A Tire Blowout – Proper RV Tire Maintenance
A tire blowout, it’s one of the scariest thoughts for any RVer. Whether it’s on your travel trailer, motorhome or tow vehicle, it can cause even the best driver to lose control. Up until recently, I had no clue what to do if I were to encounter a blowout while driving my motorhome. Then I saw a video about it and I was surprised by what they recommended.
That is what I want to share with you today. And this method can be employed in any blowout situation, not just with a motorhome. I’ll also touch on some basic tire maintenance so you can hopefully avoid a blowout altogether. I went to check on my Perl girl the other day and was surprised by what I saw when I inspected my tires. More on that in a minute.
So, what do you think you should do if you experience a blowout? I always thought you should slow down by placing your foot on the brake pedal and pull over. Wrong! While you should definitely pull over when it’s safe to do so, you should never brake when the tire blows. You see, the physics behind a tire blowout dictates that you need to compensate for the blown tire.
If a blowout occurs on the right side, it will cause your vehicle to head to the right and vice-versa if it occurs on the left. The best thing to do is to try to maintain speed. The best way to do this is to accelerate. I know, I know, sounds crazy doesn’t it? But according to the experts, that’s exactly what you should do. And here is a video by Michelin Tire Company to prove that theory:
The best way to prevent a tire blowout is to properly maintain your tires. According to the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), the top four reasons for tire failure are:
- Over Inflation
- Under Inflation
- Overloading
- Age
So what should you do to address the above issues? Goodyear Tire recommends the following:
Tire Inflation
Tire pressure is one of the most important factors for enhancing the tread life and performance of your tire. So over or under inflated tires can cause major issues. Low inflation can cause:
- poor handling
- decreased fuel economy
- faster and/or irregular wear
- permanent structure damage (which could result in failure)
Tires that are over inflated can cause the following issues:
- reduce traction
- affect braking ability and handling
- result in uneven wear
- create an uncomfortable ride.
You should always check your tire pressure before you leave and after you arrive. If you’re storing your RV, check the pressure once a month. Always check the pressure on a cold tire. The pressure on a hot tire can be 10-15 psi greater than a cold one. Tires that continuously read low should be inspected by a professional.
A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) will alert you when tire pressure changes or a tire gets too hot. This is helpful if something were to go wrong while you’re driving. There are different variations and prices. Even with this system, you will still need to manually check tire pressure to ensure safety. But having this system in place can provide peace of mind.
Overloading
Overloading your tires with too much weight can be another source of concern for tire performance. You should never exceed the load capacity of your RV. This information is oftentimes found via a sticker located somewhere on your particular unit. My sticker is located under the driver’s side window but I’ve also seen them near the entrance door. You can also refer to your owner’s manual as well. Here are some tips to avoid overloading your vehicle:
- never exceed the maximum weight printed on tire sidewall
- adjust tire pressure according to load – always maintain same pressure on tires sharing an axle
- weigh each wheel and balance load
So how do you weigh your motorhome and specifically, each individual wheel? Here’s a link to the CAT scale finder.
Age
RV tires usually age out rather than wear out. Even if you full-time in your RV and move around a lot, it’s hard to wear out the tread. There are mixed suggestions on when you should replace RV tires. Some manufacturers recommend anywhere from 5 – 7 years while other times you may see up to 10! You may be wondering how to find out the age of your RV tires. Here’s an image of the sidewall with explanations:
photo from letsrv.com
The manufacture date on this tire is 0304. That means this tire was manufactured on the third month (March) of the year 2004.
I like to err on the side of caution and had planned on replacing mine at 6 years. In my opinion, tires are the single most important safety concern on an RV. You’re life is literally riding on your tires. This is the latest news report where a couple recently lost their lives do to “rapid tire deflation”.
photo from KATC.com website
Tires that sit still for long periods of time age faster. Tires are supposed to be used frequently do to their design. There are compounds in the rubber that comes to the surface when they heat up and flex. This protects the tire from damage. Tires that don’t move often enough tend to dry out and crack faster. Especially when they’re exposed to heat and sunlight.
When storing your RV or when you’re sitting for an extended period of time, try to avoid frequent and/or extreme temperature changes. Clean your tires with mild soap and water and use wheel covers to protect them from UV exposure. It is not recommended to put anything on your tires, especially if it contains dimethyl sulfide (DMS). This is a petroleum solvent that will dry out your tires.
Inspect Your Tires Frequently!
Every time you’re ready to move from one location to another, check your tires. If you store your RV, check them monthly. You should check for nails, rocks or any objects that may have punctured a tire. If you find something, have it checked out right away. Also check for uneven wear. I noticed that my tires were unevenly wearing on the outside edge. This was due to an alignment issue which I had corrected.
You should look for any sign of wear to include cracks in the sidewalls. Remember I told you I saw something I didn’t like on my RV tires? Guess what I saw? I saw little cracks in the sidewalls of my tires. I had to look really, really close, but they were there. And my motorhome had just had a ‘thorough inspection’ to include the tires. No one mentioned the cracks to me. That is why it’s imperative to know how to check them yourself. Don’t trust anyone else with your life.
Small cracks in my sidewalls
Yes, the cracks are very small but I was really surprised to see them. I was a bit disappointed as I hadn’t planned on replacing my tires until next year. They are only 5 years old and my motorhome is a 2013. However, the tires were date stamped for 2012 as it probably landed on the lot in the fall of 2012.
So I’ve learned a few things I’d like to share with you. If it seems like your tires aged prematurely, as I feel mine did, you may have some help. While poking around on RV forums, I noticed that some people contacted the tire manufacturer (or rather their tire dealer did) and were offered some compensation towards new tires. I’m talking the manufacturer covered over 50% of the cost. That’s sounds pretty sweet. So I have an e-mail in to Michelin. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Another thing I found out, which some of you may already know, is FMCA has a tire purchase program for members. Membership is currently $50, which gives you other benefits as well and the tire savings far exceed this small fee. When I looked up my savings it was over $100 per tire! This is based on pricing I received from my local truck and tire repair shop. However, you need to use a facility that accepts the FMCA program.
Back to the cracks. Some experts state that if the cracks are less than 1/32 – inch deep, you don’t need to replace your tires just yet. However, if the cracks are more than 2/32 – inch, you need to change them immediately. If you’re uncertain, have them inspected by a professional. My motto is, any cracking AT ALL means my tires are losing their integrity and I’m replacing them. I don’t want to be another statistic!
I hope the bit of information I shared with you today helps in some way. Here’s a video showing how quickly a blowout can occur on a motorhome. This video was captured by the dash cam on an 18-wheeler. This couple was lucky and walked away from the accident.
I’m busy getting ready for our spring/summer journey starting this month. Ahhhh, it’s already April, crunch time is officially here! Perl has been dewinterized, inspected and I’m looking into tire installation here soon. I’m getting excited.
I shared the route we were planning on taking but I think I already told you, it’s been revised. We will hit Yellowstone and then duck down into Utah then shoot over to the Oregon coast. I was initially going to head up to Washington and back west across the top half of the U.S. However, I’m strongly considering going into Vancouver and making the trek east through some of Canada. Do any of you know if Verizon’s old unlimited data plan can be used in Canada? If so, please reply in comments. Thanks!
Update on my book: I am DONE and I’m so proud. The editing process is happening in earnest and I’m determined it will be available mid-month. The price will be less than ten dollars and available in Kindle format. I’m considering a print version but uncertain at this time. So if you know anyone who wants some encouragement, tips, advice, and more in order to begin the RV lifestyle, please refer them to my book!
Amazon: As always, I’m ever so grateful when you use my Amazon Link when making purchases. It helps me pay for this blog and it cost you the same amount. If you like my content, I’d appreciate the support. Thank you!
{HUGS} from the Crew!
