If you plan on purchasing RV tires through a nationally recognized brand name department store, first call ahead to insure that the facility is adequately equipped to handle the size of your vehicle. Clarify that the agreed upon price of the tires includes the cost of mounting and balancing to avoid having to pay unexpected hidden costs. Insure that you are buying top quality tires backed by a solid warranty. For best results, rely upon a tire professional you can trust for assistance with all your RV tire needs.

Confusion can often arise over how to determine the appropriate air pressure levels for RV tires. Begin by loading the RV and evenly distributing the cargo. Next, weigh the motor home when it is fully loaded with cargo, fluids, passengers and pets. Truck scales, or scales used to weigh tractors and trailers are usually available to RV owners for a minimal charge. To best calculate proper tire pressures, individually weigh each wheel position of the motor home with all slide rooms in the retracted position. This will mean having only one wheel on the scale at a time, and may require the assistance of someone standing outside the RV to help you guide a particular tire onto the scale. When weighing each wheel position, the tire, the scales, and the motor home, must be level.

Once the vehicle weight is determined, refer to the tire chart for the proper air pressure rating. Tire charts are available by contacting the tire manufacturer or the motor home manufacturer. Every tire on each axle must be inflated to identical pressure. Use the wheel position with the highest weight on each axle to calculate the proper inflation pressure for each tire on that axle.

Increased length and multiple slide rooms may add to the overall weight of the motor home and include a tag axle to handle the larger load. The tag axle has a weight rating of 10,000 pounds. Do not adjust the regulator over that 10,000-pound limit. If the weight rating on the front axle is over the axle weight, it may be necessary to adjust the regulator in order to take weight off from the front axle.

Once the RV has been weighed and the air pressure levels are calculated, keep the cargo load evenly distributed at all times. In the event cargo loads take a drastic change, or the RV undergoes modification that may affect the weight of the vehicle, weigh the RV once again to calculate proper air pressure for the tires.

Never alter tire air pressures in an attempt to obtain a smoother ride. Customizing air pressures will generally end up costing you more dollars in the long run through increased wear on the tires, chassis, engine, transmission and steering system. Adhere to the recommended air pressures to help extend the life of the tires as well as save on fuel costs.

Check all tire pressures, including the inside duals, every drive day when tires are cold. A sudden drop in tire air pressure may indicate a potential air leak. Check tire pressures using a quality tire gauge with an angle dual head. Remove the rubber cap covering the stem and press the gauge firmly on the valve. Add air as necessary to achieve the recommended air pressure. If the tire is accidentally overfilled, press the metal stem in the center of the valve to reduce air pressure, and then once more check tire pressure using the gauge. Have any sudden and unexplained drops in air pressure promptly inspected by a qualified tire professional.

Frequently perform a visual inspection of the RV tires, including the inner duals. Clean out debris that may become lodged in the tread, or between the dual tires. Look for nails that may have be embedded in the tire to create a slow leak. Have all cracks, bulges, or signs of uneven tread wear promptly inspected by a tire professional to avoid experiencing a flat tire while traveling down the road.Excess speed on a bad tire will usually result in tire failure. In the event a tire blows while driving down the highway, avoid a sudden swerve and bring the RV to a rolling stop safely off the side of the road. Summon roadside assistance for help in changing the damaged tire.

Tire carcass that litter the roadways often contain metal wire in the damaged casings. Avoid driving over discarded tire pieces that you may encounter while driving down the road.

Routinely maintain the tires on the tow vehicle. Problems with tow vehicle tires may be difficult to detect from the cockpit of the RV. Take a moment to walk around and inspect the tires on the tow vehicle and the RV at each stop.

During storage, unload the motor home to take as much weight as possible off the tires. Park the vehicle on a clean, firm and dry surface and cover tires that are exposed to direct sunlight. Move the RV every 30 days and carefully check tire inflation prior to the next trip. When using blocks, insure that the whole tire is positioned on the block, leaving none hanging over the sides.

When to change the tires is depends on miles driven, storage conditions, and how well the air pressures are maintained. Generally, when tires reach five years of age it is time to start thinking about replacements. Install new tires in complete sets rather than one axle at a time.

Regularly have the alignment inspected, particularly after colliding with curbs or campground barriers. When the tires are rotated, or a flat tire has been changed, have the tires balanced. Keep detailed record of tire maintenance, including daily air pressure inspections.

If you purchase a used RV, install a complete set of new tires to the vehicle. In addition to providing you with accurate maintenance records at the beginning of ownership of the used RV, you will have the peace of mind in knowing that you have minimized the risk of unexpected tire problems.