Your RV tires are one of the most important things on your rig. Without them you can’t go anywhere, and if you neglect them you’re setting yourself up for a terrible accident. Fortunately it’s easy enough to stay on top of this aspect of RV maintenance.
Here’s everything you need to know about motorhome tires and trailer tires.
RV Tire Options
The first thing we need to discuss are the different options you have when it comes to RV tires. Below are the factors you’ll want to consider as you do your trailer or motorhome tire shopping.
Motorhome Tires vs Trailer Tires
It’s important to realize that motorhome tires and trailer tires are two totally different things. Motorhome tires are made to carry the extremely heavy loads that come along with a motorhome. Meanwhile, trailer tires are less heavy-duty and less expensive, with the option of either radial (more durable) or bias-ply (less expensive).
Tire Size
Tire size is another thing to consider. You’ll need to match the tires that came on your RV from the factory, or look in your owner’s manual to determine what size you need.
Make sure you know and match the following:
- Width
- Aspect ratio
- Construction
- Diameter
Load Rating
The load rating of a tire tells you how much weight it can handle, and is found on the sidewall of the tire. It’s important that the tires you choose can handle the weight of your RV when it is fully loaded. Make sure you have this info before going into tire shopping.
Speed Rating
The speed rating can also be found on the sidewall of the tire. This one lets you know how much speed the tires can handle while under their max load capacity. Be sure you look for this rating, as it is incredibly important for obvious safety reasons.
Tread Type
Lastly, you’ll want to think about the kind of tread you want on your tires:
- All-Season Tread — These tires will perform well in dry weather, rain, and even light snow.
- Highway Tread — Highway tires are ideal for those who travel long distances on the highway in good weather.
- Off-Road Tread — These tires are ideal for those who spend the majority of their time driving through mud, dirt, and gravel. Some hardcore boondockers might want off-road tires.
Top Motorhome Tire Brands
Now that you have an idea of how much RV tires cost, let’s discuss which tires you should be looking for.
We already mentioned that weight rating, date of manufacture, and tire ply are important. We also said that you should be looking for high quality tires made by a reputable company—but which companies are considered “reputable”?
We find that the following tire manufacturers put out good quality products that serve RVers well:
By purchasing one of these brands, you can rest easy knowing your rig is in good hands while traveling down the road.
How to Maintain Your RV Tires
You can put the best tires in the world on your RV, but it’s no good unless you take care of them. Luckily, taking care of RV tires is a cinch. Here are the things you can do to keep your trailer or motorhome tires in tip-top shape.
Watching for Wear
First, you will need to keep a close eye on your RV tires, watching for unusual wear and other issues. Before every single trip, walk around your RV and carefully inspect the tires. Look for bubbling, cracking, excessive wear, and uneven worn spots. If you find any of these things, you will need to get the trailer or motorhome tires replaced before you head out on your trip.
Additionally, in the case of excessive or uneven wear, you will want to get the motorhome or trailer checked out for issues that could be causing the unusual wear. Otherwise, you’ll just have the same issue again and might even end up with a blowout.
Checking Air Pressure
It is exceptionally important to regularly check the pressure of your tires to ensure proper inflation. Always check them when bringing the coach out of storage, as they will lose air just as quickly while sitting as they do when being driven. Of course, it is also imperative to check them before embarking on any trips.
Make sure to check the pressure when the tires are cool rather than right after driving. Due to friction from the road, tires heat up when driving. As the tires warm, they expand. When the pressure is assessed without allowing the tires to cool down first, the gauge will get a false read, making it seem that they are more inflated than they in fact are.
Using a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Another way to keep an eye on your tire pressure? Install a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). These are relatively inexpensive and are easy to install on your own.
Tire pressure monitoring systems are wonderful because they monitor the pressure in your RV tires as you drive. This information is then relayed to you in real time. In some cases the monitoring system will even track the temperature of the tires, alerting you if they are getting too hot, something that could cause a blowout if left unchecked.
Inflating Your Tires
What if you check the pressure of your tires and they are low? In that case, you will need to inflate them as soon as possible. You could of course head to the nearest gas station, but many of the air pumps at gas stations will not reach the pressures required for RV tires. Because of this, we recommend one of the following options.
Onboard Air Compressor
Many large motorhomes are fueled with diesel. Having air suspension and brakes, they often have onboard air compressors, which allow the driver to fill his or her tires right on the spot.
Although on the surface this sounds good, it is not necessarily ideal. First, the normal operation of a compressor causes the pressure to rise and fall, making accuracy a bit difficult. Second, it requires the engine to be running. This potentially disturbs neighbors in the park with the loud noise of a diesel engine, as well as the excessive exhaust. So, although this is a good solution in an emergency, it is preferable to have a primary inflation method that is convenient and less offensive to others.
Portable Air Compressor
Portable air inflation systems are often the right options. There are many choices of inexpensive systems that are perfect for filling many tires but are not always capable of handling the high-pressure, large-volume tires typically found on larger motorhomes. For some, the quiet, clean, and easy nitrogen system offers the perfect solution.
This system is available in a range of capabilities. For example, the 88P compressor is a smaller option capable of handling tires sized up to 33 inches and up to 120 PSI. The 300P version is able to inflate tires from 90 to 150 PSI. For a larger rig, the 400P-RV is the suggested model.
Changing RV Tires
Unfortunately, even if you maintain your tires meticulously, things can still go wrong. Tires can blow out even when you think they’re in good shape, or you can accidentally drive over something that causes a leak. In these cases, you will need to change the affected tire before you can get back on the road. RV roadside assistance can help with this, but it is also possible to do the job yourself if necessary.
- Loosen the lug nuts enough so you can turn them by hand.
- Jack up the trailer using a bottle jack under the frame of the trailer. (Do not place the jack on the axle. Use a piece of wood under the jack for added stability.)
- Finish removing the lug nuts and pull the flat tire off.
- Put the spare tire on.
- Tighten the lugs well.
- Lower the RV to the ground and put your tools away.
Of course, your could always call an RV repair company if you aren’t confident in your tire changing skills.
Hopefully this guide helped you better understand your RV tires and how to care for them. As long as you keep up with them, your tires should serve you well so you can have as many amazing adventures in your RV as you like.
