How much time do you spend thinking about your RV tires? Most RV owners keep notes regarding the well-being of their coaches, and many perform a variety of repairs themselves. However, it is fundamentally important to keep the condition of your tires at the forefront of your mind whenever you are embarking on an RV trip.
It is your tires that have the mammoth task of keeping your rig rolling smoothly and safely down the road so it is extremely important to regularly inspect your tires, as well as to be aware of the manufacture date, since RV tires tend to age out instead of wearing out. RV tires should be replaced every five to seven years in general, and they should always be replaced in sets whenever possible. You will not likely notice significant tread wear on RV tires, although wear patterns can be indicative of other alignment or chassis issues. Rather the rubber will start to dry out, crack, rot, and generally wear out. This can happen from the inside out, so careful inspection is fundamentally important. Your local tire shop can assist you with the inspection and recommendation for replacement. Do not neglect this important aspect of RV maintenance. Experiencing a flat tire is never a pleasant experience, especially when it’s on a larger RV or trailer. These units can be excessively hard to control during a blowout, and you aren’t likely to be able to replace the tire yourself, even if you do carry a spare. This is one area where you definitely want to be proactive rather than reactive.
When it comes time to replace RV tires, many people experience severe sticker shock, with the price increasing with tire size and quantity. For a large diesel RV for instance, it is not uncommon to spend close to $4,000 to replace all tires. Although this is predicted pricing for high-quality tires, I would not suggest putting low- or even mid-grade tires on your coach. This is a major outlay of cash, and when faced with this scenario, some RV owners opt to have lower quality tires installed, or only have some of the tires replaced. As I mentioned before, resist the temptation to go this route if you possibly can.
Fortunately, Coach-Net has acknowledged the burden that the high cost of new tires has on most RV owners and has decided to take action. Coach-Net now offers a discount tire program, which allows members to purchase high-quality tires from Michelin® or Goodyear® at a significant discount. Plus, Coach-Net’s program is completely hassle-free.
If you are purchasing tires on your own, you have to follow these steps, which can be cumbersome and, often times, extremely time consuming:
- Source the tires. This may take several hours/days to find the type of tire you want at a cost you desire.
- If the RV in question takes automotive tires that are not classified as truck tires, this is generally not a problem, since most places that sell tires, such as Costco, will carry these.
- Note that if the RV takes “light truck”, or “LT” tires, selection may be limited at some locations.
- If the motorhome takes truck tires, sourcing them requires a little more effort, since these would have to be purchased from a tire shop.
- For large RVs such as diesel pushers, the tire shop would also have to have both the space and expertise required to work on trucks.
- I recommend always spending the extra money to get the highest grade tires such as Michelin or Goodyear, as they are of superior quality, and actually result in a better ride. There is a lot riding on your RV tires!
- If you are looking for trailer tires, a tire shop is the best bet, but be sure to purchase the correct size AND load rating of tire.
- It is recommended by most tire and vehicle experts and mechanics that all the tires be replaced at the same time. In addition to not having to worry about different wear states of tires, there are other risks to not replacing all tires, including a high chance of dually tires being different diameters if they are not both replaced at the same time.
- Make an appointment with the tire shop or vendor to install the tires. As mentioned above, not all places will have the capability or expertise to work on your vehicle, so choose carefully.
- If you really can’t afford to replace all tires (or if you are replacing as a result of a blowout), have the tire shop rotate the tires.
Coach-Net’s process is much simpler, PLUS members can receive high quality tires at up to a 15% discount.
- Fill out a simple online form, in less than 5 minutes, where you are asked for information such as your name, member number, number and size of tires needed, etc.
- A Coach-Net representative will call you back to confirm the details.
- The Coach-Net team then makes all the arrangements for you, including booking the appointment and arranging payment on your behalf. = 0 minutes of your time
- Finally, take your vehicle into the tire shop for your appointment. That’s it, no fuss!
I recommend all Coach-Net members take advantage of the Tire Discount program when you need to replace your tires. It can save you lots of money on your choice of two of the best tire brands on the market and takes the hassle out of tire shopping.
About the Author:
Steve Froese, an avid RV owner, traveler, and Coach-Net member since 2013, is the principal of “A Word to the Wise Technical Communications”, a published RV author, certified RV technician, and licensed Professional Engineer. He frequently collaborates with the “RV Doctor”, Gary Bunzer, and has worked with the RVIA/RVDA as a technical and training writer and consultant. Professionally, he works as a quality engineer and musician. Watch for more of Steve’s work in upcoming Coach-Net publications.
A.G. – “Peace of mind knowing you would come to our rescue when our 30′ fifth wheel blew a tire. Professionalism all the way around”
Motorists often neglect to think about the objects that keep their vehicles rolling down the road in comfort and safety. RV owners are no exception to this rule, and in some cases are less likely to pay attention to the tires on their rigs. Even though tires are definitely not “out of sight”, they do tend to be “out of mind” for many people. Yet, the importance of keeping your RV tires in top shape cannot be overstated.
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CAT Scales are available at most major truck stops like Pilot or Flying J, or visit 
Wearing mismatched clothing is a big no-no for most of us. But when we let our RVs wear mismatched tires, most of us don’t think twice – until something like a tire blowout happens. Don’t let a roadside emergency teach you the importance of having a matching set of RV tires with correct load range. That’s what happened to me. Several months and almost a thousand dollars later, here’s what I learned about buying the right RV trailer tires for my 2010 Arctic Fox fifth wheel.
After two trailer tire blowouts in less than a year, we knew we had a problem. Our first strategy to determine the cause was to 
If you own a motorhome, you generally don’t have to worry about whether the correct tires are installed on your unit as long as you are having a certified tire shop do the work. However, it is worth mentioning load range ratings. The load range is a measure of the ply rating, indicating the relative strength of the tire plys and therefore how much load the tires can safely carry. The load rating is indicated on the sidewall by a letter, with higher letters indicating a higher load range. When replacing your tires, always make sure the load rating is the same or higher than manufacturers specification. If in doubt, contact a tire center or the RV manufacturer.
Another important metric for trailer owners is tire type. There are distinctly different requirements for the tires on a towable than for the vehicle doing the towing. The towing vehicle requires a lot of traction, so the tires must be designed to allow for grip, acceleration, cornering, and braking. The sidewalls are quite flexible to contribute to passenger comfort.
Most motorhome and trailer tires are designed for a maximum speed of 65 mph. Although many people like to travel at speeds higher than this, it is important to bear in mind that fuel economy suffers significantly at speeds above 55 mph, so slow and steady is never a bad thing when it comes to RV travel. Plus, it allows you to enjoy the scenery more.
It’s National Tire Safety Week, so this is a good time to discuss the topic of RV tires. Although I am a professional engineer, my area of expertise is not specifically in materials or road safety. I leave the topic of tire theory to Walter Cannon, executive director of the RV Safety Education Foundation (
Many RV drivers believe that it is appropriate to simply air the tires to the inflation pressure shown on the tire or vehicle ID plate. This is a dodgy oversimplification, as the listed pressure is the maximum design inflation pressure for the tire, and may not be a safe pressure for the RV load. The correct way to determine proper air pressure is to weigh the RV at each tire position and note the highest weight borne by each axle. Most tire manufacturers post recommended inflation pressures based on weight on their websites. Use your data to determine the correct inflation pressure for each axle as determined from the manufacturer tables.
RV owners sometimes lower tire pressure in an attempt to create a smoother ride. This is not only dangerous, it’s relatively ineffective, as the difference in ride quality is not significant. When minimum recommended inflation pressures are not maintained, durability and optimum operating conditions for the tires are compromised. Therefore, tire inflation pressure should always meet at least the minimum guidelines for vehicle weight. It’s important to note that if the pressure in any tire drops by more than 20% of recommended inflation pressure, the tire should be professionally inspected before air is added. Personal injury may result from the tire separating from the rim while under pressure. A professional tire shop will use a cage to inflate the tire.
