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Mendocino, California. Delivery all over Northern California. Call or text (909) 259-7837

Free RV manual

RV Tires, Wheels and Wheel Bearings

Tire age, pressure and load, lug nut torque and when to service trailer wheel bearings. The parts that cause the most trouble on the road.

Tires age out before they wear out

RV tires often sit more than they roll. The rubber breaks down with sun and time even when the tread looks new. Many tire makers say to replace RV tires after five to seven years no matter how they look.

Find the date on the sidewall. Look for DOT and a long code. The last four numbers are the week and year it was made. A code ending in 2319 was made in the 23rd week of 2019.

Pressure and load

  1. Check the pressure with a gauge before every trip, when the tires are cold.
  2. Use the pressure on the sticker on the rig, often by the door or on the tongue. The number on the tire is the most it can hold, not always what it should run.
  3. Look for cracks in the sidewall and between the treads.
  4. A tire pressure monitor that shows each tire is worth the money. It warns you before a slow leak turns into a blowout.

Lug nuts

Wheels that have been off need their lug nuts torqued again after the first short drive. Dexter says to check them at 10, 25 and 50 miles. Use a torque wrench and the number in your axle or rig manual, in a star pattern.

Trailer wheel bearings

Each trailer wheel spins on bearings packed in grease. Dexter says to inspect and repack them every 12 months or 12,000 miles. Many trailers skip this for years and pay for it on the side of a highway.

At a stop, carefully feel each hub with the back of your hand. They should be warm, not too hot to touch. A hub much hotter than the others means a bearing or brake problem. Stop and get it checked.

When to call a shop

Call a shop for a hot hub, a wheel that wobbles, a grinding noise from a wheel, a tire with a bulge, or any tire more than seven years old.

The maker's own manuals

These guides cover how most RVs work. Your own rig may differ, so check the manual for your make and model.

Renting from us? Call or text 909-259-RVDR before you try a fix. We would rather talk you through it than have you guess, and it is free.

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