their expense. Something like that should have been caught at the factory. Let us know how his situation is handled.

[clownracer]

Sounds weird Tom, I have 8 so far, and another 10 due this week. So far so good with me. I find it hard to believe if there is a problem, they would not step up and take it back at their expense. Something like that should have been caught at the factory. Let us know how his situation is handled.

i agree they agreed to take back the tires i couldnt use because i ordered the wrong size......that being said i still think 16.5" rims and .mil take off tires are the way to go

[Backcountryislife]

I had a buddy who ordered howlers when they still sold them... I told him not to, but being the tard he is, he ordered them anyhow. He hated them, and called them back to ask what could be done... they swapped him out a new set of tires, he only paid for shipping one way for the swap.

When they're willing to do that kind of thing... if you get a bad tire, CALL THEM! I'm gonna guess they'll take care of it.

[Tom]

Sounds weird Tom, I have 8 so far, and another 10 due this week. So far so good with me. I find it hard to believe if there is a problem, they would not step up and take it back at their expense. Something like that should have been caught at the factory. Let us know how his situation is handled.That's what I was going to tell him. Just kinda wanted to see what you all would say.

[AnyHeep]

I just ordered my 285/75/16s from treadwright (http://Www.treadwright.com) two days ago and they should be on my doorstep in just a couple days! It will be a little weird that they are coming on BFG All/Terrain carcasses.

[Metalhed]

My son runs a set of 265-75-16s on his truck and Goodyear in Lakewood (Westland store) had no issue mounting and balancing them. Considering the truck came stock with 235-75-15, they had no problem with the upsize, unlike Wally World.

He bought the AT tires and they came on a set of Toyo carcasses.
Great tires over all, our second set

[AnyHeep]

Update: they JUST showed up on my doorstep this morning. So far, I'm very impressed at how quick this company works. Ill be running over to discount tire this morning to mount them up

[Brad]

I am thinking of getting a set for my spare set of wheels.

[BlackRubi]

I've said it before and I will say it again. I honestly don't believe that I will ever buy tires from anywhere but TreadWright. I will probably be ordering a new set sometime within the next year. They now offer bead to bead tires with TreadWright badging. A bit odd, I admit, but they look pretty decent. However, part of the reason that I ordered those that I did for my Jeep was because of the MT/R sidewalls and the tread that matched my spare. But if I am ordering a whole set, including spare for my truck, then I may go with the bead to bead option. We shall see.

I took my tires to the Walmart off of Tower as well. Never had any issues.

[Max]

Looks like they only go up to 35".

[glacierpaul]

Just got my ATG's for my 82 J-20, still awaiting the Axiom's for my YJ. Then all but my 80 J-20 will be running Treadwrights. I am happy so far! I still think I am going to run the Goodyear Kev's in the summer though on my Rubicon, I need to do more wheelin with the guard dogs and see the comparison though.

[Backcountryislife]

Looks like they only go up to 35".

They've got a 37 as well, but it's for a 16.5 wheel.

[Max]

Yeah I saw that, who has 16.5" wheels really? I already have nice wheels.

[Backcountryislife]

buying those 37's AND wheels is cheaper than buying just another set of 37's.

[Fordguy77]

Yeah I saw that, who has 16.5" wheels really? I already have nice wheels.
You can get some pretty nice 16.5 Wheels, with a double bead lock for a reasonable price. $155 doesn't really sound to bad for wheels and bead locks, and they look cool too. If i ever get tall enough to run big tires, im looking into a set of these
http://www.trailworthyfab.com/155-Dollar-8-Bolt-Hummer-Wheel-Special.html
http://www.trailworthyfab.com/images/D/32hole395.jpg

[Backcountryislife]

Well boys & girls... Just got a very cool email.


just came out (notice the sidewall... all new rubber, on the 35's!!) and no price increase!

https://www.treadwright.com/p-118-315-70r17-guard-dog-m-t-b2b-d.aspx

https://www.treadwright.com/images/product/large/118_1_.jpg

[clownracer]

Yeah I saw that, who has 16.5" wheels really? I already have nice wheels.

16.5 is the way to go im paying 95 bucks a tire for 95% .mil tires

[BlackRubi]

That's what I was saying about the bead to bead. But the only way that I think I would do the bead to bead is if I was ordering a full set, plus spare. Otherwise, I would probably still try to order the casing type to match the tread.

[Red Rhino]

Very nice. I really wish they would make 35" x15"'s

[glacierpaul]

I received the same email. I will certainly try out the bead to bead once I kill these retreads :). Now they just need to add some Kevlar.....

[trailfiend]

TrailWorthyFab are some cool guys! I was in contact with them recently about the possibility for "standard" wheel sizes....

They said they're working on nailing down a 17" wheel now, and once they get that figured out (in the next month or so) they're going to apply that to 16" and 15" for people who don't want to run 16.5" tires. (i.e....me, I don't want 37's yet).

[BlackRubi]

Round 2: The Jeep is no longer in the family. I needed tires on my truck, so I went with Treadwright again. I've said it multiple times, I will never buy tires anywhere else if I can avoid it and go to Treadwright. This time, I was replacing BFG A/Ts, so I looked at buying the BFG copy (Warden). Three tires (two tires that needed replacing and a spare to match the rest) would have cost me $294 plus shipping. I found a coupon online for "Buy 4 get 1 free" (Code is FIFTHFREE, in case you were curious). So for another $100, I was able to replace all four tires and the spare. I decided to pay the extra $5 per tire to switch to the MT/R clone (Guard Dogs) since they performed so well on the Jeep.

Recently, Treadwright has had a bit of a backlog on orders, so I figured it would be a 2-3 week wait to get my tires and I would have to call and place my order on the phone (this was the notification I got when I almost pulled the trigger on buying them a couple of months ago). To my surpirse, my order immediately went through last Monday and they were on my doorstep three days later. I took them to get mounted and they all, again, took very little weight to balance. This time, instead of MT/R casings, they were on BFG A/T. This is fine, as a requested those two in that order (MT/R first, then BFG), so long as they were three ply sidewalls.

Though a bit louder than the A/Ts, which is to be expected, they are a much more comfortable tire.

I will be posting updates occasionally.

[xaza]

Did they not offer the bead to bead for your tire size?

[BlackRubi]

They did, and I almost bought them. I think they are trying to get rid of the non-bead to bead options. Many of the tires that are non-B2B are on clearance. It would have only cost me another $60 or so bucks, but that $60 saved went to do an alignment. I have a long trip and TDY coming up, so I wanted to get as much maintenance done as possible for as cheap as possible. I called a few places for an estimate on my 100k maintenance, and was quoted around $600 for everything that needed to be done. Doing most of the maintenance myself, aside from the alignment as I don't trust myself to do it, I was able to buy 5 new tires, plugs, fuel filter, oil, air intake, new hub bearing assembly and install a new blower motor resistor and harness for just over the quoted price. It's been a pain, but it is just about done. That's pretty much why I went the slightly cheaper route. I know that I said I was going to go B2B if I did a full swap, but it just wasn't in the cards this time. Sorry for this super long paragraph. For some reason, the site isn't letting me do line breaks.

[06HokieTJ]

Very nice. I really wish they would make 35" x15"'s

Same with 33x12.50's :-/

[cfr]

Ordered a set of 315/70R17s over the weekend. Hoping for the best.

[BlackRubi]

Ordered a set of 315/70R17s over the weekend. Hoping for the best.

Guard Dogs? Bead to bead?

[cfr]

Guard Dogs? Bead to bead?

Guard dogs with Kedge grip. Unknown on bead to bead.

[xaza]

the bead to bead has a B2B in part number I believe.

[Backcountryislife]

they don't make the 315/70/17 in anything but b2b anymore. I tried finding the regular ones to see if they would be on closeout or something, but no go.

[BlackRubi]

I think they are completely moving away from non-B2B. Not sure how I feel about it. I'm sure they are as great as regular TreadWrights, but there is something to be said about getting a TW to match other tires (if you're not buying a whole new set).

On another note, the new Guard Dogs had their first bit of fun in the past day or two. There is a huge mud pit near my daughter's school. We stopped by to figure out exactly where the school was (she starts kindergarten tomorrow (Wow, I know, some of you met here on Red Cone when she was 18 months old!)), and I saw my opportunity. I tore through the mid-shin high mud with ease. The tread cleaned out nicely and there was no loss of traction. Then there was the 18 inch deep flooding near my wife's work. Again, no loss of traction and no issues to speak of.

[AccordRanger]

The guard dogs are amazing in mud. With all the rain I have been playing a lot. Went through a big puddle that was halfway up my doors and I only have rwd right now with an open diff and it just kept on going.

[cfr]

Ordered a set of 315/70R17s over the weekend. Hoping for the best.

These were delivered today. Will post a pic when I get them on the Jeep. Any recommendations for reasonably-priced mounting/balancing in Boulder/Longmont? Don't want to get any hassle about bringing in my own tires vs not buying them there. I was planning on Big-O.

[Tom]

These were delivered today. Will post a pic when I get them on the Jeep. Any recommendations for reasonably-priced mounting/balancing in Boulder/Longmont? Don't want to get any hassle about bringing in my own tires vs not buying them there. I was planning on Big-O.Longmont tire service on s main near the railroad tracks. They mounted my guard dogs. I swapped em my old good condition tires in exchange for mount and balance. Cash would have been about 40 if I remember correctly. Nice guys and a local business not a chain.
218 S Main St

[The StRanger]

Im thinkin tinkin they shouldnt be a problem
Id probably plan on leavin them a while, or
Take them a box of doughnuts !!!!!

[BlackRubi]

Like a phoenix, I have risen from the ashes to bring a long, long overdue update. Through the time that I had my Jeep, the Treadwright were fantastic. So fantastic that I purchased a set for my truck when I traded in the Jeep.

I've run the same set for the past three and a half years, with the exception of one tire. A couple years back, in a fluke, metal rod fell off the back of a truck on front of me, impaling itself in one of the tires. Treadwright prorated the remaining balance of the warranty and offered half off a new tire. All was well and good. Customer service was great once again.

Yesterday, I lost my second tire. It was actually the replacement tire they sent me. Don't know the cause yet, as I haven't investigated, but after a few years of running the same set, it's about time to get some new tires anyway, so it's no big deal.

Now I'm just debating on whether to get more treadwrights or go another route.

[Tom]

Mine dry rotted after two years with 50% tread remaining. I will not be buying treadwrights again.

[TJS86TOY]

I personally have tried treadwrights on two vehicles. The 4runner- first set one had a huge bubble in tread after only one trip, they chunk like mad, sidewalls ,,, well went through 2 tires. Positives, great traction on anything dry/seem to last long on lighter vehicles. My Diesel.... now I will not get them for the truck again. They wore out in less than a year. They chunked really bad without going off-road with them. So it seems it depends on what you put them on. A 4000# truck mabey ok but not a 10,000# Turbo diesel with a tuned motor. Also it seems they are getting more expensive, for a few hundred more you can buy a brand name tire.