Rollin' in to the RV tire talk

Woh, I can’t believe how many times I’ve seen RVs pulled over on the side of the

interstate, walls torn to ever-loving shreds by the plies of steel that blew on the road. It

hurts to see, and far and wide there’s no compensation unless you have the right

insurance policy, and either way say goodbye to your summer plans! The best remedy

is prevention, so let’s talk about it! 

TIRE TYPES & LOAD RANGE 

There are basically three types of tires most of you have: Passenger car tires, “LT” for

your Light Truck or SUV, and “ST” for your towable RV or Special Trailer. Each has a

different construction, especially in the side walls. ST trailer tires have stiffer rubber in

the sidewalls to better handle loads and corner dragging of tandem axles. However,

that means ST tires deteriorate quicker and therefore have an age limit for safety.

Yeah, you may have just learned that car tires aren’t for RVs and RV tires aren’t for

cars. Car tires can hit over 120MPH (or…so I’ve been told...), however, RV tires can’t do

that, they’re not built for it, and it’s dangerous! Not only is your fuel mileage going

through the floor, but you also risk blowing that tire and unleashing the inner steel on

your RV and the vehicles around you. Your ST tires are engineered for about 65MPH so

please… keep it near that, everything will thank you! 

Now for load range, it’s important. These ratings are measured on a letter scale, from

“A” which is a single-ply tire, all the way to “N” which boasts an incredible 24 plies! A tier

ply is an expression of the strength and capacity of the tire, the more plies the stronger

the tire, but that does come with other limitations. So, check your RV’s tire sticker and

never buy under that recommended weight rating! 

AGE  

Did you know tires can rot and still look perfectly normal? Right up to the point they “let

go”, they’ll seem like nothing is wrong, the age NEEDS to be checked, and tires

replaced when appropriate. The safest interval for ST tires is 5 years. Tires may be

expensive, but a wrecked RV is way more expensive! 

WHAT YOU CAN DO  

To stay on top of your rubber you’ll want to look at each tire about once per year.

1) Rotate your tires roughly every 5,000 miles.

2) Check the pressure of each tire. There should be a sticker on the left front side of

your RV telling you the tire type and size and tire pressure to keep them at.

Check each tire’s pressure frequently, some may have a slow leak, I suggest

checking before each trip.

3) Look at the tread for uneven wear. If you see one edge wearing more than the

other, it may indicate an alignment problem.

4) Look for cracks in the sidewalls of the tires. If any cracks catch your fingernail, it’s

time to replace it. The strength is in the sidewalls, and cracks compromise tire

strength.

5) Don’t overload your tires. Each tire has the maximum weight each will carry

safely. Look for that weight printed on the sidewall and do not exceed it.

6) Check the date code on each tire. Refer to the picture below, and if you cannot

find the date code, look on the back side of the tire, because manufacturers are

required to put that code only on ONE side of each RV tire.   

Take care of your rubber and they will take care of you, keep that rubber side down, and

we’ll see you down the road!

P.S. Here's a great picture that'll help you on your way with RV tires!