RV Tires

RV tires, in general, tend to time out long before they wear out.  Unless you're on the road constantly, like a rock band or something, your RV is probably going to spend more time sitting than it does rolling.  I've often seen RV tires with side-wall cracks bigger than the grooves in the tread, even though the tread was still well within acceptable safety limits.

Speaking of tread wear, an easy way to determine if the tread on you tires is getting too low, is to stick a penny into one of the grooves in the tread with the top of Lincoln's head pressed down into the groove.  If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, your tire needs to be replaced.  If the top of his head is covered, you should still have some miles left on them.

Motorhomes may have specially designed tires but can mostly be fitted with matching truck tires.  Since many motorhomes are built on truck or bus chassis it makes sense that they use truck tires.

Trailers, on the other hand, usually have specially rated tires.  It is possible to substitute truck tires but they won't deliver the same performance as properly rated trailer tires.  Trailer tires are designed for towing.  They typically have stronger side walls and thicker tread in the middle to better handle heavy loads.  Using ordinary truck tires risks premature failure.

Sunlight and ozone are two factors that are very hard on tires.   Simply putting tire covers on your RV can significantly extend the life of your tires.  Keeping your RV in covered storage also helps a bunch.  I've heard that parking it under or near high voltage power lines can speed tire deterioration because of an increase in ozone generated by the power lines.  Properly cleaning and treating tires will also help prevent premature degradation.  Side-wall cracking is the result of the rubber drying out.  Clean, properly protected tires won't dry out as fast and some tire treatments may actually help replenish lost chemicals that protect the rubber.  I had one tire guy suggest using brake fluid to protect tires, but I'm afraid it would attract dust and dirt.   I saw a guy on YouTube suggest wiping them down with old motor oil, which I find to be a particularly bad idea.  Oil will damage rubber.  Commercial "tire shine" products should contain UV blockers and other substances that protect the tires without leaving a sticky residue.  I sometimes use the same SC-1 detailing spray I use on my dirt bikes on my tires to give them a nice shine and layer of protection.  When tires are in use the flexing of the rubber helps distribute the internal chemicals that keep them from drying out so taking your RV and driving it for a few miles every month when isn't in regular use will actually improve tire life.

When your RV is in extended storage the tires should be insulated from the ground.  Park on wood planks or plastic leveling blocks.  Parking on gravel or concrete is better than parking on bare dirt, but it is even better to put something between the rubber and the road.  Some folks recommend even jacking up the vehicle and taking the load off the tires.  That certainly won't hurt the tires, but it is a lot of work and, if not done properly, could create an unstable and unsafe condition.  Just driving in up on some pieces of wood is easy, inexpensive, and doesn't affect stability.

Improper inflation and poor wheel alignment are two of the worst things you can do for you tires.  Under inflated tires will wear on the edges and run hot, wearing out faster and significantly increasing the chance of a blowout.  They may also make the vehicle feel sluggish and the ride mushy.  Over inflated tires will wear in the middle and will reduce traction, often making the vehicle steering "skittish" to the point of being unsafe.  Over inflated tires will also contribute to a rough ride. A vehicle with over inflated tires will be much more susceptible to wind and to the "blow by" from passing trucks.  Proper tire inflation will also help maximize fuel economy.  Poor alignment will cause tires to wear unevenly.  Too much "toe in"will wear the outside tread of the tire.  Too little will wear the inside tread.  Another thing to watch for is proper balancing.  An unbalanced tire will develop high and low spots as it wears and you will feel the bouncing in the ride and through the steering wheel.

Really proper tire inflation is more than just inflating tires to the max pressure indicated on the sidewall.  The best way to set inflation is to weigh each corner of your RV with it fully loaded the way you use it, then look up the correct inflation in inflation tables based on the weight on each tire.  If you aren't able to use this method, check the owner's manual or the ID sticker for the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure.  If you don't have an owner's manual or ID sticker, use the pressure indicated on the sidewall as a starting point.  The pressure on the sidewall is the MAXIMUM recommended pressure.  Exceeding that pressure, even if the tire looks low, is risking a blow-out.  Sometimes inflating to the maximum sidewall pressure will over inflate the tires for the load.

Keep rollin, rollin, rollin!