All About Your RV Tires

Posted on: 4 March 2022

Your RV should be maintained even when you aren't going to be taking it out for a while. Taking proper care of it during the off-season is the best way for you to know that it is going to be in great condition and ready to go the next time your family wants to go on a trip. One of the areas of concern you should have will be making sure the tires stay in good shape. Unfortunately, many people think the tires will stay in good shape since the RV isn't moving. However, this is not the case. You can learn more about your RV tires in this article, and learn how to recognize that it's time to replace them. 

Your RV tires should be inspected before each trip 

Even if you are looking at the RV and its tires regularly, you are going to want to pay especially close attention to the tires right before you take the RV out again. You want to look at the tread of each tire and make sure it is still in good shape. There are indicators on the tires that let you know it's time to replace them when you see the indicators are visible on any part of the tires. Check the tires to make sure there isn't anything stuck in any of them, such as a nail or a screw. Look at the valve stem to verify that it is free of cracks. You also want to look for cracks that can indicate dry rot, which you will learn more about in the next section. 

RV tires need protection from the sun

When the RV is parked out in the open, the sun will beat on the tires every day. This will eventually take its toll on the tires. They can end up becoming weak and even getting cracks running through them. Eventually, the tires can even start to shed off some outer material as the tires get dry rot under the intense heat of the sun. You can help to protect the tires by using tire covers when the RV is parked. However, you still need to keep an eye on the tires to make sure they aren't becoming damaged in any visible areas. If you notice there are cracks, areas of bulging, or other issues in any of the tires, then it's best to have them all replaced before your next trip. 

A spare tire should be purchased when you get a new set of tires

You want to know you are always traveling with a spare tire you can count on if something happens to one of the tires on the RV. When your current tires need to be replaced, it's a good idea to also get a new spare tire. 

Age can be a good indicator that the tires need to be replaced

Your tires can look great if you have the RV parked in a nice, level, and shaded area. However, the tires will still be naturally aging as the months and then years go by. A good rule of thumb is to plan on replacing your RV tires roughly between three and five years, depending on different factors, such as how often the RV is taken out, what terrain it is driven on, the weight the tires are supporting, how hot it gets where it is stored, and even the quality of the tires you have on the RV.

Share