Making RV Tires Last

[AHarris]

I used tire covers for the 7 years I had my last RV, kept the tires properly inflated, and "Armor All" a couple times a year. Checked sidewalls on every trip for any bumps or bulges and never found any. Put probably 18K towing miles on this camper, mostly towing at either 67 or 72mph on the freeway (best towing speed for the sig truck and the trailer (25' Coleman Caravan).



Got passed like I was standing still by other truck/rv combination at these speeds because I don't think RV tires are made to travel much beyond 65mph.



Tires looked good when I traded in the Caravan a month ago with not even the slightest sign of weather checking and lots of good tread left.



Don't know were the tires were made, but I'm sure they were whatever Fleetwood got the best bulk deal on when they made the Caravans in 2003.

 

[VanOverbeke]

Lucky

Consider yourself lucky. I had some cheap tires that came on the trailer and I used tire covers and took care of them just like you did. I rotated in the spare that had been under a tire cover its whole life of two years and matched all the tire pressures to within a half pound of the max. Checked the tires and brakes with a heat gun everytime I stopped along with looking for signs of damage. 1404 miles on the tire before it lost the tread. I will be buying all new michelins next year when I get home. Not woth the chance and there was no signs of it coming. The tire was still holding 80# air when I got out to change it.

 

[Buffalo]

The big difference I noticed between the two previous posters is that the person that got good service from his RV tires lives in MICHIGAN. Th person that got lousy service life from his tires lives in Clovis, NM. , which, is a desert climate.



I live in Phoenix & change my RV tires every three years, no matter what they may look like or how much tread is on the tires. Usually, by that time, the sidewalls are starting to show slight cracking. I keep them covered & the trailer sits under a large tree. The heat & dryness down here just kill rubber products, especially, low quality trailer tires. I have never worn the tread out on a trailer tire.



Joe F.

 

[Buffalo]

Tire Date Codes

As you may already know, there is a date code stamped on the sidewall of the tires you buy. It may have a number like "3109". Those numbers indicate that the tire was manufactured in the 31st week of the year of 2009. Using this information, you can buy the "freshest" tires available & get more life out of them.



If you are buying trailer tires & they are already a year old, you can expect to get only two years of use out of them if you live in a desert climate, like I do. I'm not sure how much extra tire life you could expect when living in a northern climate.



Joe F.

 

[jelag]

We've done a couple of things... . 1 - we've switched to LT tires and accept a harsher ride than the stock trailer tires... 2 - we don't use anything to clean the tires except mild soap and water so that any harsh chemical that might be in a tire cleaner won't affect the tires... . 3 - we keep them properly inflated and we check them with an infrared gun when we travel (usually east rest stop) 4 - we cover the RV and tires when not in use...

We started this on our old 5er and have followed through on the new one... we've been lucky and to date have not had a tire issue in 4-5 years...

 

[RonD]

I have a question, when installing LT tires, does the age play as big a part as when one has ST trailer tires?, the reason I ask is I just replaced the import junk Goodyear tires with BF Goodrich T/A Commercial tires, I keep them covered and full air, I hope to be able to keep them 4-5 years and wear them out.

 

[Grizzly]

An American made LT tire can normally last up to 6 years when properly inflated and covered when not in use. Also, don't over load them. A China made ST tire may last up to 3 years, but I wouldn't count on it. The manufactures of ST tires recommend a maximum speed of not more than 60 mph. LT tires are only available in 16" or larger size. If you don't already have 16" wheels, I'd get them.



george

 

[Matt42]

There are some LT tires in 15 inch sizes, and a tiny number in 14 inch. I am running Michelin LTX tires on my travel trailer in LT215/75R15C. These are getting very hard to find, and they may have to be special-ordered. They were a standard size on certain ford Ranger 4X4s in the 1990s, so there is some limited demand. Goodrich, now a division of Groupe Michelin, makes that size in a commercial TA, without an aggressive tread. I may have to go to it next time.



I don't have room for 16 inch wheels and tires on my travel trailer without doing an axle spring-over conversion. And because of where I have to park, that is a whole `nother can of worms. I actually did the conversion, welded on the perches, and my wife said, "NO!"



Begin opinion-slash-rant section:

As others have observed, people in mild climates can get good service from junk brands of tires. Here in the desert southwest, it just ain't gonna happen. Most of the time, tires here don't wear out, they come apart. The better brands come apart gradually, with considerable grace and warning. The junk brands do it suddenly, and might just kill you while they are doing it.



I would avoid Chinese tires.



End opinion-slash-rant section. :-laf