Tire covers, are they really neeeded?

[Sky_Boss]

Yes...it is all a conspiracy by the tire manufacturers in league with RV products makers to suck us dry. (Please note the sarcasm/tongue in cheek tone)

If you don't believe that UV light and/or heat will accelerate tire degradation, that's cool. I believe they do but I don't have a magic calculator that will tell me how much, under what conditions, and duration of any factors.

What I do believe is that perhaps no single feature of any RV (MH, 5ver, TT...) has as much of an immediate impact on the safety of us and those around us as tires. It is for that reason alone that I subscribe to taking the best care of my tires as possible.

It is like poker. I'm going to play the odds. You have understand that odds are not guarantees but if you take actions that are in favor of the odds then you have the best chance of not getting busted. The actions that support tire safety odds include protecting them form the environment, driving them safely, making sure they are properly inflated, the coach is not overloaded and the tires are retired before they statistically tend to go bust.

These I say are IMHO. You can agree or not and as long as you don't have a blow out next to me or my family, it has no impact on what I do.

[donandmax]

We lived in Arizona for 5 years. And I'm here to tell you that the sun will quickly suck the life out of everything. And I mean everything that is man made..

[Lobstah]

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

Yes...it is all a conspiracy by the tire manufacturers in league with RV products makers to suck us dry. (Please note the sarcasm/tongue in cheek tone)

If you don't believe that UV light and/or heat will accelerate tire degradation, that's cool. I believe they do but I don't have a magic calculator that will tell me how much, under what conditions, and duration of any factors.

What I do believe is that perhaps no single feature of any RV (MH, 5ver, TT...) has as much of an immediate impact on the safety of us and those around us as tires. It is for that reason alone that I subscribe to taking the best care of my tires as possible.

It is like poker. I'm going to play the odds. You have understand that odds are not guarantees but if you take actions that are in favor of the odds then you have the best chance of not getting busted. The actions that support tire safety odds include protecting them form the environment, driving them safely, making sure they are properly inflated, the coach is not overloaded and the tires are retired before they statistically tend to go bust.

These I say are IMHO. You can agree or not and as long as you don't have a blow out next to me or my family, it has no impact on what I do.

Never said UV didn't have an impact.
I've said it doesn't impact RV tires any more than car or truck tires, and it doesn't impact a tire that's stationary any more than a tire that's moving.

In my case, I take my tires seriously, and change them all at the 5yr mark. I don't believe covers would impact my tire quality one way or the other within the 5yrs. Would they make a difference between going 10yrs and 12yrs? Maybe, but that's well outside of the safety boundaries that I operate in.

Do I think it's a "conspiracy"? No. Do I think it's an unnecessary doodad, like the hundreds of other doodads in any Walmart or Camping world?

Yup

What a country, huh?

Jim

[al2ride]

Originally Posted by Lobstah

Never said UV didn't have an impact.
I've said it doesn't impact RV tires any more than car or truck tires, and it doesn't impact a tire that's stationary any more than a tire that's moving.

In my case, I take my tires seriously, and change them all at the 5yr mark. I don't believe covers would impact my tire quality one way or the other within the 5yrs. Would they make a difference between going 10yrs and 12yrs? Maybe, but that's well outside of the safety boundaries that I operate in.

Do I think it's a "conspiracy"? No. Do I think it's an unnecessary doodad, like the hundreds of other doodads in any Walmart or Camping world?

Yup

What a country, huh?

Jim

Nicely said

[Steve N Sal]

Our covers came with the coach, sooo I use them. It doesn't take much to put them on. I can understand the thread starting though and as mentioned how many cover the tires on there cars that are sitting outside? Thanks for posting it is some interesting reading and thoughts.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by Lobstah

Never said ...

Jim,

While it may look like I was directing my screed at you, it was not my intent. The whole topic of tire covers, tire pressure, tire care, and loading of coach seems to recycle often and frequently.

It usually tends to spin to other thoughts like this has.

What does get me cranked up is when anyone uses or infers a negative argument to support arguments about various limits. Those are the arguments like, "I overload my axle by 1000# and never have had a problem." The fact that someone does that doesn't make it a fundamentally safe. Thus my poker analogy. No, I don't think you used a negative argument in stating your opinion about UV degradation. You gave an opinion based on your observations and it wasn't contrary to more objective arguments such as exceeding manufacturer's limits.

I do want to explain my thoughts about comparing auto vs RV tires. I think most of us would agree that auto tires get many more miles than RV, especially as a toad. The act of tire movement releases emollients that help maintain the rubber condition which, in turn, helps combat environmental degradation. That isn't the whole picture as I see it with regards to covering tires.

Here is something I have read in the past to support my thoughts on UV degradation

Rubber: Loss of Elasticity

The reason rubber tends to become less elastic and more cracked after long-term exposure to sunlight is a matter of molecular bonding (specifically, cross-linking bonds). UV rays from the sun have the effect of increasing the cross-linking between polymer molecules within the rubber, increasing the density of these cross-links. At a certain point, the plethora of cross-links formed--due to chemical stimulation from the rays of the sun--strengthen the rubber item, and lessen the original elasticity, making the rubber item more brittle and harder to bend or stretch. This process is also considered an oxidation of the rubber polymers.

Rubber: Degradation of Carbon Black In Tires

There's a reason why car tires always come in black, though few stop to consider why. In order to protect against the effect of sunlight on cross-linking rubber polymers, tire rubber is infused with a protective material known as carbon black, also referred to by those in the auto industry as a "competitive absorber." The purpose of the carbon black is to absorb sunlight on the surface of the tire, and deflect it from the inner polymers of the tire.

While the deflection and protection abilities of carbon black extend the life of a car tire, they do not do so indefinitely. Eventually, UV rays from the sun destroy carbon black molecules, depleting the shield on the car tire surface, and giving access to the inner tire polymers. The degradation of carbon black in rubber tires explains why car tires become gray and crack as they age.

Also consider this article Tire Tech Tips

The first item is from a source with no vested interest in selling a tire or accessories and the second one would actually benefit if you buy tires from them more often.

[bailiff]

Tire cover have to help a little. The ticket to tire life is to keep them rolling. I don't sit for over 3 weeks anytime. I have worn tires out over a 5 year period on our fifthwheel without a blowout or tire related problem.

[tropical36]

I can only say that here in FL, the sun will destroy most anything with time, including people, so any shield from it at all, has to help. Ours slip on and off pretty easy, so worth the trouble, but don't like windstorms without using a bungie cord or other.

[Nick B]

Originally Posted by CJ7ole

How well do tire covers really protect your tires? Isn't it the ozone that rots tires? If so, how will covering them with anything short of saran wrap help them? If it is direct sunlight, how many hours per day does the sun really hit them hard? Nobody puts tire covers on their car and plenty of cars go 7 years on a set of tires (ok, low mileage drivers anyway). My rig has never had them and at the 7 year tire age, I don't see any rotting issues. Personally I think it is something thought up by someone trying to sell another gadget to an unsuspecting newbie RV owner. Maybe I am trolling a bit here, but what are your thoughts? And can we be objective, not just justifying why we did or did not spend money on them. Any factual info from the tire manufacturers?

Ole, good post. In looking at the responses, looks like you can take your pick of opinions! For my part, I owned my first TT from 2006 to 2013, and it did not get heavy usage, largely sitting in outside storage, on asphalt. Location is Vancouver, British Columbia. I suspect things may depend upon location, and I've had no issues at all with my tires. I had them carefully inspected last year in preparation for a trip, and there were no problems at all. The BC coast is probably a kind environment for rubber - moist, not too hot, low UV factor. Our southern bretheren have a different environment, and if my trailer saw more time in hot, sunny climates, I think I'd be covering my tires too.

Nick B
2008 GMC Sierra 2WD 4.8L with Roadmaster Active Suspension, 2014 Black Rock 19B

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by Nick B

... I suspect things may depend upon location, and I've had no issues at all with my tires. ...The BC coast is probably a kind environment for rubber - moist, not too hot, low UV factor. Our southern bretheren have a different environment, and if my trailer saw more time in hot, sunny climates, I think I'd be covering my tires too....

Good points made there.

[JFXG]

As with so many conversations, there are plenty of opinions to go around. When I accept advice, I try to get it from people who actually know whereof they speak. So far I've read nothing here that trumps the knowledge gleaned from 40 years of designing and testing tires, so I'll stick with Roger Marble, as referenced in my post #19. YMMV..(literally!).....

[CJ7ole]

Thank you for all of your responses everyone. As is often the case, it can be said "to each his own". I just looked up the Michelin tire owners manual and under the 'storage' paragraph they recommend storing a tire indoors with all weight removed if it is to be stored for more than a month. Probably good advice, not real practical and probably reviewed by corporate lawyers (CYA folks). They talk about "cosmetic" checking not being covered under warranty implying that only severe, deep, sidewall cracks are cause for concern and covered under warranty. l would have cut and pasted the paragraph, but the document is a pdf. Skip to page 23. http://www.michelinman.com/mediabin/...ers_Manual.pdf

From Goodyear's Recreational Vehicle Tire and Care Guide: "If a tire has weather cracks deeper than 2/32" - or if internal components such as steel or fabric body plies are visible - the tire should be replaced." http://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/tire-care-guide.pdf

And here is an article from Tire Rack regarding weather checking: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=30 it reiterates much of what has been said by various posters.

In summary, some weather checking is considered normal, published sources recommend covering tires to at least reduce effects of direct sunlight, although covers will do nothing to reduce the effects of ozone or the use of improper tire cleaners or dressings. So for now, I will continue to choose to not use tire covers as I don't store my RV in the Florida or Arizona summer sun and my five year old tires show no sign of weather checking.

[DavisK]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Depending on what surface you park your coach on, it can absorb moisture and dry your tires out, especially concrete. Have you ever looked at a block wall when water is present at the base. Within a short amount of time, the wall is absorbing the moisture and the water starts climbing the wall. The same thing happens to tires. Cardboard, wood and other material are a pain to use and deteriorate quickly. I use rubber mud flaps under my tires to protect them.

Tractor Supply sells rubber horse stall mats that can be cut and used for this purpose. The price is right too. You can see them here Rubber Horse Stall Mat, 4 ft. x 6 ft. - Tractor Supply Co.

[Tobias7000]

From my Country Coach owners manual.

Long-Term Storage of RV Tires
Rubber tires age faster when not being used. There are steps that you can take to reduce the aging effects from long-term RV storage. Before putting your motorcoach into storage, thoroughly clean your tires and inflate them to the recommended maximum pressure. Then cover the tires to prevent exposure to direct sunlight and ultraviolet rays. Failure to take these simple steps can lead to early deterioration and shorten the life of your tires.

I don't have tire covers myself. But I live in Oregon and not much sun most of the year.