Rettroband redesign/recall

[C310]

Originally Posted by BrettDavis

Gene, you are absolutely correct. Rettroband Version 2.0 is black.

Version 1.0 was made of a polyurethane composite, and was yellow in color. Rob used the polyurethane composite, because it performed better under compression, which is exactly what happens during a blowout. It was also what Rob had used for years in military vehicles. Unfortunately, while great under compression, polyurethane doesn’t stretch, which is what led to a redesign, and Version 2.0. For a detailed description of our problem with Version 1.0, the solution/redesign, and what we’re doing to make it right with all our Version 1.0 customers, please read my email to all Rettroband owners back in July of 2020, which coincidently was also posted by Gene. Thank you Gene, your post from a year ago has come in very handy today my friend.




In the redesign of our Version 2.0 Rettrobands we made the following changes:

1. Version 2.0 is now made of rubber, which is why they are black. Also, rubber stretches, where the polyurethane composite didn’t. This helps reduce the affects of over tightening should a tire mechanic not follow our installation instructions. The Shore Hardness Scale rates the hardness of rubber. Rubber is classified in six categories as Extra Soft, Soft, Medium Soft, Medium Hard, Hard, and Extra Hard. The Shore D Hardness Scale measures the hardness of Medium Hard rubber to Extra Hard Rubber on a scale of 10 to 100. The classification of Extra Hard Rubber starts at 55 on the scale, and goes to a maximum of 100. The hardness of Rettroband 2.0 ranges between 80 and 84 depending on the size. For perspective a Michelin tire’s Shore D Hardness Rating is between 71 and 73. Not only is Version 2.0 (on the Extra Hard scale of 55 to 100) 61% harder than the tire, it is multiples thicker than the either the tread, or the sidewall of the tire. Yes, the tire is reinforced with steel belts, but our Version 2.0 is also reinforced with a thick stainless steel band.

2. As I just mentioned in #1 above, Version 2.0 has a stainless steel band which is almost the width of the Rettroband itself. As in Version 1.0, there are two bolts (“pins”) in each half of the Rettroband. As you turn/tighten the gearbox, the shaft threads into the pins, and pulls the two halves of the Rettroband together (please see pictures below). However, in Version 2.0 the pins not only go through the rubber of the Rettroband, they now also go through the stainless band. With this change in design the stainless steel band now acts as a torque brake to prevent, or protect against over tightening.

Attachment 337753Attachment 337754

3. For the larger tire sizes, Version 2.0 now has tabs extending out from the band itself. These tabs prevents even the possibility of the Rettroband from sliding in the wheel well from one side, or the other, when the tire is riding on the Rettroband after a blowout (please see pictures below). For smaller tire sizes there are no tabs, because the Rettroband itself fills the entire width of the wheel well.

Attachment 337755

Awe, the things we have learned from the lab! Which is precisely why we offer to replace every Rettroband with a brand new one after a blowout… installed and balanced FREE OF CHARGE! We want to receive back every Rettroband, along with its accompanying blown tire after every blowout to send to the lab for further analysis, learning, and improvements.




Gary, the price for a set of Rettroband Version 2.0 installed, and balanced on the steer axle for tire sizes 275, 295, and 315 is $3,595. For tire sizes 325, and 365 the price is $4,695 installed and balanced. We have not yet priced tire sizes below 275, but we will shortly, as we expect to be receiving shipments of the smaller sizes shortly.

Before signing off, and in the spirit of full disclosure, I was reminded of something as I reread my email in Gene’s post which I referenced above. Rob Craig, my partner in Rettroband, has spent the past 35 plus years building his armor company into the largest supplier of body, vehicle, vessel, fixed winged, and rotary aircraft armor to the Australian army, plus eight other armies around the world. Rob’s lifetime of hard work has finally paid off as he has recently sold his company to the largest publicly traded defense contractor in the United Kingdom. Rob now spends his days counting, and stacking his money, plus growing Rettroband’s production, and product offerings for not only the high end Motorhome market, but also the cab over semi-truck market. Rob is every bit as passionate about Rettroband as I am, and the opportunities which lie ahead of us in both the RVing, and truck markets.

With that, I’ll drop the mic for now, and sign off.

Finally it looks like a design I agree with. Glad you made the change in material.
Steve

[Motorhead-54]

Originally Posted by C310

Finally it looks like a design I agree with. Glad you made the change in material.
Steve

I am glad that someone else said it first. The whole idea is great but I never felt comfortable that the materials in the original design would prove to be durable enough for the task. I’ll let the new design make its way to the masses and then will eventually stand in line for my turn assuming no new “discoveries” turn up.

[palehorse89]

The old version held that King Aire up........just saying

[Motorhead-54]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

The old version held that King Aire up........just saying

There are also other threads (some which have disappeared from this forum) that speak otherwise as to the robustness of the first design…..just saying

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by Motorhead-54

There are also other threads (some which have disappeared from this forum) that speak otherwise as to the robustness of the first design…..just saying

Failure do to improper installation.........came apart inside the tire, Witch led us to were we are at today with the new design I believe...... and more engineering put into the new design.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by Motorhead-54

There are also other threads (some which have disappeared from this forum) that speak otherwise as to the robustness of the first design…..just saying

My apology in advance if I mis-understand the intent of your comment I put in bold, BUT, threads don't "disappear" here.
All of us have a limited time to edit our posts, and then they become permanent. Yes, the Admins and Mods can edit posts for content that does not pass muster with the forum rules, however there are very few, if any, threads that have been completely deleted. Some have been "moved" to a more appropriate sub-forum for the matter being discussed, but I don't believe there is anything nefarious going on here at iRV2.com. You may just need to expand your search area to find all of them.

[Motorhead-54]

Originally Posted by edgray

My apology in advance if I mis-understand the intent of your comment I put in bold, BUT, threads don't "disappear" here.
All of us have a limited time to edit our posts, and then they become permanent. Yes, the Admins and Mods can edit posts for content that does not pass muster with the forum rules, however there are very few, if any, threads that have been completely deleted. Some have been "moved" to a more appropriate sub-forum for the matter being discussed, but I don't believe there is anything nefarious going on here at iRV2.com. You may just need to expand your search area to find all of them.

To be clear…I was addressing the “palehorse89” statement. I think I count three people in this specific 13 + page thread who had either a blowout and found the original retttroband design in many many pieces or had an issue traveling down the road that resulted in breaking the tire down and discovering the rettroband in many many pieces. One of those three originally posted an image or two of those pieces and when I went back within a day or two to look closely at the parts/pieces those images no longer existed. Perhaps the original poster of the pieces deleted those images. Or perhaps it was another thread on this forum where I saw the pieces and I have been unsuccessful in tracking it down. In hindsight, I should have downloaded those images for my own curiosity.

My personal opinion was, and still is, that there is more here than improper installation causing the failures. We only have seen info on a few that have been discussed on this forum. Certainly there are others. The new design is radically different and certainly was a huge investment by the OEM. I find it interesting that the only finding was improper installation procedures for the first revision to generate such a significant modification to that original design.

I applaud such a huge investment in time and resources to greatly improve on the concept. As I stated above, when the dust settles and folks get some seat time with the new design installed and I, as an end-user/consumer feel confident that we are past the new “discoveries” whether they be with installation or otherwise, I’ll be standing in line for my opportunity.

[CLIFFTALL]

This may be what you’re referring to. It’s on page one of this thread.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/ret...ml#post5374430

[Motorhead-54]

Originally Posted by CLIFFTALL

This may be what you’re referring to. It’s on page one of this thread.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/ret...ml#post5374430

Negative, this photo was a pile of small pieces pulled from the inside of the tire.

[CLIFFTALL]

Members have 60 minutes to delete their own posts. Our Staff here at irv2 will not remove a post in the middle of a thread after others have posted and we do not delete threads without extensive staff discussion and blatant Community Rule violations.

[Ann n Gene]

Thanks for clarifying Cliff. I have been a member for a very long time and I appreciate what you do for all of us.

[Gary.Jones]

Cliff has occasionally chewed me out for a post I made, but always with some reasonable justification. I'd believe whatever he says, without question.

I remember the picture. Seemed to me that Cruzer commented shortly after the picture. I have no idea of which thread it was in, but I seriously doubt anything nefarious.

This is the picture that I remember here :

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/ret...ml#post5374430

Gary

[Motorhead-54]

Originally Posted by Alfalfa1

The chicken or the egg. I cannot tell which failed first. Brett collected both rettrobands I had installed and sent them off to a lab. The tire was shredded and the band in 50 pcs. Brobox was picking up his new coach when I arrived. Brett wanted to make sure he was being taken care of and talked of several others that frequent this site. Truly a class act

The image I recall seeing was briefly posted about the same time as the above post went up. The above quoted post went up on 29 Aug 2020. Not sure who actually posted the photo whether it be the guy who posted the above message or someone else contributing to the discussion nor do I make any claim as to why it does not appear on the forum today. I have been closely following this product since its initial introduction and when I saw that image I distinctly recall telling myself that this guy has got a huge mess on his hands with this product.

Getting back to the response I initially made to a comment made by palehorse89…based on the hundreds if not thousands of threads I have read on this forum and elsewhere, the information that is available to the general pubic suggests the recent Newmar event that everyone has latched onto may not be the typical outcome for the initial release of this product. I look forward to seeing how the redesigned version fares in real-world extended use.

[Spk64]

Many times members will link images to an offsite location. If this offsite location changes or file is removed from there the image is no longer visible on iRV2. This is a common problem with older post. That is why we recommend uploading images to iRV2 as they are then always visible.