Maintaining RV Tires: Best Practices and Safety Precautions

Even with the most powerful RV engine or top-notch specifications, poor-quality RV tires can make driving your home on wheels a not-so-enjoyable activity. Luxury aside, driving an RV with the wrong tire specification or sub-par quality can put your life at risk. You risk blowouts, loss of control, and potentially dangerous situations, especially when driving through new and unpredictable terrains and weather conditions. That said, taking a keen interest in your RV tires shouldn't be an afterthought—it should be at the top of your list every time you want to hit the road for an adventure.

This guide will explore RV tires in-depth, from choosing the best RV tires for your specific motorhome to RV tire maintenance and replacing your RV tires. Let's dive in!

Types of RV Tires

Understanding the different types of RV tires is the first and most important step to ensuring a comfortable and safe trip on your next adventure. Different tires serve different RV class types (A, B, or C) and gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR). Additionally, RV tires are worlds apart from standard car or SUV tires, so a deep understanding of the tires your RV needs is essential.

Special Trailer (ST) Tires

As the name suggests, special trailer tires are for use on travel trailers, pop-up campers, and fifth wheels. Their design handles the added weight of these towable RVs and the rigors attached to the trailer's axle. Additionally, this design allows you to easily pull your trailer by providing a smooth, low-resistance ride and decreasing the chances of sway.

Radial Tires vs. Bias Tires

Under the ST tire types exist two primary sub-types of trailer tires—radial and bias-ply tires. The main difference between these two tires is in their engineering. Whether you need radial or bias-ply tires depends on your trailer's applications, alongside other factors like speed, fuel consumption, load-carrying capacity, and comfort.

Radial tires have steel belts that run at a 90-degree angle to the tread. This gives them several advantages, including:

Smoother Ride: The flexible sidewalls of radial tires absorb road shocks better, thus providing a more comfortable ride.
Longer Tread Life: Radial tires generally last longer due to their construction.
Better Fuel Efficiency: The reduced rolling resistance of radial tires improves fuel economy, which is a significant advantage on long trips.

On the other hand, bias-ply tires feature nylon belts that run at a 30 to 45-degree angle to the tread. They have stiffer sidewalls, which makes them less susceptible to damage from debris and rough terrains. These tires' advantages include:

Durability: Their sidewalls make them tougher and more puncture-resistant, thus ideal for off-road adventures.
Lower Initial Cost: If you're on a budget, these tires tend to be cheaper than radial tires.

Light Truck Tires

Light truck tires are best for RVs, especially those built on truck chassis—Class A, B, and C. This is because these tires offer the durability needed for carrying heavy loads and can handle a variety of road conditions, including off-road terrains. Nonetheless, their heavier-duty build and thicker sidewalls contribute to a stiffer ride than passenger car tires.

Load and Speed Ratings

Load and speed ratings are equally important when choosing tires for your RV. The load rating or load index refers to the maximum weight an RV tire can hold. On the other hand, the speed rating indicates the highest speed an RV tire can sustain while carrying its maximum load capacity. You can find these two ratings on the tire's sidewall.

RV Tire Costs

Another factor you should consider when purchasing RV tires is the cost. While there are several factors that influence how much RV tires cost, the average cost ranges between $250 and $300. Trailer tires are a bit cheaper than RV because they range between $100 and $200.

It's worth noting that the type of RV or trailer you have also affects how much tires cost. For instance, costs for Class A, B, and C RVs vary, with Class A being more expensive than the rest. The cost of tires also depends on the brand you choose. For instance, you should expect tires from big industry brands like Cooper, Firestone, Michelin, and Power King to be more expensive than some smaller brands.

RV Tire Maintenance

Regular RV tire maintenance increases your tires' longevity and reduces the chances of incidents like blowouts and related incidents. There are several maintenance procedures and best practices you can follow to maintain your RV tires.

Inspecting Tires

Regularly inspect your RV tires, particularly before, during, and after a trip on the road. When inspecting your tires, you should check for:

Tire Pressure: Under-inflated tires can overheat and fail, while over-inflated tires can lead to uneven wear and reduced traction. Therefore, maintaining tire pressure is crucial for safety and tire longevity. If your RV has no tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) installed, you may need a tire pressure gauge to maintain the recommended pressure on the owner's manual.
Tread Depth: Maintaining a tread depth above 4/32 is recommended by most experts. Use a tread depth gauge to check if the tread depth is optimal. If you don't have a gauge, you can perform the penny test by inserting a penny into the tread with Lincoln's head facing down. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace the tire.
Signs of Wear and Tear: You can also tell if your RV tires are in good shape by visually examining them. Several things can indicate RV wear, including tire sidewalls and tread cracking, bald spots, bulges, and cupping.

Tire Rotation Schedules

Rotating your tires is another best practice you should implement to maintain your RV tires. It ensures even wear across all your tires, especially if your RV has different front and rear axle load distributions.

This best practice works together with tire inspection for tread depth. If you notice different tread depths in the front and back wheels, it might be time to rotate them. Experts recommend rotating your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, but this will depend on other factors, such as your travel habits and the tire type.

Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment also maintains equal wear and tear across all your RV tires. There will usually be signs your RV tires need realignment, including:

Wear more on one side than the other
Your RV drifts or pulls to one side when driving on a straight and flat road
A vibrating steering wheel, especially at high speeds
Lower fuel efficiency over time due to increased rolling resistance

If you notice any of these signs, an RV tire shop or mechanic can help fix this problem.

Preventing Blowouts

Blowouts are among the most dangerous situations you can encounter on the road. They occur for several reasons, including underinflation, overloading, low-quality tires, or punctures. The good news is that with proper preparation and knowledge, you can reduce the chances of this happening to your RV tires:

Change your RV tires every five to seven years, even if they don't appear worn out.
Monitor your tire temperature and pressure during long trips, especially in hot weather.
Stay within your RV's weight limits to prevent overloading.

Even with proper care and maintenance, blowouts may happen while you're on the road. When this happens, keep calm and avoid panicking. Your first instinct may be to slam on the brakes, but doing this may cause your RV to run off the road and roll. Instead, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel. Ease off the accelerator to let the RV slow down gradually. Once the speed reduces, carefully pull over the side of the road.

Tire Replacement

Generally, you should change all your RV tires after five to seven years of driving, even if they have plenty of tread left. Rubber degrades over time, and old tires can increase the risk of blowouts.

That said, the first thing you should do after buying an RV is locate the manufacturer date code on the RV tire. You can find this on the sidewalls of the tires after the "DOT" code. The last four digits tell you the week and year the tires were manufactured. If, the code is 2021, the manufacturing date of your tires will be the 20th week of the year 2021. In this case, the next time you replace your RV tires can be in 2026.

In some cases, you may have to replace your tires early. Cracks, bulges, tread wear, and blisters can warrant tire replacement immediately, so it's important to inspect your tires on a regular basis.

How To Change RV Tires

If you find yourself in a situation where you may need to change your tire yourself, the most important thing to do is to stay calm and focus. While it might seem challenging, especially due to the RV's size and weight, it is possible. First and foremost, you need several tools:

A spare RV tire
A hydraulic jack with enough capacity to lift your RV
A wrench that fits your lug nuts
Wheel chocks to prevent your RV from rolling while you change the tire
Safety cones or triangles to alert other drivers of your presence

Next, follow the steps below to change your RV tire:

Use the wheel chocks to secure all the wheels except the one you're changing.
Position the jack under the appropriate jacking point (refer to your owner's manual).
Before lifting the RV, slightly loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire using the lung wrench.
Use the jack to lift the RV until the flat tire is off the ground.
Finish loosening the lug nuts and remove the tire.
Place the spare tire on the wheel studs and hand-tighten the lug nuts.
Carefully lower the RV back to the ground using the jack.
Once the RV is on the ground, fully tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern.
Check if the new (spare) tire has enough pressure with a tire gauge, and if necessary, inflate it to the recommended PSI level.

How To Properly Store Spare RV Tires

Many new RVs don't come with a spare tire. For those that do, the most common place you can find them stored is under the chassis. Spare RV tires may be cumbersome to replace, but they're lifesavers if you can't access roadside assistance.

RV spare tire covers can be especially helpful when storing an extra tire. They reduce tire wear by protecting it from weather elements like the sun, rain, and snow, which cause the rubber to age and deteriorate.

RV tire covers aren't just useful for protecting your spare tires. When not using your RV, you can cover all the tires to prevent them from aging.

Protect Yourself From Incidents Related to RV Tires

Even with the best RV tire maintenance and precautionary practices, tire-related incidents may occur. If and when they do, you must be adequately prepared lest you incur expensive tire replacement costs. At America's RV Warranty, we understand that anything can happen when you're on the road. Our RV extended warranty coverage provides roadside assistance and wheel and tire coverage add-ons that help reduce the overall financial impact when your RV breaks down.

Get a free quote today for more information.

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