When people buy a new or used RV, they often wonder how similar the maintenance is to a regular car. People often ask, “Should my RV tires be rotated?” in order to ensure that they are taking care of their rig correctly.
Overall, your rig’s tires do not need to be rotated unless you inspect your tires and see wear on a specific area of your tread. If your rig is adequately cared for, tires routinely inspected, and you keep your tires inflated properly, you should not run into any issues. It is essential to make sure the RV dealership or shop aligns your tires before driving down the road. Having correctly aligned tires will minimize the need for rotation.
This article covers everything concerning tire rotations and what to look for when inspecting your tire and how to prolong your RV tires’ life.
By the way, as an Amazon Associate, I earn when buying qualified products through links on my site.
Should my RV Tires be Rotated?
More often than not, your 5th wheel or other trailer RV tires will not need to be rotated. If your motorhome tires have been correctly aligned initially, you should likely not need to rotate your trailer tires. However, if you are driving the RV, then the tires must be rotated as you would any other vehicle.
If you are driving a motorhome where there are more steering tires, then you may have to align your tires eventually. If you are pulling a travel trailer or fifth wheel that does not have steering tires, there is no need to rotate your tires.
Tire care and maintenance will also come down to how often you camp in your RV or trailer. If you are a weekend camper, you do not need to rotate your trailer tires. If you are a full-time RVer, you will likely need to rotate, align, or replace your tires over time.
Whether you are looking to camp for the weekend or go on an adventure and full-time RV, it is essential to pay attention to your RV tires and properly inspect them throughout your journey. With a few simple steps, you can have tires that will take you on many adventures and last you for many years to come.
How to Know When to Get My RV Tires Rotated
You should be aware of a few factors when checking your tires to see if they need to be rotated.
Abnormal Dips
You can take some time to check for any abnormal aspects of your tires. By taking your hand and running along the tread of your tire, you can find any abnormal dips or issues. Many times these abnormal dips can be caused by weathering or excessive wear.
Foreign Objects
When inspecting your tires, take the time to look for any embedded object such as pebbles stuck between your tire tread. Removing these objects will help to maintain your RV tire’s tread and allow them to last longer.
Weathering
If you typically store your RV, fifth wheel, or motorhome out in the elements, then you need to be aware of and look for signs of weathering. Tires exposed to excessive amounts of heat and weather tend to discolor and begin to crack. If you inspect your tires and see any kind of discoloration or cracking, it is time to get your tires replaced.
Where Should I Get My RV Tires Rotated
There are plenty of places that you can take your rig to get your tires inspected or rotated. You can choose the place that you feel most comfortable with, as well as one that is nearby.
- RV Dealerships
- RV Repair Shops
- Local Repair Shops
Often, local repair shops are well equipped to rotate your tires on your motorhome and trailer. RV Dealerships and RV Repair Shops are a better choice if you drive a larger motorhome or RV. These shops are created to handle all sizes of trailers, so you can be confident in trusting them with your larger or large motorhome.
No matter where you decide to get your tires looked at or rotated, finding a reputable and dependable repair company is imperative.
When driving a motorhome or RV, or pulling a trailer or fifth wheel, traveling down the road depends heavily on tires that are working properly.
How to Prolong the Life of Your RV Tires
RVs depend on their tires to take them to new places and over time, your tires will begin to wear down. There are multiple steps you can take to ensure that your RV tires last for years to come.
One way is to make sure you are keeping your RV tires properly inflated. This simply means keeping your tires inflated to the exact psi mentioned on the side of your tire.
If you under inflate your tire, you can run into low gas mileage because your car is overexerting itself to try and keep the poorly rotated tires moving correctly. Under-inflated tires get hot quickly, and if they are overused, it can result in a significant blowout and a disaster.
The same goes for over-inflated tires as well. If you over-inflate your tires, you can also cause an unnecessary blow out on your trailer tires. One way to double-check your tires before you hit the road is by storing a tire pressure gauge in your truck. By taking a few minutes to use the gauge to check each tire, you can proceed down the road in confidence.
Another way you can prolong your tires’ lives is by making sure they are aligned when you purchase your rig. Correctly aligned tires ensure that you are not just wearing down one side of your tire and they are being used evenly. If your tires are correctly aligned initially, you likely do not need to rotate your trailer tires.
It is also recommended to check your tire pressure before you head out on a long road trip to ensure your tires are filled up to what they need to be.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, if you are not using your trailer excessively, you should not need to rotate your RV tires. It is important to consistently check your tires to make sure they are in good shape before heading out on any road trip.
A few signs that your tires may need to be replaced or rotated are if you find cracks, dips in the tread, or consistently discover foreign objects in the tread. Taking time to inspect and take care of your tires is vitally important because it is what gets you from one place to another.
How often your trailer tires are used will also play into how often you will need to get your tires replaced or rotated. It will also depend on whether you are using your trailer as your full-time home on wheels or if you are just taking it out for the weekend.
All parts of your trailer are essential to take a few minutes from your schedule to look over before you hit the road. If you rush or don’t take the time to look over your trailer, you could end up in a disaster with a tire blowout that will genuinely put a wrench in your plans.