Increasing lifespan for new tires

[gimlimike]

I just bought new Michelins for our coach and was hoping for some opinions from experienced owners on increasing the life span . Besides proper inflation what do you folks do ?

[Sidewinder4]

Keeping them covered with tire covers and monthly spray 303. To much cost to not do the extras. The other thing is to always keep newer tires on the steering axle. (front)

[Hit_the_Rhod]

I've found that if I replace the tires every 7 years or so, there's not much that can go wrong with a good tire in that time barring physical damage (hitting curbs, etc), so most preventive measures are really cosmetic IMHO anyway. Buy good tires, keep clean, and just use them. Then replace based on time since manufacture, NOT perceived condition based on visual inspection.

[Maik]

I do the same; keep them covered from the elements. Proper inflation and avoid damaging the side walls. The most damage a rv tire will see is from the sun. If I had it my way I would wear out my tires driving, but work keeps me back.

[hydro45640]

I have one question for you RVers. Has anyone seen a semi-trailer or transit buses setting around their terminal with their tires covered?
I am sure that they are manufactured with the same standards that RV tires are.
Seem to me that the rv accessary industry has spoofed us into covering our tires just to sell covers.
I know that I am going to get a lot of flack, but this is my opinion.

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by hydro45640

I have one question for you RVers. Has anyone seen a semi-trailer or transit buses setting around their terminal with their tires covered?
I am sure that they are manufactured with the same standards that RV tires are.
Seem to me that the rv accessary industry has spoofed us into covering our tires just to sell covers.
I know that I am going to get a lot of flack, but this is my opinion.

I would venture to say that MOST transit buses and Semi's wear tires out in less than 4 years and replace them. UV light is a proven physics fact with rubber and i will never come close to tire wear in the life span of my RV tires. Protecting them with wheel covers ( less than $75 for four) and 303 spray to insure the sidewalls are as good as they can be for the life span is a small price to pay and well worth the added safety factor and peace of mind when i take my family on trips. JMO

[kenandterry]

If RVers DROVE their rigs as much and as often as semis and transit buses did, you wouldn’t have the need or time to cover and uncover. Truth is...
even full timers can’t match the annual mileage of professional drivers of other big rigs and buses.

RV Tires typically are built with slightly softer sidewalls....for ride comfort, compared to truck tires. They also have some UV inhibitors built in for protection from the sun, because of all the time spent parked.

Nobody is forced into buying tire covers....but it’s a small price to pay in the attempt to protect them from the elements when we’re parked as often as we are.

Just another opinion.....

[Unplanned Tourist]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

I would venture to say that MOST transit buses and Semi's wear tires out in less than 4 years and replace them. UV light is a proven physics fact with rubber and i will never come close to tire wear in the life span of my RV tires. Protecting them with wheel covers ( less than $75 for four) and 303 spray to insure the sidewalls are as good as they can be for the life span is a small price to pay and well worth the added safety factor and peace of mind when i take my family on trips. JMO

Very true, commercial vehicles will wear out the tires long before the sun will destroy them.
My tire covers cost me $25,000.00, but it covers the whole rig!
Happy Glamping.

[trenchmonkey]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

If RVers DROVE their rigs as much and as often as semis and transit buses did, you wouldn’t have the need or time to cover and uncover. Truth is...
even full timers can’t match the annual mileage of professional drivers of other big rigs and buses.

RV Tires typically are built with slightly softer sidewalls....for ride comfort, compared to truck tires. They also have some UV inhibitors built in for protection from the sun, because of all the time spent parked.

Nobody is forced into buying tire covers....but it’s a small price to pay in the attempt to protect them from the elements when we’re parked as often as we are.

Just another opinion.....

Agree and I'll add...
when parked/stored ours is on 3/4" rubber mats (Tractor Supply)
Really nice to fire it up after a couple of months and roll down the road
not having to wait for inevitable flat spots to round out.

[sbleiweiss]

Originally Posted by trenchmonkey

Agree and I'll add...
when parked/stored ours is on 3/4" rubber mats (Tractor Supply)
Really nice to fire it up after a couple of months and roll down the road
not having to wait for inevitable flat spots to round out.

I'm no expert, but I thought flat spots went out when radials came in. And even if not, why would parking on thin rubber mats avoid flat spots any differently than parking on concrete would? Its not like your parking on a pillow top mattress.

[high voltage]

Bridgestone 295/80 , date 2009 , 75000 miles, been outside parked on grass never cover. Look like new .

[grindstone01]

Originally Posted by high voltage

Bridgestone 295/80 , date 2009 , 75000 miles, been outside parked on grass never cover. Look like new .

...

Looks can be deceiving, you can research on the internet about tire life and it is well noted that tire blowout risk increase dramatically after 5-7 years of rubber age. Last July was 20 miles away from my son's house and was planing on replacing truck dually tires w/75k miles and 6 years old. I experienced a tire blow out and added $1500 fender repair bill to the tire replacement cost.

[cruzbill]

Not too far from home is a trucking company yard that must have 100 or more tractors and open top trailers (doubles) in storage. Trucks are used to haul tomatoes and rice in season, other than that, they sit, outside, on dirt in the central valley sun. Now the guy that owns that fleet should know tires.

[Cooperhawk]

When I drove tractor trailers I had a trailer that I put half a million miles on and the tires didn't show much wear at all. Then after seven years they started blowing one at a time.

Age is the biggest factor.