If you are headed for a long trip, or even a small one, out on your RV, the one part of your RV you need to be sure of is the tires.
If the tires go bad, in the middle of your trip, your experience will be completely spoiled.
Additionally, you will have to spend hours trying to fix it.
Failure or damage to the tires can also be very dangerous on the road. You should also make sure that the tires you are using are compatible with your RV.
In order to make sure that your trip is unhindered because of such accidents and from such dangers, you should look out for the most reliable and durable RV tires available in the market.
Article Outline
- Top RV Tires Compared
- Reviews of the Best RV Tires
- Buying Guide For Best RV Tires
- Types of RV tires
- When to Replace your Existing RV Tires
- How much Does it Cost to Replace RV tires?
- How Long Should RV Tires Last (in terms of km)
- How to keep RV Tires from Dry Rotting
- How to Replace RV Tires
- What Size are RV Tires
- FAQS
- In the end..
Top RV Tires Compared
Here is a quick comparison for you – >
| Product | Load Index | Price |
|---|---|---|
Michelin XPS RIB Truck Radial Tire | 120 | Check Price |
Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude HT All-season Radial Tire | 115 | Check Price |
Gladiator ST 205/75R15 Reinforced RV Trailer Truck Tire | 75 | Check Price |
Goodyear G614 Unisteel RST Radial Tire | 126 | Check Price |
Carlisle ST205/75R15 Radial Trailer RV Tire | 107 | Check Price |
Maxxis M8008 Radial Trailer Tire | 117 | Check Price |
Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 All-season Tire | 109 | Check Price |
Reviews of the Best RV Tires
Michelin XPS RIB Truck Radial Tire
Michelin is a popular tire brand based in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The company is the world’s second largest manufacturer of tires and other rubber products and has been around since the year 1889.
Michelin XPS RIB Truck tire is one good option you can afford to miss if you looking for reliable high-performance tires for your RV. It is designed to deliver excellent on-the-road performance in wet, snowy or dry weather conditions.
A good thing about this heavy-duty radial tire is its long-wearing rib tread design that promotes durability and ensures great all-terrain traction.
On the upside, it has a low rolling resistance which helps enhance its fuel efficiency, allowing RV owners to travel more with less gas.
This radial tire is built for various wheel sizes, giving you the opportunity to find the one that best suits your rig. As a plus, it comes with a protective steel casing that protects it from dust, weather elements, UV light, etc.
- Comes in multiple sizes
- Has a long wear life
- Sturdily built
- Maintains good traction
- May not be suitable on icy or snowy surfaces
Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude HT All-season Radial Tire
Here is another great RV tire from Goodyear. It is also made with great quality materials to ensure it lasts you for a long while.
One nice thing about this tire is the lower rolling resistant tread which improves your motorhome’s fuel efficiency, making it a must-have for all class A RV owners.
Built for good ride quality, the tire runs smoothly and quietly, ensuring you are comfortable all trip long.
As expected of an all-season radial tire, Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude demonstrates dependable traction on any types of terrain, be it dry or wet.
So you can rest assured you are never going to have a bumpy ride while on the road. To top it all, it comes in a budget-friendly price anyone can afford.
- Little to no noise
- Ensures comfortable rides
- Decent traction
- Reasonably priced
- Improves fuel efficiency
- Limited size options
Gladiator ST 205/75R15 Reinforced RV Trailer Truck Tire
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Gladiator Tires is a leading manufacturer of top grade tires for different types of automobiles and vehicles, including trailers, light trucks, RVs and many more.
The Gladiator ST205/75R15 is simply one of the best-rated RV tires around. The lovely thing about this tire is that it delivers excellent performance without compromising on ride quality in all weather conditions.
All thanks to its balanced footprint and sturdy construction. The tire is capable of holding up to 2150 pounds, so it can carry you, your friends and family on a short or long trip conveniently.
This heavy-duty truck tire is very stable on the road, ensuring you have no tough times when you are enjoying the outdoors.
One thing buyers would like the most about this model is that it is available in different sizes, which makes it easier to find the perfect match for your rig.
- Built for demanding trailer applications
- Available in multiple sizes
- Provides excellent all-terrain traction
- Not expensive
- Cannot be used by small trucks and RVs
Goodyear G614 Unisteel RST Radial Tire
Goodyear is a tire manufacturing brand based in Akron, Ohio, United States. The company offers good-quality tires for automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, SUVs, race cars and more.
This radial RST tire is one of the most reliable, affordable tires for recreational vehicles. It is constructed with rugged, heavy-duty materials and designed with plenty of innovative features for better durability and performance.
This tire is built to easily handle the harshest and most demanding trailer applications.
One of the things to love about Goodyear G614 is its shallow tread design which helps keep the running temperature at a minimal while allowing the tire to wear and tear evenly.
It also has lateral grooves, rib edge sipes and reinforced rubber compounds that combine to deliver excellent traction on both wet and dry terrains.
Lastly, this tire comes in multiple sizes, allowing you to get the ideal fit for your rig with no hassles.
- Offer good traction on all terrains
- Sturdily built
- Multiple size options
- Its rounded shoulder ribs allow for even wear
- Comes with a premium casing to improve longevity
- It is pricey
Carlisle ST205/75R15 Radial Trailer RV Tire
The Carlisle tire brand was founded in Pennsylvania in the year 1917. The company offers a comprehensive line of tires and wheels for cars, trailers, vehicles, among others.
This feature-packed design from Carlisle is another good option you may want to consider when shopping for reliable tires for your recreational vehicles.
The versatile tire is suitable for both long and short distance trips and works perfectly for toy haulers and RVs.
The first noticeable thing about this tire is its unique tread contour and pattern, which zeroes the chance of irregular wear conditions.
This rugged and dependable radial tire gives RVers maximum protection and peace of mind while they are on the road.
It is designed with a wear-resistant tread compound that delivers good wear performance for many years of towing life. The quiet-running tire is available in different sizes and is suitable for a wide variety of applications.
- Good price
- Available in 15 different sizes
- Does not produce much noise
- Highly versatile
- Durable
- May not be suitable for a horse trailer
- No wheel included
Maxxis M8008 Radial Trailer Tire
Started as a bicycle tire manufacturer in 1967, Maxxis has grown to become one of the world’s largest producers of high-performance tires for automobiles, trailers, trucks and the like.
The Maxxis M8008 Radial tire is a popular choice among RV owners for many reasons. For one, it has a good overall build that allows for a sturdy long-hauling capacity.
This helps ensure that you enjoy a smooth ride when on the move. It features an advanced tread compound & belted construction, which makes it capable of carrying heavy loads conveniently.
Moreover, this tread compound also enhances tread life and improves the RV’s fuel efficiency.
Its radial construction helps guarantee a quiet ride and excellent on-the-road performance while taking its high-speed durability to a higher level.
Another good thing about this sturdy tire is its ability to absorb shocks, making it one of the best RV tires available in the market.
- Sturdy construction
- Shock-absorbent
- Quiet on the road
- Good traction
- It doesn’t include a wheel
Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 All-season Tire
Dunlop is among the world’s leading producers of tires for automobiles, commercial vehicles, trailers and so on. The brand was launched many years ago in Birmingham, England.
Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 tire is designed to let RV owners enjoy a quiet, comfortable ride while on the road. The most impressive thing about this rugged tire has to be its aggressive tread design that works fine in all seasons.
Its circumferential grooves help pump away water, while its sipes can be very handy in snowy conditions.
The tire features a rib-shift design and a unique tread arrangement, which ensure good tread wear and reduce the noise while the vehicle is on the move.
Furthermore, the open-shoulder design and lateral grooves combine to improve the tire’s traction on all kinds of surfaces.
One more thing, it also features the VersaLoad technology that helps enhance the tire’s stability and wear no matter the load condition.
- Ensures a smooth, silent ride
- Good traction on the road
- Great price
- Built to last
- Not good for driving around curves
Buying Guide For Best RV Tires
The various parameters to consider while buying the best RV tires include safety, quality, size, load rating, speed rating, strong sidewall, outdoor conditions and traction of the tires. It is usually recommended that you go for trusted brands and dealers.
Safety: Safety is one of the most important concerns while buying tires for your RV. if you are planning a long trip, you must ensure that the tires are not going to ditch you midway.
Tires that are not safe can pose a major threat on the road.
In order to ensure that the tires are safe, check its sipes, groove ratio, structure, tread pattern, and self-locking spies. Heavy duty tires are usually recommended for RV tires.
You could go for either a special trailer tire (ST) or a light truck tire (LT). Both of these are a good and safe option for RVs.
Quality
You should always check the tire for their quality, otherwise they will not be able to stand the rash of the road. The tires will have to deal with a lot of vibrations and jerks on the road.
Therefore, it is important that you look for tires that will ensure a smooth ride.
The quality of the tires should also be long-lasting so that even in the long run, it does not trouble your movement on the road. You should look for tires that offer consistency in your rides, without compromising on the mileage.
Size
It is important to buy tires that fit the exact size of your RV. While doing this, you need to make sure that you are consulting the size chart rather than going for approximate size.
Choosing a tire that is either smaller or larger than the actual size can raise safety concerns.
You should be able to find a specific tire size that fits the specifications and requirement for your vehicle and its wheels. It is also suggested that you look at the digits mentioned on the sidewall of a tire.
These digits indicate the tires size. They must begin with ST or LT if you are looking for tires for your RV.
If you are unable to decide on the right size, you can consult your owner’s manual or even talk to a local mechanic regarding this. Wrong sized tires often constitute a costly mistake.
Load Rating
Load rating refers to the maximum weight that a tire can uphold. In case, the tires are subjected to weight more than its load rating, it will affect the stability and durability of the tires, as well as its performance on the road.
This can be potentially dangerous.
It is suggested that you go with tires that have the maximum load rating. The tires should be able to handle the kind and level of stress you anticipate will be needed.
Ideally, you should pick tires that are most suitable for the heavy load, including food equipment and other appliances you may have on your RV.
In order to do this, anticipate the weight of your RV, with all the equipment in place and then divide it with four to give the load that each tire is under.
Strong Sidewalls
The sidewall strength of the tires helps in managing the load of the RV. you should look for a tire with strong sidewalls. Weak sidewalls can hamper your safety on the road.
Many RV tires have reinforced sidewalls that allow them to deal with heaviness without compromising on the durability of the tires. However, some tires with reinforced sidewalls may also make your ride jerky.
It is, therefore, important to weigh these possibilities alongside each other in order to make the right choice.
Speed Rating
Speed rating refers to the maximum speed at which the tires can operate effectively. All RV tires come with a speed rating.
Depending on where you are headed or what kind of road you will be taking, you can decide on a speed rating. If you are planning on taking the highway then a higher speed rating will be more beneficial.
But if you planning to go from between towns and cities, a lower speed rating would also suffice.
One thing to remember about speed rating is that these ratings are checked under laboratory conditions and do not take into account different factors like weather conditions, road conditions, etc.
Therefore be careful of these considerations while selecting the speed rating.
Outdoor Conditions
Outdoor conditions like weather, rains, and roads may affect the performance and quality of the tires. It is therefore important that you buy RV tires while keeping these considerations in mind.
If you plan to stay on the road throughout the year, then you should buy tires that are suited to all types of weather conditions.
On the other hand, if you plan to stay out during rains, you should look for tires that are suited to rainy and wet weather conditions, and that will be safe on wet roads.
Tires for the rainy season comes with a special kind of tread that reduces aquaplaning. Your decisions should take these factors into consideration.
Traction
Traction in tires ensures that your ride is a smooth one, and makes the process of applying breaks or taking turns easier. It also reduces the noise of the vehicle while driving.
Therefore, it is important that you look for tires with smooth traction. You can also choose the kind of traction depending upon weather condition as well as the condition of the road.
Trusted Brands
Buying RV tires from trusted brands and dealers ensure not only the quality of the tires but also your safety. It makes the deal risk free, as you will know by the reviews how a certain type of tire performs, but also at times makes a discounted offer.
Authorized brands and dealers will also provide you tires with a certain warranty period. In short, it is a better idea to go for names that are already known in the tire industry.
Prior Condition and Age
It is important that you check the condition of the tires before buying them. While doing so, you should check for tread wear pattern, cleanliness, depth of tread, consistency of wear patterns, cracks, and dry rot.
You should also make sure that the tires are not more than 5 years old. 5 years from the date of manufacture is the usual lifespan of a tire. Having tires that are more than 5 years old are not safe for the road.
Here is a quick video explaining how to choose RV tires for your trailer :
Types of RV tires
The different types of RV tires include radial tires, bias tires, trailer tires, light truck tires, and special trailer tires.
There are different types of RV tires to suit all kinds of requirements. They are listed as below-
Radial Tires
Radial tires are known for their flexing sidewall. They also allow for greater control on the wheels. They have a 90-degree angle which is one of their unique features.
They also have a longer tread life and are more resistant to rolling. These tires offer better traction and improved stability. They are, however, more expensive than other types of tires.
Bias Tires
They are also known as nylon tires as they have a nylon belt that runs on a 30-40 degree angle. It is made of multiple layers of rubber that make it more sensitive to heat.
It is because of this reason that they are more prone to wearing out. They are usually considered to be of a lower quality than radial tires.
Trailer Tires
Trailer tires are built to withstand the pressure of a tractor-trailer load, and come with strong sidewalls. They, however, are not meant for steering and are a good option only when your RV is being towed.
Light Truck Tires (LT)
LT tires are built specifically for vehicles that are lighter than trucks but heavier than an average vehicle.
The sidewall of LT tires is more enhanced with material to give them the load bearing capacity they need. However, this may cause a rough ride on the road.
Special Trailer Tires (ST)
ST tires are at the higher end of LT tires. They are loaded with features like higher speed, heavier load, stiffer sides to prevent the trailer from getting swayed.
Here is a quick video comparing trailer tires with light truck tires :
When to Replace your Existing RV Tires
Replacing your existing RV tires at the right time constitutes a major effort towards maintaining your RV as well as maintaining the tires. Generally, it is recommended that you change your tires every three to six years.
However, there are a number of factors that affect this decision. These factors include the amount of time spent on the road and the quality and durability of your tires among other such factors.
You should regularly check the tires for any wear and tear, or for any damage. You should generally not exceed the use of a tire for more than six years at one time.
Follow this quick video to understand when to replace your RV tires :
How much Does it Cost to Replace RV tires?
The average cost of an RV tire is somewhere around 300 dollar and it will cost at least 300 dollars to replace the RV tires. However, these costs may vary depending on factors like the brand, the quality and type of tires you are purchasing, as well as the type of features you are looking for.
How Long Should RV Tires Last (in terms of km)
An RV tire works most efficiently up until 40,300 kilometers approximately. Considering that your RV drive down approximately 8000 kilometers annually, this should last for 5 years.
Both tread and aging are important considerations when deciding how long RV tires last. These factors are determined by how much distance you travel annually.
How to keep RV Tires from Dry Rotting
In order to safeguard your RV tires from dry rotting, check the tires monthly to see if they are properly inflated. Try to store your RV in a climate controlled garage, so that degradation due to exposure to UV rays is prevented.
You can also use tire covers to prevent this exposure.
You should store the RV away from asphalt as that attracts the UV rays. One other way to protect them against dry rotting is to remove the tires from the trailer and store them indoors.
How to Replace RV Tires
In order to replace RV tires, you would need RV jacks or leveler, a new tire, and a tire wrench. You will need to take greater care while replacing RV tires as the vehicle is extremely heavy.
With the help of the jack, raise the vehicle high enough for the tires to spin freely. First, remove the tire nuts with the help of the tire wrench, and then take the wheel out.
Fit the new tires in its place and put the lug nuts on with the help of the wrench. After you have done this, lower the vehicle down to the with the help of the jack.
It is recommended that you do this away from the road, where there is no traffic, in order to ensure safety.
Follow this quick link to see how to replace RV tires :
What Size are RV Tires
Getting the right tires size is extremely important. A mismatch can cause a rapid tear. For example, it is important to keep the tire and wheel rating compatible. A tire rate at 3,000 pounds should not be mounted on a wheel rated 2000 pounds.
Some of the most popular RV tire size and their equivalents include the following:
235/80R22.5 = 245/75R22.5
255/80R22.5 = 265/75R22.5
295/75R22.5 = 275/80R22.5
These size equivalents are all OE-approved.
While the first two digits represent the cross-section of the tire in inches, ‘R’ represents the radial, and the digits following it is the rim diameter. All the units are measured in inches.
Before you decide on the sizing, clarify the fitment and clearance of the wheel and tires with the manufacturers. The rim width should be compatible with the size of the tire. A minimum dual spacing should also be confirmed.
Here is a quick video to guide you through the process of buying trailer tires :
FAQS
On an average an RV tire costs around 300 dollars. However, this price might fluctuate anywhere between 300 dollars to 600 dollars, depending upon the size, brand, features, capacity, and other aspects.
You can clean your RV tires with the help of mild soap and water. In order to do this, flood the tires with water completely, and rinse them to remove all loose dirt. After this, apply mild soap and scrub it with a mild scrubber. Rinse it with water again, and your RV tires are clean.
The first thing you should do as part of winter care is to check the air pressure in the tires before you park the RV to make sure that the pressure levels are fine. You should also clean the tires and perhaps put a tire cover on it for protection. It is a good idea to keep the tires off the ground in winters when not using it. Going for a quick drive during winters will also keep the tire in shape.
Tires inflation tends to drop as temperature goes down. For every 10 degrees of temperature drops, tires will lose 1-2 pounds of pressure. Impact on the tires pressure is therefore natural in winters.
Tire rotation is needed in order to ensure equal wear on all tires. This should be done at regular mileage intervals. You should ideally consult the owner’s manual for instructions for your particular tire before attempting the rotation.
In the end..
Hope this article helped you in deciding which tires are best for your RV.
Here is the list of our top picks again for you –
- Michelin XPS RIB Truck Radial Tire
- Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude HT All-season Radial Tire
- Gladiator ST 205/75R15 Reinforced RV Trailer Truck Tire
- Goodyear G614 Unisteel RST Radial Tire
- Carlisle ST205/75R15 Radial Trailer RV Tire
- Maxxis M8008 Radial Trailer Tire
- Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 All-season Tire
Last update on 2020-07-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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