Question Rettroband - are they worth it?

[Neemer]

I have them and I feel good about it.

I live in the mountains, so I drive a lot in the mountains. I love my 1,950 foot lbs. of torque, and even more, my engine brakes.

It's common for me to be in the middle of a long line of truckers running 3 mph slower than what I want to travel. I am unable to pass them until they start up the next incline, but when they do, I put the hammer down.

They are slowing down as we go up the mountain and I'm accelerating at max speed. I start to pass them one-by-one, and I'm neck and neck with the lead truck when we crest the top of the mountain.

I'm hauling the mail, but I know I have to continue the gain to stay ahead of the lead truck as we start down the other side. If I don't, I'll have to decelerate to let them all by, and take my place at the rear of the group.

And it's at this time when I wonder what kind of mess I'm going to make when my 55K lb. RV crashes and disintegrates on the way down the hill.

So while my mind is calculating a million scenarios per second, I gather a bit of comfort knowing that a blowout on the front has been thoroughly thought through and that I stand a reasonable chance of survival if I lose a tire.

But that's just me.

I just drove through KY, WV, and western VA. I had the exact same thoughts. There are places, hundreds of them, that if a blowout occurred, it could plunge you to certain death if you departed asphalt. It is comforting to know you have a fighting chance to keep the greasy side down and over asphalt.

 

[bowpulpit]

Neal, add in that not all tire shops are equipped to service wheels and tires that have bands installed.

True….. but if a blow out occurs any tire shop can remove the Retrobands and put on a new tire toget you to the next NIRVC location for a new re-install. This a downside that IMHO doesn’t even come close to all the upsides of having Retrobands.

 

[osuallen]

True….. but if a blow out occurs any tire shop can remove the Retrobands and put on a new tire toget you to the next NIRVC location for a new re-install. This a downside that IMHO doesn’t even come close to all the upsides of having Retrobands.

Disassembly is pretty straightforward. Also NIRVC gives you an instruction sheet to give to the tire guy if needed.

 

[Richpatty]

Disassembly is pretty straightforward. Also NIRVC gives you an instruction sheet to give to the tire guy if needed.

Good to know as I will have them installed in a month….

 

[osuallen]

Good to know as I will have them installed in a month….

If they forget, just remind them.

 

[jvf3877]

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?

Neal, Not to scare anyone but with sadness and great loss, we just lost close friends from a RV tire blow out. Google Molander family rv accident that happened about a month ago on RT 81 in PA. Whole family died including other truck driver when their RV had a blow out and lost control. For me experiencing this kind of grief I can't put any price on what can go terribly wrong so we will be installing these bands on our RV ASAP for piece of mind. I pray no one ever has this happened to them.

 

[jvf3877]

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.

Dennis,
I'm getting them on our RV ASAP. We just lost close friends in front tire blow out. Not to scare anyone else but google Molander family rv accident that happened about a month ago in PA on RT 81. We still can't believe it and will be grieving for a long time.

 

[Neal]

Neal, Not to scare anyone but with sadness and great loss, we just lost close friends from a RV tire blow out. Google Molander family rv accident that happened about a month ago on RT 81 in PA. Whole family died including other truck driver when their RV had a blow out and lost control. For me experiencing this kind of grief I can't put any price on what can go terribly wrong so we will be installing these bands on our RV ASAP for piece of mind. I pray no one ever has this happened to them.

I'm very sorry for your loss. For this thread and my other thread let me be clear. We all want protection from a tire blowout and if Rettrobands are that answer, my point is that it should be more available and cost effective so that MORE LIVES CAN BE SAVED. If a vendor is making them difficult to get, both in service providers and cost, then that is a shame. I know some say they put no price tag on this, yeah, I get it. But if you have something that can save lives, then save more lives. Go to bed at night feeling good for what you've done for the community and lives you can potentially save.

If one is maintaining exclusivity to maximize profits and line pockets, well, that's their choice. I compared this to Centramatics in that you can get Centramatics at any truck facility across the nation such as T/A, etc. Why can't I get Rettrobands at these facilities? Don't give me some complex install solution, I don't think that's it. As with anything, clear documentation, torque values, etc. is all that should be needed. Maybe I'm wrong...but I want more people to have the opportunity to have their lives saved by affordable options. I've also stated for years in my 6 years of RVing that I see companies preying on the retired, their retirement accounts.

 

[jvf3877]

Thanks and understand your point. Yea, I wish they were less in cost. Maybe someday they come standard on all RV's

 

[bowpulpit]

I get they are expensive but I take issue with your premise that they aren’t available and NIRVC is lining their pockets with profit and abusing the market.
First…. It’s like anything else new in this world..,,new devices are expensive. As the market grows the price will come down. If you dont believe this premise how much did the first cells phone cost?? Thousands of dollars right. Now you can get them for free.
Second….I won’t disclose but I happen to know that the profit on these are not big as youall probably like to think.
Third…..I have 275/70 22.5 tires and my cost was $3700 plus tax. I have a friend with a DS and his tire size is 305’s I think and he said his cost was about $5000. Again if this expenditure helps me keep my rig under control after a steer tire blow out and my family and I walk away alive I’d pay this any day of the week.
Fourth….where did this notion that Retrobands V2 aren’t in stock and not readily available come from? That’s simply not true.
Fifth….Retroband has a Lifetime Warranty. If you have to remove a steer tire any shop can take them off when they remove your tire. They will not put Rettroband back on with the new tire. Only NIRVC can do that. And when you go go to NIRVC they will install a brand new Rettroband.
In conclusion it’s each to his own. I’m a fan (btw I’m not an employee or associated in any way with NIRVC) and believe the money I spent is minuscule to that of my family’s safety.
Steve

 

[Jim]

Retroband has a Lifetime Warranty. If you have to remove a steer tire any shop can take them off when they remove your tire. They will not put Rettroband back on with the new tire. Only NIRVC can do that. And when you go go to NIRVC they will install a brand new Rettroband.

Am I to understand that ONLY NIRVC can put the Rettroband back on?

 

[bowpulpit]

Am I to understand that ONLY NIRVC can put the Rettroband back on?

My understanding is yes

 

[Jim]

My understanding is yes

Doesn't take long to see the benefit to NIRVC on that deal.

 

[Richpatty]

Doesn't take long to see the benefit to NIRVC on that deal.

In their defense, if they are going to back these up (such as warranty), they would probably prefer to install them themselves to ensure they are installed correctly. I also wonder if NIRVC has some liability with these devices…. So they may want to cover themselves.

 

[Jim]

In their defense, if they are going to back these up (such as warranty), they would probably prefer to install them themselves to ensure they are installed correctly. I also wonder if NIRVC has some liability with these devices…. So they may want to cover themselves.

So how does that work? I get a discount price through FMC and have my tires installed. Then I go to NIRVC and have them take the tires back off, mount the devise, and remount my tires. Pretty sure they're not going to do that for nothing.

See Rich, the problem here is that I've already taken it in the rear from the wonderful owner of NIRVC. (Story to be broadcast soon) so I have -0- belief that NIRVC has my best interests in mind.