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Traveling the country in your RV is an amazing experience, but during the off-season it’s crucial to make sure you’re keeping your investment properly stored.
Class A RV tires are perhaps one of the most important components of your RV, which means you’ll want to ensure that they’re kept in storage the right way to keep them protected from damage.
Read on for a list of seven helpful tips you can use to maintain and store your tires so you’ll be ready to hit the road once again.
Shopping for your Newmar? Let us help.
We’re here to help you find the perfect coach for you.
Once your road trip days slow down, the first thing to do is give your RV tires a good cleaning. It’s always good to remove any excess mud, dirt, and grime from your tires before you put your RV in storage since excessive buildup can eat away at the tires and cause potential leaks.
Most tires for an RV are covered in a special anti-ozone and antioxidant coating and a tire dressing finish that gives them a touch of shine. Try to wash your tires once or twice a year at most to keep these coatings intact. If you wash them too often, it can remove the treatment, resulting in tires that wear out much faster than you planned.
If you’re in a smaller RV, you may need to rotate your tires occasionally. In larger RVs, on the other hand, rotating your tires is actually a very difficult process. Due to wheel configurations, Class A RVs require wheels to be remounted when taken off, and that’s a task that should ideally be performed by a service center to ensure it’s done correctly. Additionally, Newmar coaches install different sized tires on the front and rear axles, making it dangerous to rotate from front to back or vice versa. Should the tires on your Class A coach require rotating, your preferred service center will be sure to tell you.
When your RV weight is unevenly distributed, it causes the tire tread to wear down, which can result in a flat or a dangerous blowout. Try to keep even weight distribution throughout your coach to reduce the wear on your tires.
Too much or too little air pressure can wreak havoc on your tires, even while in storage. Before you call it a day, do a quick check to make sure that your tires are properly inflated before you store the RV for the off-season. Some manufacturers recommend you inflate them 25% more than normal while in storage.
Use an inflation gauge to check the pressure, and look for an angled dual foot pressure gauge if you want to test multiple tires. Always inflate them according to your specific RV’s manufacturer instructions which can be found in your owner’s manual or on the certification tag. While your RV is in storage, check the PSI levels weekly and reflate each tire as needed for the best results.
A Class A RV is designed to withstand thousands of pounds of weight while you travel. From camping equipment to cooking appliances, all of that heaviness rests on your tires.
Before you store your RV for the off-season, try your best to lighten the load as much as you can. Remove anything that doesn’t need to be inside so that it reduces the total weight and relieves some of the pressure that your tires will have to bear. The lighter the load, the lower the chances are that you’ll end up with an unwanted flat.
You may wonder why you need to cover RV tires if you’re putting your vehicle inside of a garage. The tires will be exposed to all kinds of material including oil and water, which can degrade and damage the tire’s outer layer.
If your RV will be outside, it’s even more important to cover the tires. Look for a high-quality tire cover that’s UV-resistant since sunlight can quickly cause tires to wear down and potentially rot. If possible, keep your RV slightly off the ground before covering your tires for even better protection.
You might wonder what the motorhome tire life expectancy is. While each brand and each specific RV tire may have a different lifespan, it’s best to replace any tires that are older than six years of age.
Even if you take immaculate care of your tires, the standard maximum tire age for most RVs is around six years. As they age, there could be hidden damage you can’t see with the naked eye. The last thing you need is to head out on your adventure and end up dealing with a flat on the side of the road.
When it’s time to put your RV in storage, you should thoroughly inspect your tires first. Take a close look at the tread and make sure that each tire is evenly worn. Replace any tires that show signs of dry rot, extreme wear, or bulges.
Check the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your RV, and make sure that your tire tread has reasonable depth according to this information. With regular check-ups, you’ll feel good about the health of your tires so you can hit the road in confidence.
With a little bit of effort, your RV tires should be able to handle anything that comes their way. Always check for things like air pressure and tread health before you put everything away in storage.
Cover your tires to protect them from the elements and to prolong their lifespan. Cleaning and rotating your tires will also ensure that they serve you well for many road trips to come. To learn more about our RVs and for more helpful owner tips, visit our website or contact us today.
