Storage / Tire Jacks

[awol50]

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

That's exactly what I do.

Checked w HWH and was told OK either up or down but I figured blocking better IMO. HWH does recommend periodicly "exercising" the jacks when stored or deployed for extended times.

I also air the tires up to / close to max P.

I disagree with others that say no problem storing tires in one orientation but they are certainly entitled to believe and do as they please. It's not about "wearing them out" it's about damaging belts that result in premature failures and potential MH damage or personal injury due to premature tire failures.

Here's what Michelin says about tire storage - I tend to value their input more than other random iNet forum speak. [Highlighting Mine]

Storing your tires:

• Store your tires indoors in a clean, cool and dark location away from direct sunlight, sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes or electric generators.
• If you are storing outdoors (recommended for a short time only), raise tires off the ground and use waterproof covering with holes to prevent moisture build-up.
• Be sure the surfaces on which tires are stored are clean and free from grease, gasoline, solvents, oils or other substances that could deteriorate the rubber.
• If tires are on a vehicle parked for a long period, the weight of the vehicle needs to be taken off the tires by jacking it up or removing the tires. Failure to do this may cause irreversible damage.

Just don't get the obsession with putting motorhome up on blocks to take weight off tires.
Cars, pickup trucks, vans, commercial vehicles don't. Ever. A tire is a tire and does just fine with supporting the weight they were made to support.
Being exposed to moisture and the elements and uv light is not good though.
My last class A had 15 year old tires on them and looked like new. But stored indoors and properly maintained the tires.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by awol50

Just don't get the obsession with putting motorhome up on blocks to take weight off tires.
Cars, pickup trucks, vans, commercial vehicles don't. Ever. A tire is a tire and does just fine with supporting the weight they were made to support.
Being exposed to moisture and the elements and uv light is not good though.
My last class A had 15 year old tires on them and looked like new. But stored indoors and properly maintained the tires.

If you drive your MH as frequently as your daily driver then I would agree (as would tire mfg like Michelin). If you were to store your daily driver for 6 mos you might do well to pay attention to tire P.

Would a low tire P be a problem? Overnight? How about for a month? or 6 mos?
I'll bet tire mfg know what they are talking about / recommending. Do you think they are blowing smoke and full of hot air?

Lots of cars / trucks are store outside and sit in the UV and rain why are you obsessed with that?

I really don't care what others do and not preaching - just sharing some thoughts and best practices from a tire Mfg.

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Second, setting your coach on it's jacks for an extended period of time, is perfectly fine. I mean, exactly WHAT would you be hurting/degrading/wearing out/ over using, WHAT? Nothing is the answer. In the earth moving equipment industry, hydraulic rams are staged in many different phases for large periods of time.

That is, they're in, they're out, their half way, they're loaded, they're unloaded and more and, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES. The seals and hydraulic oil don't care if the jacks/rams are in/out/half way/load/no load.

Well said, and quite accurate. I would just add, although it hasn't been brought up (yet), that metal fatigue is caused by load cycling, not static loading (load holding), and that all the bits and bobs that make up the system aren't going to get fatigued from holding the coach weight. If that were the case, steel buildings would be sagging and suspension bridges would be falling down.

The only downside I see is that the cylinder rods may not have the highest quality chrome plating, and may get tiny rust pits over time. But if (IF) that's the case, just coat them with some rust preventive goop. And do extend them a bit further and clean them before retracting. The wipers aren't made for cleaning heavy accumulated crud off the rods.

Or better yet, do as a manufacturer recommended (in an above post) - block up under the jacks and let the air out of the suspension. That has the added benefit of leaving the hydraulic reservoir full, which reduces the tendency for condensation to form inside that vented tank.

[awol50]

Originally Posted by Cat320

My manual says to use the jacks when stored....that's what they are for.

When your jacks are under load, all the seals, lines and valving back to the pump are under pressure. The rods are exposed to dirt, etc.

How is that not bad?

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by awol50

When your jacks are under load, all the seals, lines and valving back to the pump are under pressure. The rods are exposed to dirt, etc.

How is that not bad?

How is it bad ?

Lines, valves and seals are designed for pressure, rods are chrome. Dirt is wiped off with the outer wiper.

Have you ever seen a hyd oil seal ? Pressure is what keeps them pushed out against the rod.

[awol50]

Originally Posted by twinboat

How is it bad ?

Lines, valves and seals are designed for pressure, rods are chrome. Dirt is wiped off with the outer wiper.

Have you ever seen a hyd oil seal ? Pressure is what keeps them pushed out against the rod.

Less pressure would be better than more pressure.
Chrome does pit especially in salty enviroments.
A chrome rod subjected to the environment for extended time can get pretty grimy.
I know all us old guys say they crawl under their rig in the gravel, dirt and mud to meticulously wipe the jack rods down, right? Every time, right?
Each to their own.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by AJMike

I don't mean to be "picky" but we have had to replace tires on our RV due to wear. We are not full timers but we travel much further in our RV in any year than in our car, so tire wear is an issue for us.

Having said that, we do not prop our RV up so as to relieve pressure on our tires. We pretty much go on short trips every 3 weeks and so that seems pointless in any case.

You're not picky AJ, not at all. It's just incredibly rare that RV folks actually WEAR their tires out. Been on these forums for years and years and, I'm not sure I've actually ever read of anyone saying: "Well, we wore out our RV tires and, need new ones". It's usually, "Well, my tires are over 7 years old and there's only about x-thousand miles on them and, they're cracked or, look good but, the manufacture says to change them when they get that old".

Scott