Ultimate Guide to RV Tires 

At Beaver Coach Sales and Service, we have over 50 years of experience in the RV industry that we have put into action. We love everything that has to do with RVing. That includes teaching both future RVers and seasoned veterans of RVing. Providing all the information that you need to have enjoyable experience with whatever type of RV you own. Leading to more memories of you and your loved ones having a blast out in nature instead of stuck on the shoulder of an interstate.

This blog is a small piece of the much larger conversation of overall RV upkeep. This information is based on an episode of our podcast "The Wheel-Estate Show". Ryan Kelly (Sales Manager) and Sean Lakin (Service Manager and Certified Master RV Technician) dive into important topics of maintaining your RV. For this article we are only focusing on the subject of building the ultimate guide for RV tires. If you're interested in an educational listen between Ryan and Sean feel free to click this Link to explore more about maintaining your RV. This ultimate guide to RV tires is broken down into a few sections.

Guide to caring for your RV Tires

1. Check your RV's tire pressures regularly when traveling. Incorrect inflation can cause sidewall cracking and unusual tread deterioration. Only check your pressures when the tires are cold. Hot air expands and you will get a higher reading than normal. When in storage, keep your tires inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Preferably at a slightly higher pressure than you would use when driving. Make sure that the tire inflation is proper to either the data tag or the weight of the vehicle.  You can also consult the tire manufacturer's chart for this information.
2. Avoid storing your tires on frozen ground. This can cause the rubber can become more brittle and crack as a result. While storing you should position a barrier, like a piece of wood between the ground and the tire. If you keep your vehicle outside, make sure you cover your tires to protect them from the sun. Sustained UV exposure can cause the rubber to age prematurely. 
3. Avoid using tire dressings that make your tires look shiny, unless recommended by the manufacturer. Only use soap and water to clean your camper's tires, and never use a solvent. Only clean your tires occasionally though, as overdoing it shorten their lifespan.
4. If your tires get any oil on them, which will most likely be engine oil. Either from the road or through accidental spillage. Clean them as soon as possible with soap and water. Oil can potentially react with the rubber causing its chemical structure to weaken.
5. Be sure to unload your motorhome before any prolonged inactivity to keep as little amount of weight as possible on the tire.

Understanding the Life of an RV tire

1. Starting off we need to talk about the overall life of an RV tire. An important thing to understand is that no matter the amount of driving done on any tire. They all have a life of about 6 years. This is due to the tires beginning to breakdown from the moment they are put onto your coach. It's possible for your tires to have serious issues if they are not routinely replaced ever 6 years. So whether or not you've driven 100,000 miles or 0 miles. After 6 years of a tire being on your coach we highly recommend for it to be replaced.
2. Tire rotation is a simple topic. Essentially every 2 to 3 oil changes at most, you will want to get your tires rotated. This will help all the tires wear evenly so you can get the most longevity out of them. The top the things that you can do looking at the tire condition are as follows. Checking the wear pattern on the tire. Look at the sidewalls of the tire & make sure that there's no big cracks or big chunks of tire missing. This means making sure that the wear pattern on the tire is even. Followed by making sure that the tire inflation is proper to either the data tag or the weight of the vehicle.  You can also consult the tire manufacturer's chart for this information.

Managing Blowouts

1. You've probably seen tire blowouts happen. What happens when a tire blows on the the rear axle? Even if you didn't hear it blow, the odds are good if the tires stay together. The only time you'll notice performance issues of a rear axle blowout is when you go into a corner you feel it drifting a little bit. That's a good indicator that you've got a low tire or damaged tire on the rear axle. The front axle is a bit different. If you lose a front tire you're definitely going to experience control issues. It's going to be hard to maintain the vehicle on the road. The best thing to do is not to panic and pick a good line to get out of traffic. Don't approach a steep shoulder at a hard angle. Try to keep the vehicle steady, slow it down proportionally, and brake cautiously. 

2. There are some products that help with managing blowouts. Firstly, are steering stabilizing assist systems that will help you steer if a tire blows. The front tire won't have the jerking effect on the wheel. Moving the wheel out of your hands. Pulling you into the shoulder or pulling you into the center line. Safe T & Steer Safe are two popular stabilizing systems to consider. There's also product called tyron that actually goes in and fills the gap in the rim. This is mounted the rim so that if a tire does blow and loses its cap, or the tread portion the tire can't get off the rim. Whatever is left of that tire stays with the rim making the unit a little bit more controllable. Allowing you to get out of traffic and onto the shoulder of the road without having drastic pulls in either direction. 

Beaver Coach has your back

In conclusion, what you're after is making sure that if you're going to put your coach out on the road you know the tires are in good condition. Again, this blog is a small piece of the much larger conversation of overall RV upkeep. We believe that at least once a year. It’s a good idea for any RV owner to give their coach a little TLC. Not only will this improve the longevity of your RV, but it'll also be a safer and more enjoyable ride for you and your loved ones. Beaver Coach Sales and Services is here to help all RVers every step of the way! Our service team with multiple certified master RV technicians are here to help you with all your questions and service requests. So give us a call and let us assist you in creating more memories with your RV!