RV Tire Choice and Maintenance

Some Important RV Tire Choice And Maintenance Tips
By Kevin Wynn

Choosing the right RV tires is very important to as it ensures that you enjoy incident free road trips and vacations, with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you are safe. Due to the infrequent use of RVs, the tires that are used on them get exposed to a greater variety of conditions unlike the other automobile tires. This is so because they are not used or driven for extended periods. Again, when they get to be used, they are often subjected to near maximum loads. This is mainly during the hot summer weather. It is therefore, important to know how to take care of these tires for maximum benefits and safety.

To start with, you should learn how to choose the perfect special tires for your RV. This simply means that you should learn to identify the right tires designated for these vehicles. The secret here is to learn how to read tire codes. Tires designated with an ST in front of a series of numbers are designed with RV trailers in mind. They have stiffer sidewalls, are more flexible during backing and when cornering, and are designed for extended, non-stop towing. If you intend to have a greater load carrying capacity, you may opt to have the LT (light truck) designated tires instead.

You should also learn to read your tires for signs of wear and age. For the ordinary vehicles that are driven daily, a normal tire tread life is five to seven years. However, an RV, which sits parked for the most part of the year, may have its treads still looking new five years on. As much as you may not feel the urge to replace them, riding on tires more than five years old greatly increases the chances of tire blowout. The natural aging, as well as the ozone wear, may cause the tire rubber to crack making it more vulnerable to bursting.

Tire pressure and proper tire inflation is an important part of ensuring long tire life. When you have properly inflated tires, you have improved towing performance and peace of mind. Always use the best quality tire pressure gauge that will give you reliable and accurate readings. You should also know the recommended tire pressure for RV trailers. Always check tire pressure before you start to move. This is the best time because the tires have not heated up leading to that temporary increase in pressure.

It is good practice to rotate tires on your RV to ensure even wear. The kind of load you have on your RV also determines the tire pressure you should have for your tires. Make sure to also have a good tire replacement tool kit, some spare tires, and the basic knowledge on how to change a wheel from your RV. When parking your RV, make sure it is as level as possible. This will help avoid tire overload. To top it up, when buying new tires for your RV, make sure to hunt for the best RV tires sale offers online or in your nearest tire shop.

For more information about RV Tires and other parts of the RV, pay a visit to http://www.rvreplacementpartsonline.com.

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