RVRC GOLD: All About Tires

Learn all about your RV’s tires including information on their appearance, proper care, maintenance, and more in the first ever RVRC Gold live event.

THIS EVENT IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR RVRC GOLD MEMBERS

In order to view the live class, be sure to visit this page while logged in to your GOLD member account.

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34 Responses to “RVRC GOLD: All About Tires”

  1. Larry Lheureux

    What is the best overall tire for motor home ?
    We live in Florida and plan to travel out west this spring throughout the summer. Thanks in advance for the advice.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi Larry,

      Here is what our expert had to say:
      I’m a fan of the Michelin XPS and the Boto BT926 series. Both of these are well made tires and offer a great smooth ride. Some of the Goodyears aren’t bad either but in my experience the Michelin’s hold up a little better and offer a smoother ride. The Boto tires are a nice choice too. Very solid and will last a long time. I recommend either one of these for long distance traveling.
      Sincerely, Dan RV Repair Club Technical Expert

      If other questions come up let us know!
      Sincerely,
      Codi
      RV Repair Club Video Membership

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Dear Jose,

      Thank you for your patience. In regards to your question-

      Many different tires have been used over the years and many made over seas. I have seen a huge increase with manufactures making a change and using Goodyear Endurance tires. They seem to hold up very well and I see more and more people switching their old tire brand to these. Most top brands make RV tires but I know from experience that these hold up well and are being widely used. I hope this helps!

      Sincerely,
      Dan RV Repair Club Technical Expert
      RV Repair Club Video Membership

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello,

      Please provide the year and model of your RV and we can look further into your question for you.

      Thanks,

      Becky
      RV Repair Club Video Membership

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello,

      To provide more specific information on what tires are the right fit for your rig, we need the make, model, and year of your RV. It is critical you purchase the correct tire designed for your rig such as ST tires for trailers, and RV tires for motorhomes as well as the weight rating, and tire size.

      Thanks,

      David
      RV Repair Club Video Membership

      Reply
  2. Ed

    I just installed a TPMS system on my RV. I’ve noticed on days when the tires are around 40 degrees and the cold pressure is set according to the recommended number, the pressure can rise as much as 8 degrees when warmed up on the road. Is this normal?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Ed,

      Yes, this is normal, you should always check the pressure “cold” which means before you hit the road. As you drive and the ambient outside temperature increases, the inside tire pressure will also increase. I would assume you meant the tire pressure increased 8 psi as rather than degrees? It can increase a lot more degrees as the temperature rises!

      Thanks,
      David RV Repair Club Video Membership

      Reply
  3. Tim

    Should tires be inflated to a higher PSI when stored on a concrete driveway outside in snow for3 months?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Tim,

      No, tires should be inflated to the proper PSI according to the weight on the tire. The only way you can verify proper inflation is to weigh the coach or truck at a cat scale and go to http://www.rvsafety.com and find the tire brand, size, single or dual application, and the weight.

      Use that psi for all applications including storage.

      Thanks,
      David
      RV Repair Club Video Membership

      Reply
  4. David

    We are storing our 5th Wheel in our driveway and have winterized it. Should we periodically move it so the tires are not in the same position all winter?

    Reply
  5. David

    We are storing our RV in our driveway and have winterized it. Is there a time limit on the tires for it to just sit there. If so, should we take it out to just drive it around and get off of the current tire spots?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello David,

      For years, tire manufacturers recommended getting the majority of weight off the tires when storing for more than a month at a time. However, with today’s technology in tire design, they say it is ok to let them just sit naturally, however if you are storing the unit on blacktop or some type of treated concrete in your driveway they recommend putting a plastic barrier between the tire and the surface so no chemicals can leach into the rubber.

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Carol,

      There is not standard time frame for fiberglass sidewalls to fade or blister as it all depends on the amount of exposure to the sun and exterior elements and how you take care of the material. It also depends on how you store the rig when not using, if you put it inside a building or use a cover. Filon is the leading manufacturer of the fiberglass used for the sidewall and they recommend cleaning and waxing every 6 months which I feel is a little overkill? They recommend McGuire’s cleaner and wax with UV protection. Attached is their fiberglass manual. If you take care of the material and don’t allow it to sit in the sun often, you will get many years of good looking product.

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply
  6. john fulop

    i need to know how to get at the hoses to the water tank and how to drain it in the winter, also the 12 volt and 110 wiring diagrams thanks john fulop

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello John,

      To provide more specific information on the location of the hoses and diagrams we need the make, model, and year of your RV. Winnebago has diagrams available online, however other makes and models will be very difficult to get an actual set of diagrams!

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply
  7. John

    My DX3 is built on a Freightliner Class-7 HDT and, has standard HDT truck tires (Michelin 275/80 T22.5 XZE2 LR-H 16 ply). When I finally need to replace them, truck tires should run ~ $100 LESS per tire than comparably sized RV tires. The ride GREAT!

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello William,

      I have been impressed with Go Power product and support. Go to http://www.gpelectric.com/
      They have permanent mount as well as portables and even a new flat panel model. They also have a great info page with size calculator.

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply
  8. harold

    Our 5th wheel is 41 ¹/² feet, very heavy. Our tow vehicle is a 2002 Chevy Silverado 2500 diesel.. What are the best tires for both of them. We travel across the country for our job, looking to get the best so we don’t have to worry about now outs.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Harold,

      Keystone is using the Rainer Brand tire with a G load rating. I would also recommend Goodyear Marathon. As for the truck tire, It’s personal preference, however I have a 2016 gas with Goodyear Wranglers and my fleet vehicles are 2016 Silverado 2500 diesel and came with Goodyear Wranglers but we have used Firestone on others with good success.

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Tim,

      Most of the tire manufacturers do not recommend using any of the tire shine products, rather just cleaning with a mild detergent such as Dawn Dish Soap (blue) and condition them with 303 Protection or ProtectAll Conditioner, both of which have UV protection for rubber but do not actually make the tire “shine”.

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply
  9. Randy

    best tires for this beast, and the best value (everyones question) i believe they are 22 1/2

    Reply
    • AC

      I have a 2005 Fleetwood Providence, and I purchased Honkook tires for my motorhome , they are great tires ride excellent, handle very well and are less expensive than the well known brands.

      Reply
  10. LARY

    What are the best grades of tires should I look at and are the standard tires that came on it good and if so how long under normal condition at 9 K per year covered when not in use and properily inlated shoud they last ?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Lary,

      To provide more specific information on your tires longevity and quality we need a little more information on the type of RV you have, the weight, and the type of tire. How long they will last is the $$$Million question when it comes to RV tires, but an understanding of proper care and inflation will make them last a lot longer. There are several factors that can cause tire failure or loss of pressure.
      To find the proper tire inflation you need to weigh the rig with all your belongings, water, food, LP, and people that will be traveling in the unit. Visit a CAT Scale at any Flying J or Pilot Truck Stop and place the front wheel on the first pad, the back wheels on the second pad, and if you are towing a car, put that on the third pad. Find the weight on the individual axles and do the math for weight on individual tires. The best method is to have the rig weighed by individual wheel position as it is common for larger units to weigh more on one side than the other due to large slides, residential refrigerators, corian, generators, and huge compartments with all our “stuff”! This can only be done with portable scales and is getting harder to do as RV Safety and Education Foundation is about the only ones providing the service. Check out their weighing schedule here: http://www.rvsafety.com In the mean time, get the weights from a CAT Scale and then visit http://www.rvsafety.com and go to the tire inflation charts for your tire model. Find the make and model, dual or single application, and the weight and it will give you the proper inflation. This is the ONLY way to get proper inflation.
      Covering the tires is also a great idea as exposure to the elements will cause weather checking and premature tire failure. Alignment can also cause uneven tread wear in a motorized or even a trailer. A bent axle in a trailer will cause one side to wear faster and if it’s the inside tread, it’s not very visible. Check the tread and pressure of your RV every time you hit the road. In the case of a travel trailer or fifth wheel, auxiliary brakes set to high can cause the tire to lock up when braking and create “flat spots” in the tread pattern.
      As you can see, there are several factors that can cause premature tire failure and things you can do to reduce them. Most original tires that come with a new rig are designed to handle the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle, however make sure they are actually the original tires from the factory! Again, not knowing what rig you have and if it was purchased new we can not verify what tire is on the rig now. One thing you can check is to make sure the tire is designed for your rig which you can verify by the tire markings. ST is for standard trailer, LT is for light truck, when it comes to motorized I would stick to the brands that have a tire specific to the RV such as Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, and others. They typically have an RV stamped in the model or somewhere on the tire.

      Thanks,
      David RVRC Video Membership

      Reply