Don't Forget Your Tires!

[mikeymouse1]

We are leaving for the Fort In 1 Week and I just checked the manufacture date on my tires and sure enough time to replace them. You should replace your tires every 5 years regardless of use or miles. Also check for dry rot improper tread'wear or any other inconsistencies that may cause an issue

 

[Firescooby]

We are leaving for the Fort In 1 Week and I just checked the manufacture date on my tires and sure enough time to replace them. You should replace your tires every 5 years regardless of use or miles. Also check for dry rot improper tread'wear or any other inconsistencies that may cause an issue

Yep, we're leaving in 12 days and I had our 5'er tires replaced last week. Still plenty of tread, but they were nearly 6 years old. Also went up to the next load range and size.

 

[LarryJ]

We are leaving for the Fort In 1 Week and I just checked the manufacture date on my tires and sure enough time to replace them. You should replace your tires every 5 years regardless of use or miles. Also check for dry rot improper tread'wear or any other inconsistencies that may cause an issue

I don't agree with the 5 years, but do in no more than about 8 as long as the other issues you mentioned are not evident. You will be hard pressed to show a reliable reference on a time to replace TT tires.

Larry

 

[kskone]

I replace ours every 5 minumum with a high quality tire and also inspect the rims/wheels for damage, I have seen the damage first hand what a tire can do to a side of a camper in just a short distance....a couple of dollars now is cheap compared to a break down on the side of the road and thousands of dollars in camper repairs. Bearings and tires some of the most over looked things on a camper and motorhome and yet some of the easyest things to repair and keep up on.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Larry, of course you don't agree.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I confirmed the 5 yr mark with a friend who is a manager of a Goodyear store and has been in the tire business for 30 yrs, I view that as a reliable source.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

There is no way I would wait 8 years. If you show signs of dry rot, you have waited too long. I say replace at 5 years and toss a tire that looks good - you really can't tell the condition of the trailer tire by appearance alone.

 

[BRDof3]

I don't agree with the 5 years, but do in no more than about 8 as long as the other issues you mentioned are not evident. You will be hard pressed to show a reliable reference on a time to replace TT tires.

Larry

The Master has spoken. So there.

 

[retired and happy]

Years ago dealers were supposed to drill a large hole in the sidewall of tires turned in for age or other defect. Don't know if anyone still does that.

 

[BRDof3]

I confirmed the 5 yr mark with a friend who is a manager of a Goodyear store and has been in the tire business for 30 yrs, I view that as a reliable source.

But Larry is retired and has devoted his life to telling us how to breathe. Surely that counts for something.

 

[thecplusplusguy]

I know for Motorhome the conventional wisdom is 7 years as long as the tires are kept covered from the sun. I have seen this said by Motorhome mag and the RV doctor guy.

Dan

 

[BRDof3]

I know for Motorhome the conventional wisdom is 7 years as long as the tires are kept covered from the sun. I have seen this said by Motorhome mag and the RV doctor guy.

Dan

It may be possible for a tire to last for 7 years, under perfect conditions. Since the loss of a tire can easily be catastrophic, and nobody's RV lives in perfect conditions, anyone going over 5 years is being foolish, IMO. If you wait until defects are visible, then you've taken the tire past it's age. You'll buy the tire within a year or two, so you are smart to replace at 5. Cheap insurance.

 

[ob1quixote]

I replace Carlisles when I read the name on the tire.

 

[storyteller]

Better safe than on the side of the road or worse, why take chances.

 

[Tigger1966]

My tires were less than 8 years old showed no signs of dry rot and spent most of their life in the garage. We all know how that story turned out

 

[njcamper95]

I replaced mine at the 5 yr mark also last year before i went to hte fort in Dec i was looking the tt over before i left and noticed a few small dry rot spots and since i travel from NJ down and figured cold to hot doesn't help it was worth buying new ones i have had a 2yr old tire go not fun being on side of 95 trying to change a tire with the truckers flying past each time one would go by the whole tt would shake i felt like a nascar pit crew couldn't get tire off and back on fast enough not a good feeling then i got to buy a new tire while on vaction what fun i had one on tt go once and one on my truck once neither are fun while on vaction especially so yeah better safe then sorry don't forget your tires before that trip

 

[MandMLUVMMandDVC]

We bought a brand-new pup in May 2009. At FW checkout July 2010 (yes, only 14 months later!) a CM said our tire looked and sounded strange. We looked at it & didn't see anything strange. We drove the 40 miles home, deciding along the way that before summer 2011 when we make a long trip, we'd go ahead & buy new tires to be extra safe. Well that decision changed within the HOUR! We get home, start backing in & see a HUGE bubble on the side of one tire, look & see a 2nd on the other tire. Crawled under to see that there was odd wear pattern to both tires, even though we check tire pressure practically daily when traveling. Needless to say we ended up buying new tires a couple of days later.

This happened after back-to-back years of having blow-outs on our way to FW. We thought we'd beat the curse. lol

 

[LarryJ]

Trailer Life article says tire manufacturers are saying 7 years as about the max LINK

A non tire reseller says it is impossible to predict how long ST tire will actually last LINK

Here is actually something from Goodyear saying the service life is impossible to predict because of the widely varying conditions of use and storage LINK

For all the doubters my post only said a max of about 8 and you need to make sure there were no issues showing or requiring eariler replacement so I think my post was right on in saying a flat out 5 years is not a good recommendation and I was justified in disagreeing with it when it didn't give wany supporting facts as was done in the post that I just posted.

However I will agree those that sell tires will use the 3 to 5 year limit since they are in business to sell tires and not tell you the real facts.

I just had to replace a perfectly good looking tiire on on side of my trailer after only 4 years and about 10K of towing use because I found a tire that had lost pressure and the other tire was then compromised from overloading, but I recognized that issue.

Larry

 

[Born 2 Fish]

and thats a fact, Jack.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Might as well close this topic, since the final authority has spoken. All hail Larry, King of RV maintenance.