Community Forums

Kahoona · 10-28-2019, 09:06 AM

For the past 20 years I was always told that if I don't cover the tires when staying somewhere for more than a few days they would be ruined by UV. In campgrounds almost everyone had them. I didn't bother except when it was stored at home. My Goodyears blew up in their fifth year and my Michelins cracked after four.
Now I put them on and nobody else does. I am here in Key West and I am the only one with covers. Did something change ?

grindstone01 · 10-28-2019, 09:13 AM

Try your own experiment, cover the front tires but not the back, or vice vs for the next couple of years. Another test might be to compare your inside dual tires to the usually covered outside tires. My theory is for keeping tires for 20 years, then covering them up might make a difference.

There are alot of factors causing tires to crack/rot and sunlight is just one of the factors.
https://evanstire.com/stop-rot-need-know-tire-dry-rot/

LETMGROW · 10-28-2019, 09:25 AM

I use tire covers but for a different reason. I keep my tires clean and the wheel covers polished. I park my MH on my back lawn so when it rains there are times mud splashes up and gets on the tires and wheel trim covers. The vinyl tire covers keep the mud off. i'd rather spray the covers off than clean the tires and chrome wheel covers.
Lynn

coloradogirl · 10-28-2019, 05:55 PM

We use them to protect the tires from sun damage. ×

AbdRahim · 10-28-2019, 06:06 PM

I would not be without them. They are covered all winter (storage mode), and if at a campground for more than a week, unless I have trouble with chipmunks getting in there.

pasdad1 · 10-28-2019, 06:22 PM

I never covered any car tires, and they are fine.....even some on my little used corvette, lasted more than 9 years without any signs of cracking ....replaced them because of age.

I’ve got many better ways to spend my time than covering and uncovering tires.

ga traveler · 10-28-2019, 06:36 PM

I replaced all 4 rear tires last week. Three were 10 years old, one was 12 years old. The 12 year tire was a mistake. I thought all four were put on at the same time. I cover the tires on the sunny side of the motorhome when at home. I never carry covers on the road. Works for me.

G Schulz · 10-28-2019, 07:50 PM

Anything that is supposed to extend the life of anything on the RV I will use. It’s seems to me that it’s common sense that UV will degrade rubber. Even if it gives me an extra year or two for something as expensive as tires, it’s worth doing. I have the ones made by MagneShade, easy on and off and you still get to see the polished rims.

Ray,IN · 10-28-2019, 08:44 PM

Tires are made with a UV protectant in the compound, as tires flex the UV protectant is released to the surface. Conversely when the tires is not flexing-well you know the rest. The vast majority of RV tires age-out vs wear-out, it makes sense to me to provide UV protection when parked outside for an extended period.

There used to be the argument that tires should be protected from ozone, so use tire covers. Then everyone realized the covers cannot block ozone, and that theory died.

JpalmerCass · 10-29-2019, 09:42 AM

I think some people like gadgets.

530ktm · 10-29-2019, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kahoona

For the past 20 years I was always told that if I don't cover the tires when staying somewhere for more than a few days they would be ruined by UV. In campgrounds almost everyone had them. I didn't bother except when it was stored at home. My Goodyears blew up in their fifth year and my Michelins cracked after four.
Now I put them on and nobody else does. I am here in Key West and I am the only one with covers. Did something change ?

If we stay put for more than a couple of weeks I might put them on if the hot afternoon sun is baking them and that depends on the suns intensity. Hot desert sun or Florida sun may be a good reason to protect them. But if you drove your car to work every day and parked in the same parking lot 9 hours a day for years do you cover your cars tires?

I tend not waste my time with them.

Triple H · 10-29-2019, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasdad1

I never covered any car tires, and they are fine.....even some on my little used corvette, lasted more than 9 years without any signs of cracking ....replaced them because of age.

I’ve got many better ways to spend my time than covering and uncovering tires.

You can’t compare car tires with RV tires because the car generally moves and is never in the exact same spot/position for weeks or months.

pasdad1 · 10-29-2019, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple H

You can’t compare car tires with RV tires because the car generally moves and is never in the exact same spot/position for weeks or months.

I can when it’s a third car which is very rarely driven, my corvette would often sit for weeks or months without being driven....I saw no ill effects from sun damage.

cwit · 10-30-2019, 05:51 PM

I worked on school busses for over 20 years and yes some spare busses sat for months at a time. Our busses are inspected twice a year and we never had to take tires off for rot or weather checks. We do by law have to change tires and rims in 10 years. I don’t cover tires.