RV Tire Care Tips
- KC SHURBET
- Aug 7, 2018
- 3 min read
Hello Campers!
Tire care is an important factor of keeping your rig in tip top shape, before you head off on a RV trip it is important to go through a pre-trip checklist to make sure your rig is in tip top shape. Tires are a major part in a pre-trip checklist, at first glance your tires may appear to be in good condition but we are going to give you some tire care tips to make sure your tires are always in the best possible condition so they don't hold you back from your RV adventure!
Tire Tread:
As stated above, when you take a glance at your tires your tread may appear to be in good condition, make sure to check the treat wear on each tire by running your hand over the tread to see if it is thinner or thicker on one side of the tire which can cause improper weight distribution or alignment issues. The RMA (Rubber Manufacturing Association) highly suggests any vehicle over 10,000 pounds should have at least 4/32” of tread. Vehicles under 10,000 pounds should have 2/32” of tread, Checking your tires periodically and proper tire care will help detect any issues before they are a big problem.
The Quarter/Penny Test:
An easy way to check your tire thread depth is with coins, you can use a penny or a quarter in this test, using a quarter, enter it into the tread groove, If the tread touches Washington's head, you have at least 4/32 inch of tread remaining, anything below that it is recommended to get your tires replaced.
If you are using a penny, Simply insert it into your tire's tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you, If you can see all of Lincoln's head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inch and it's time to replace your tires.
Tire Pressure:
Running a tire in under pressure and over pressure conditions can cause uneven tread wear and could even cause a blow out. The maximum pressure allowed for a tire is labeled on the side wall of the tire itself. That's the maximum pressure when the tire is COLD. It is okay for it to be over that by as much as 10 PSI if tire pressure is checked while hot. The right tire pressure is determined by the weight carried by each tire on the RV and the pressure recommend by the tire manufacture for that weight.
Running a tire in an over pressure condition will cause uneven tread wear and may damage the construction of the tire enough to cause a blowout. Make sure to keep in mind that a tire can loose as much 1 PSI per month and as little as 5 PSI can make a difference in the load carrying capacity of a tire. We recommend checking your tire pressure at least once a month and especially before heading out on your RV Trip.
Check The Age of Your Tires:
Tire manufactures recommend replacing tires when they are between 5 to 10 years old depending on weather, storage conditions, speed, and maintenance. You can determine the age of your RV tires by taking a look at the last 4 digits on the serial number labeled on the side wall of the tire. The first two of the four numbers is the week of the year & the last two digits are the year the tire was manufactured. For example the number 0106 would indicate the tire was manufactured in the first week of 2006. So if you have purchased an older RV, make sure to check the date on the tires, if they are over between 5-7 years old, it is a good rule of thumb to get them replaced.
Cleaning Your Tires:
Road oil, dirt and grime can cause your RV Tires to deteriorate over time, so keeping your tires clean is extremely important, we recommend using a soft brush and mild soap to clean your tires, especially before storing your rig. Direct sunlight can also harm your tires by drying them out, so if you are going to be storing your rig or parking it in sunlight for an extended amount of time, we highly recommend covering your tires.
We have a variety of Tire Covers that can be found here:
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