SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            ------------------------
                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                             -----------------------

                Date of Report
                (Date of earliest
                event reported):      February 18, 1999

                              Bandag, Incorporated
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Iowa                     001-07007                   42-0802143
  --------------------       ---------------------        --------------------
    (State or other             (Commission File              (IRS Employer
    jurisdiction of                 Number)                Identification No.)
     incorporation)

                  2905 North Highway 61, Muscatine, Iowa 52761
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
           (Address of principal executive offices including zip code)



                                 (319) 262-1400
                       ----------------------------------
                         (Registrant's telephone number)


                               Page 1 of 3 pages



Item 5.  Other Events.

(a)    Registrant is filing (i) unaudited condensed  consolidated balance sheets
       for the  years  ended  December  31,  1998 and 1997,  respectively,  (ii)
       unaudited condensed consolidated statements of earnings for the three and
       twelve month periods ended December 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively,  and
       (iii) unaudited condensed  consolidated  statements of cash flows for the
       twelve  months  ended  December  31,  1998 and  1997,  respectively.  The
       financial  statements  filed as an exhibit to this report are  unaudited,
       contain no notes and are subject to such  changes as may be  incorporated
       into the audited  financial  statements of Registrant to be filed as part
       of  Registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the  fiscal  year ended
       December 31, 1998. 


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.  

(a)    None.

(b)    None.

(c)    See Exhibit Index on page 3.

       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly caused this Current  Report on Form 8-K to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                    BANDAG, INCORPORATED


                                    By:  /s/ Warren W. Heidbreder
                                         Warren W. Heidbreder, Vice President,
                                         Chief Financial Officer

                               Page 2 of 3 pages



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number                       Exhibit Description

                                                                                
                                                                                
99.1                Condensed  consolidated  balance sheets  (unaudited) for the
                    years  ended  December  31,  1998  and  1997,  respectively;
                    condensed  consolidated  statements of earnings  (unaudited)
                    for the three and twelve months  periods ended  December 31,
                    1998 and  1997,  respectively;  and  condensed  consolidated
                    statements of cash flows  (unaudited)  for the twelve months
                    periods ended December 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively.