What’s the most important feature of your RV? The holding tank? The engine? Or the storage space?
While all these features are essential, I think your RV tires should be on top of your important-features list.
Like the other components of your RV, your vehicle’s tires also require your attention and care. While high-quality tires might require a good amount of money, trust me when I say, it’s an investment you won’t regret.
But before you buy yourself RV tires, make sure that it’s the right time to do so.
How would you know? Keep reading.
Replacing RV Tires – Key Considerations
Know When to Change Your RV Tires
This one’s for all those RV owners who’ve been complaining they get middle of the journey surprises (tire bursts) quite often.
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When You Don’t Use Your RV as Much
You might think your tires are fine and don’t need replacement. Contrary to what you think, extreme temperatures or overexposure to sunlight might cause your tires to wear out even when not in use.
Generally, if your tires are older than seven years, manufacturers recommend replacing them with new ones even if you haven’t used them a lot.
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When You Use Your RV Often
Usage can also wear off the tires before reaching the seven-year mark. If you see cracks on your tires, it’s probably time for a replacement. If you regularly use your RV, I suggest checking up on the tires after every 90 days.
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A Simple Trick
Just put a coin in the grooves on your tire. If the coin stands upright, your tires are good to go. However, if it doesn’t, it’s an indication that your tires are worn out.
How Old Are Your Tires?
If you’ve bought a new RV, it isn’t hard to find out how old your tires are. But, what to do if you bought a used RV?
Don’t worry; this task isn’t as impossible as you think.
Look at the Department of Transportation (DOT) number on your tires. The four-digit number that is printed into the sidewall of your tires is the DOT number.
This number tells you exactly when your tire was manufactured. It’s accurate down to the week the tire was manufactured.
On your RV tire, see the letters DOT followed by a four-digit number.
- The first two digits of this number indicate the week of the year
- The last two numbers indicate the year your tire was made
For instance, if the four digits on your tires are 1419, your tire was made in the 14th week of the year 2019.
Different Types of RV Tires
Depending on the RV type you drive, the types of tires you need and their cost may vary.
Special Trailer (ST) Tires
For travel trailers, which are comparatively lighter than RVs as they don’t have the extra weight of an engine, you will need special trailer (ST) tires. These are built to handle the travel trailer’s weight and have stronger sidewalls in comparison to regular tires.
Light Truck (LT) Tires
On the other hand, you’ll need to get light truck (LT) tires for class A, B, and C RVs. These tires are manufactured for vehicles that weigh more than quarter ton trucks. Depending on the class of RV you have, the cost varies.
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Class A RV Tires
Class A RVs have the largest tires of the three classes. For vehicles weighing between 15,000 lbs to 30,000 lbs that measure to around 30 feet to 40 feet, you’ll need Class A tires.
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Class B RV Tires
The smallest of the three are Class B RV tires. So, if you have a small, light RV, which weighs around 6,000 lbs to 8,000 lbs and measures 17 – 19 feet, these are your go-to tires.
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Class C RV Tires
Class C RV tires are smaller than Class A RV tires but are larger than Class B RV tires. If your vehicle weighs around 10,000 lbs to 20,000 lbs with a measurement of around 30 feet, I suggest you purchase Class C tires.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace RV Tires
By this point, you’ve probably established that RV tires are not the same. They vary depending on the type of vehicle you have.
Let’s look at the average cost for each type of RV tire. Additionally, I’ll also include the price of some models from popular brands.
Class A
For a single Class A tire, the estimated cost can amount to around $230.
Here are some popular brands and their price per tire:
- Hankook AH11 8/R19.5 L tires: $209
- Firestone’s Transforce HT Highway 235x75R15 104R tires: $125
- Deerstone’s D902 8.75x-16.5 DS1290 tires: $86
- Michelin’s XRV 225/70R19.5 58916 tires: $306
- Goodyear’s G670 RV ULT LT225/70R19.5 B tires: $376
Class B
For a single Class B tire, the estimated cost can amount to around $276.
Here are some popular brands and their price per tire:
- Mastercraft Courser LTR Highway LT225/75R16 tire: $103
- Michelin XPS Rib LT225/75R16 tire: $235
- Hankook AH11 245/70R19.5 tire: $293
- Power King LT8.75-16.5 Super Highway LT tire: $114
- Goodyear G670 RV MRT 245/75R22.5 tire: $636
Class C
For a single Class C tire, the estimated cost can amount to around $110.
Here are some popular brands and their price per tire:
- Hankook Dynapro HT RH12 235/85R16 tire: $123
- Continental VancoFourSeason 195/70R15C tire: $117
- Michelin Energy Saver LTX 265/60R18 tire: $119
- Goodyear Marathon Radial ST225/75R15 tire: $100
- Power King Towmax STR 35/85R16 tire: $90
Travel Trailer
For a single travel trailer tire, the estimated cost can amount to around $164.
Here are some popular brands and their price per tire:
- Sailun S637 radial trailer tire: $160
- Maxxis M8008 ST radial trailer tire: $200
- Gladiator QR25-TS radial trailer tire: $65
- Carlisle Radial Trail HD radial trailer tire: $75
- Goodyear Unisteel G614 RST radial trailer tire: $320
5 Steps to Change RV Tires
Now, if this is your first time replacing RV tires, I understand that the task may seem a little daunting. There’s nothing to worry about, though, it’s no sweat! I’ll walk you through the whole process.
You’ll need three things:
- A wrench
- Jacks
- The new tires
Before you begin, a word of caution: Do not lie underneath your RV entirely. As the RV is suspended in the air by the jacks, this can be extremely dangerous. So, be very careful.
Step One: Safety First
Once you have your tools with you, place one jack against the front wheel and one jack against the back wheel. Remember to ensure that the jacks are firmly in place and don’t move at all.
Step Two: Lift It
Slowly lift the vehicle using the jacks. Once the back tire and the RV frame are touching, you can stop lifting.
Step Three: Remove
Using the wrench, take off the old tire. Make sure you keep the lug nuts, which secured the old tire, with you as you’ll need them to attach the new tire.
Step Four: Replace
Once you’ve removed the old tire, replace it with the new one. Screw the lug nuts to secure the tire firmly into place.
Step Five: Lower It
After the tire has been secured, slowly lower the RV using the jacks.
RV Tire Maintenance Tips
As you’re investing a significant sum of money into your RV tires, it’s only right that you take care of them. A little maintenance can prevent your tires from wearing out before time.
Here are some RV tire maintenance tips you can follow:
Cleaning
Cleaning your tires is essential to remove dirt and mud. However, cleaning too often might remove the layer of anti-ozone and antioxidant compounds from your tires. These compounds help protect and prolong the life of your tires.
Therefore, too much cleaning might remove them, making your tires vulnerable to wear. I suggest reducing the number of times you clean your tires. You can schedule a wash yearly or bi-yearly.
Tire Rotation
As mentioned earlier, tires do wear down over time. However, tires in certain spots wear more often depending on the road’s condition and the type of vehicle you drive.
For instance, in certain situations, rear tires tend to wear more than the tires in the front. One way to ensure your tires evenly is to rotate the position of your tires regularly.
Tire Covers
Now, this may seem like an extra step, but trust me when I say getting tire covers is worth it in the long run. Whether you use your RV often or not, tire covers can protect your wheels from extreme temperatures and overexposure to sunlight.
You can easily purchase tire covers for around $20 to $30.You don’t have much to lose, it’s a small price to pay for the additional protection.
Tire Pressure
Whether you take your RV out on the road often or not, keeping an on the tire pressure is also very important. As over- or under-inflated tires tend to wear out sooner. Furthermore, during trips, heat can build up in your tires, causing pressure to increase.
I suggest keeping a tire gauge in your RV at all times. If you’re on a trip, make a habit of checking the pressure every time you stop to fill up on gas.
Conclusion
Now you’ll easily identify when your RV tires are wearing out and need to be replaced. Moreover, you should also understand that the type of tires and their price vary depending on the type of RV you have.
I hope this post was helpful and that it also answered all of your questions regarding RV tire prices, types, and maintenance.
