Question Rettroband - are they worth it?

[team bradfield]

I believe mine were $3,475 pre-tax. While they previously quoted one price, on my estimate (and I assume invoice, which I don't have handy), they now break out labor, connectors and main retrobands, and it's a bit less than they used to quote. These were for my 305\70R22.5 steers.

Benefits? For me, I'm hoping if I have a blowout, there will be two benefits. First, lower risk of losing control and putting it in a ditch/rolling ( drive a lot on windy Arkansas roads with about an 18" gravel shoulder, and then ditch). Second, if I do have a blowout, hopefully I don't have the extensive damage we often see, where electric bays, steps, wiring/air lines, are destroyed. I'm looking lite it as insurance and hope I never find out if they are as effective as their test (latest test was done with the NIRVC owner and rettroband designer riding in the coach they blew the tire on).

x2 what he said

 

[osuallen]

While I still think it's tremendously over priced, I guess you buy once and use for the lifetime of the coach. Nothing mentioned on warranty as of yet, what do they tell you?

What happens when Freightliner Gaffney goes to replace your tires?

Lifetime warranty for protecting on a blowout. They will inspect and replace if damaged. I think it is lifetime on just wear and tear. New tires - you can either bring the tires to NIRVC to install along with the RBs, or bring the dismounted RBs back to them for installation (doubling up on install cost).

 

[osuallen]

With tax, mine came to a hair under $5K. 365 tires installed July 22.

Ditto on size, date, and cost.

 

[Neemer]

While I still think it's tremendously over priced, I guess you buy once and use for the lifetime of the coach. Nothing mentioned on warranty as of yet, what do they tell you?

What happens when Freightliner Gaffney goes to replace your tires?

Lifetime warranty. You may recall they offered to replace every first gen rettroband after only a handful of failures. Those customers had priority over the rest of us in receiving 2nd gen bands.

Typically, NIRVC is the only authorized installer, but they may have an arrangement with the chassis manufacturers. Contact Chuck Lasley at NIRVC for ground truth. He’s the guru. [email protected].

 

[Tnedator]

While I still think it's tremendously over priced, I guess you buy once and use for the lifetime of the coach. Nothing mentioned on warranty as of yet, what do they tell you?

What happens when Freightliner Gaffney goes to replace your tires?

If installed incorrectly, the unit can fail. They've had at least one failure of the new 2.0 when it was intsalled incorrectly at NIRVC. If you can (I didn't), whether at NIRVC or especially elsewhere, would be good to look over their shoulder. Basically, they need to tighten one side a bit, then spin to the other, and tighten a bit, back and forth. I believe Brett said they can initially tighten to a gap of about a fist, then to back and forth, each time reducing it about one finger's width.

The failure(s) they had were from a tech tightening one side completely, and then the other, and that resulted in the first side's threaded rod being bent, when the second side was fully tightened.

 

[Richpatty]

While I still think it's tremendously over priced, I guess you buy once and use for the lifetime of the coach. Nothing mentioned on warranty as of yet, what do they tell you?

What happens when Freightliner Gaffney goes to replace your tires?

I will getting more details, but they say they have a lifetime warranty and if you have a blow out, they will replace the unit in question to ensure you are not riding on a bad Rettroband (Free).

And they do need to be removed to change tires. I figure I will have my new tires shipped to NIRVC (at least the front) and have them mount the new ones when I have the Rettroband installed.

 

[Tnedator]

I will getting more details, but they say they have a lifetime warranty and if you have a blow out, they will replace the unit in question to ensure you are not riding on a bad Rettroband (Free).

And they do need to be removed to change tires. I figure I will have my new tires shipped to NIRVC (at least the front) and have them mount the new ones when I have the Rettroband installed.

I believe they've changed from "replace" to "inspect and replace if necessary," if you have a blowout.

 

[sheridany]

It’s not trivial to remove the tire. It takes a tech with know how to do it or you can damage things pretty good. When I had rettrobands on my Ventana I carried a document that shows how to do it. They may have improved since I had the first generation. I have thought about getting them on my bus but I have to research first because of the tpms system.

 

[DennisT]

Enjoying the discussion on these.

We know someone that blew a front tire on their super c and ended up totaling the coach and trailer. Not easy to handle even with the front wheels in front of you.

Been kicking around getting them on our superstar.

 

[Tnedator]

I've seen a couple threads of people that have blown tires with them on, and had I believe zero damage.