Motor Home Tires
Whether you’re buying a new motorhome or upgrading or performing maintenance on your current motorhome, there’s one particular part of your rig that you won’t want to overlook: your tires. While you may think that, as long as they’re the right size, any old tires will work for your RV, think again.
If you’re purchasing a new RV, take a look at those tires before you sign the dotted line. If you already own an RV, you’ll want to take your tire maintenance and replacement seriously.
Why the Right Tires Matter for your Motorhome
Your tires are arguably one of the most important elements of your motorhome. They are, after all, what gets you from Point A to Point B. Without the right tires, your entire RV trip is compromised.
If you don’t have the correct tires for your motorhome, no matter what size your motorhome is, you could be jeopardizing your and your family’s safety, as well as that of the other folks on the road. Tire failures can leave you stranded on the side of the highway or you can end up getting into a serious accident — and sometimes those tire failures aren’t even technically your fault. Maybe you’ve been taking great care of your tires, maybe you bought exactly the type and size of tires you need for your rig… but an unscrupulous seller lied to you about the tires’ age (but more on that in a second). For safety’s sake, you’re going to want to really take your tire purchases seriously.
On a less grim, but still serious note, having the right tires for your motorhome not only impacts your safety, but also your ride quality. Differing sizes of tires related to the size of your motorhome will impact the overall smoothness of your ride (and no one wants an uncomfortable ride, especially if you plan to travel long distances in your motorhome, such as cross-country).
Lastly, you want to purchase the right types of tires for your motorhome usage. Some motorhome owners only travel during the summer and simply take their motorhome from their paved driveway to a paved lot in an upscale RV park. Other motorhome owners are a little more adventurous and they want to take their RV anywhere and everywhere, during every season. You want to ensure you have the right tires installed on your RV, tires that will equip you to tackle the terrain you want, in the weather you want.
The Problem with Buying Used RV Tires
All this considered, you may assume that you can check all of the above boxes and simultaneously save a little cash if you simply buy used RV tires, but hold up. Not so fast. Buying used tires can put your safety at risk.
RV tires have a lifespan of approximately 6 years. You should replace your RV tires every 6 years regardless of the cosmetic condition of the tires; after 6 years of inflation, the interior belts have lived their designed life. Any older than that and they start to become a hazard. Tire failure becomes much more of a possibility. But when you purchase used tires, you can’t be 100% sure on their age, especially if you don’t know the tires’ DOT number before you make your purchase (which is more likely if you purchase your tires online).
What’s a DOT number? A DOT number on an RV tire will tell you the week and year those tires were manufactured. A 4-digit number, the first two numbers are the week of the year that the tire was manufactured (so, for example, if the first two numbers are “52,” that means the tire was manufactured the last week of the year) and the last two numbers are the year that the tire was manufactured (so, if the last two numbers are “21,” that means the tire was manufactured in 2021).
Motor Home Tires Has You Covered
The safest option for purchasing your next set of RV tires? Go with Motor Home Tires, a Class A RV tire seller and installer, serving Class A motor coaches through a network of more than 4,000 installers, all insured and bonded and all trained in commercial tire installation. These 4,000-plus installers will meet you wherever you are in the lower 48 states and provide free, on-site installation.
Better yet, Motor Home Tires only stocks brand-new tires (with brand production codes dated 6 to 9 months from the date of purchase), with no used tires in their inventory, and they’ll never be undersold.
Start Shopping for Your RV Tires Now
To get started, just go to Motor Home Tires, where you can start searching for your tires and your free mobile installation provider. Search by width, ratio, rim and number of tires you need; pick from the various tire options available based on your criteria; and then book your installation. It’s really that easy.
Getting the Most from Your RV Tire Purchase
But don’t think the work is all over once your new RV tires are safely installed. You’ll want to ensure you’re taking proper care of them, too — so that they actually last that projected 6 years.
If you store your RV for several months out of the year, be sure to unload the RV before storage, clean your RV tires ahead of the storage period and store the RV on blocks, if you can. Also, it’s just good practice to make sure that you’re moving your RV at least every three months. All of this can ensure that storage isn’t shortening the lifespan of your RV tires.
Keep an eye on your weight distribution and tire pressure, and, just like you do for your personal car, have your RV tires checked professionally at a tire service center, every so often.
Make the Right Choice for Your Motorhome and Your Family’s Safety
Keep your family safe while also properly maintaining your motorhome — it all comes down to having a good foundation, and when it comes to your RV, that foundation is always going to be the right tires.
Check out Motor Home Tires for more information and, for any of your other RV maintenance and service needs, be sure to check out The Blog at My RV Resource.
