Front Alignment – Am I wasting my money?

[Nonno]

My mh has approx 16k miles and had the tires rotated at 9k. Only alignments thus far are the ones supposedly done by WCC and/or Winnebago prior to my purchase. I check pressure regularly and there isn't any unusual tread wear problems.

I'm getting ready for a 3k mile roundtrip and have scheduled an alignment prior to leaving. I can have the gas and lp tanks full but will not be able to have the other "loaded for travel"� items i.e. fresh water, food, clothes, etc. onboard prior to the alignment.

Not having it "loaded for travel" am I wasting my money by having an alignment done now?

Would it be better to wait until prior to my 2nd trip when I can have it loaded properly?

[Nonno]

My mh has approx 16k miles and had the tires rotated at 9k. Only alignments thus far are the ones supposedly done by WCC and/or Winnebago prior to my purchase. I check pressure regularly and there isn't any unusual tread wear problems.

I'm getting ready for a 3k mile roundtrip and have scheduled an alignment prior to leaving. I can have the gas and lp tanks full but will not be able to have the other "loaded for travel"� items i.e. fresh water, food, clothes, etc. onboard prior to the alignment.

Not having it "loaded for travel" am I wasting my money by having an alignment done now?

Would it be better to wait until prior to my 2nd trip when I can have it loaded properly?

[Tom N]

I would not have an alignment done or rotate tires unless I see tire wear or have a handling problem.
IMHO, a coach may come out of the alignment shop worse than it went in.

I purchased a tire tread depth gauge and check my tires every couple thousand miles for any uneven wear. I've seen none.

-Tom

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob Russo:
Would it be better to wait until prior to my 2nd trip when I can have it loaded properly? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Bob, A front end alignment is only called for if an uneven wear pattern is observed on the shoulder of the tire or felt with the palm of your hand over the tread surface. Often the need will be manifest by directional control problems where you may feel like the motorhome is pulling one way or another and it becomes a struggle to control the motorhome. At the end of the day this could be quite tiring.

Absent a problem or visual indicator, "There's no need to fix it if it ain't broke!"

About rotating RV tires, the Michelin rep that I spoke with in Perry, GA said that rotating tires is only something you need to do only if you are trying to square up your front tires IF they have been erratically worn by alignment problems. The need to routinely rotate tires is not absolutely necessary.

The Michelin man ( ) also said that if owners would only think of moving their motorhomes even a half turn on the tire over the winter storage period this would do more to extend the useful life of the tire more than any other action. The best practice would be to remove 50 or more percent of the weight off the tires during long term storage.

I had 54,000 miles on my old tires, they looked none to worse for the wear. The reason for the good longevity and absence of cracking is that the rubber on the tire gets exercised.

Michelin has a 5 year warranty on their tires however they advise that if you use your tires as intended and maintain proper air pressures they should last considerably longer than the warranty period. The only caveat is to have them inspected annually for signs of wear and sidewall integrity.

[Nonno]

Thanks guys for more irv2 cost saving advice!

Will continue to monitor for pressure, tread wear and handling.

[Tom N]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DriVer:The Michelin man ( ) also said that if owners would only think of moving their motorhomes even a half turn on the tire over the winter storage period this would do more to extend the useful life of the tire more than any other action. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is GREAT advice and the first time I've seen it mentioned!

[RRT2]

Even with the thing parked, jacks down, and slides out?! Ewwww...

We got a FEA prior to our winter jaunt. Steering wheel felt a bit 'loose'... and it appeared (to me driving behind) to be dog-tracking a bit. Worth the $$. Watched the fellow do it. At least 2 turns... Even DH noticed a difference afterward.

Agree with DriVer...if'n it ain't broke.....

Rose

[Bigdaddy]

I found some wear on the front tires at 15K miles. The alignment was off. I have the tools to DIY. When the MH is parked, I remove the "bag" in the tires with the jacks. I also cover my tires. I move the MH every month during the winter. I have to say my Michelin tires look new! Not even a hair line crack in the the side walls even at the side wall markings and only about 2/32 wear after 38k miles. When I first got my MH I requested the book and video from Michelin and have been following their instructions from day one. I keep a very close "eye" on my pressures also. Soap and water to clean. No rotation.
Happy Trails