I didn't even get a kiss

[DarrellB]

Had to put some new tires on the camper this week. The old ones were getting pretty scary with dry-rot. I just thought that the tires are awfully damn expensive for a trailer tire. I paid $59 apeace for the tires, that's over $200 for trailer tires.



Well now I nead to know if you guys have any tips on keeping the tires from dry rotting?



Do the little white canvas wheel covers help or are they just for looks?



Is there some type of spray or something to use on the tires?



Any hints would be very helpful, I don't want to have to spend that kind of money on trailer tires anytime soon.



Almost for got: The new tires are Carislies or something like that. I hope they will last a good while.



Thanks

Big D

 

[rrausch]

I think what you are calling 'dry rot' is actually cracking from UV degradation. Might be wrong, as I haven't seen your tires, but I've seen a lot of UV damaged tires and it looks like what you might be describing.



I cover the tires on my Ferd farm truck (which sits 11 1/2 months idle) so the sun can't get to them. I have also sprayed them with silicone, just to be safe.

Black rubber likes silicone.

 

[The Sequel]

Cover them and also put your jacks down just enough to take the bulge out of the tires. Too much time with the weight on them without rolling can cause problems.

 

[Dkevdog]

Keeping them covered does make a difference. What you described is damage from the sun- and it can happen in a relatively short period of time. It's also a good idea to get a bit of the wieght ioff with the jacks as was said.



Kev

 

[DarrellB]

Yep that's it

Thanks guys, I'll try those things and see what happens. I think the tires were the originals that came on the camper, and it's an 82 model. I'm not going to have the camper much longer but I think it will help when I go to sell if it has good tires. I bought it 3 years ago to see if I would like RV camping and guess what, I do. So this winter I'm going to start looking at getting something newer and a little bigger.



Thanks again

Big D

 

[Fuzz]

Some more

At the Recreational Vehicle Safety Education Foundation(RVSEF)seminar I attended they discussed tires in depth. Here was some of the highlights re,age on RV tires... Read the dates. . they are stamped on the tires. . they said that even new RV's had old (not used) tires on them.

They could not get any manufacter to state when the tires would

go bad in storage. But from their research. . RV tires last from 5 to 7 years. Mostly from Ozone,so they contend the tire coating and covers will not make them last any longer as the Ozone still gets them. The protectants(303,silicone,etc) make them look better but will not lengthen the life.

The compound put in tires to make them last longer re,ozone,sunlight etc

is activated by the flexing of the tire. So in long term storage no flexing.

They also said if park on blocks,to be sure they are wide enough to support all the tread.

Parking on concrete or blacktop will "suck" the protectant in the tires out faster than dirt. They recommend parking on placemats,cheap plastic ones. I got mine at Wal-Mart for a quarter apiece.

If want to know how to read the date of manufacture on the tire

let me know,I will quote from their book.

http://www.rvsafety.org

I can't argue with anyone over this,just passing it along. FWIW

Fuzz

 

[TPCDrafting]

build a barn, put it in there. It saves the whole vehicle from the effects of sun/weather. Build the barn bigger than your rig so you can upgrade to a bigger one.

 

[DarrellB]

Got one of those too

Got a 56'x32 pole barn but it I put my camper in it then I would have to put the Deere outside and that ain't happnen.



Big D

 

[TPCDrafting]

priorities

Deere tires are more $$ than trailer tires, you have it right.