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Rich_Mar's avatar
Rich_Mar
Explorer
Nov 15, 2019

do you do this

I'm thru taking the fiver out for the winter. Probably won't go out again for 5 months at least. Do you raise your rv so the weight is off the tires? I never have in the past, but at the price of tires today, I'm thinking I'll start. And do you put a pair of jack stands under each axle? I've read that this might ever so slightly bend the axle when left for months. So where would you put the stand not to do damage?
  • Cummins12v98, I can't talk to my brother in law because he know all there is to know about anything, lol. I do cover my tires and they rest on 2x6 pieces of wood when in storage. I have Michelin XPS ribs on my 5er and put new ones on last spring. They didn't wear out, they aged out. Expensive but great tires.
  • Rich&Mar wrote:
    I'm thru taking the fiver out for the winter. Probably won't go out again for 5 months at least. Do you raise your rv so the weight is off the tires? I never have in the past, but at the price of tires today, I'm thinking I'll start. And do you put a pair of jack stands under each axle? I've read that this might ever so slightly bend the axle when left for months. So where would you put the stand not to do damage?

    This was more common years ago when RV trailers were smaller/lighter gross weight.
    Many folks also removed their wheels and stored them some where out of the elements. Some also jack some weight off the tires.

    We lived in a 31' 5er for 7 months one winter while our house was being built. I leveled the trailer (6" slope in 25') and took frame to ground measurements at all 4 corners. Made cribbing from RR ties and 2" X 4"/etc placed under the main frame rails so the trailer was 2" higher. This took most of the weight off the tires.
    I never liked the idea of a RV trailer sitting with jacks under the axles. Not because it does any damage to the axles but JMO some type of cribbing under the frame rails lessons the chance of a wind pushing the trailer off the jacks.

    Several ways to store tires on/off a trailer.

    My 11k lb 5th wheel RV trailer sits 1 1/2" crusher run for 5 months or so on 2" X 6" boards inside a trailer shed. I keep the tires at max sidewall pressures and jack each wheel 2-3 times a winter and rotate each one 90 degrees so it sits on a different spot. Takes all of 6-8 min.
    I've ran nothing but LT tires on my various RV trailers over the years. There good for 6-8 years or 50k-55k miles whichever comes first.

    When my equipment trailers sit they have no load. They sit in the tractor barn out of the sun on same type crusher run/wood and always at max psi 24/7 365 days a year.
  • Cummins12V98 wrote:
    laknox wrote:
    TazFord wrote:
    To help prevent dry rot don’t park directly on soil, asphalt, or concrete. Park on leveling pads or similar


    I bought some 2x6 redwood, cut them in half and run my rig up on those. I feel that it bought me time, especially with the first couple sets of China bombs. Always covered, too.

    Lyle


    Redwood DANG!!!


    2 8' lengths at HD weren't bad. Only mistake I made was cutting them =exactly= in half, then screwing them together 2" off center to make a bit of a ramp. Problem is that when you drive off one end, the boards will flip up, catching stuff on the underside of the trailer, like the steps. I =should= have cut the boards 4" off-center so one is longer than the other. So far, they've lasted over 10 years...

    Lyle
  • JIMNLIN wrote:
    Rich&Mar wrote:
    I'm thru taking the fiver out for the winter. Probably won't go out again for 5 months at least. Do you raise your rv so the weight is off the tires? I never have in the past, but at the price of tires today, I'm thinking I'll start. And do you put a pair of jack stands under each axle? I've read that this might ever so slightly bend the axle when left for months. So where would you put the stand not to do damage?

    This was more common years ago when RV trailers were smaller/lighter gross weight.
    Many folks also removed their wheels and stored them some where out of the elements. Some also jack some weight off the tires.

    We lived in a 31' 5er for 7 months one winter while our house was being built. I leveled the trailer (6" slope in 25') and took frame to ground measurements at all 4 corners. Made cribbing from RR ties and 2" X 4"/etc placed under the main frame rails so the trailer was 2" higher. This took most of the weight off the tires.
    I never liked the idea of a RV trailer sitting with jacks under the axles. Not because it does any damage to the axles but JMO some type of cribbing under the frame rails lessons the chance of a wind pushing the trailer off the jacks.

    Several ways to store tires on/off a trailer.

    My 11k lb 5th wheel RV trailer sits 1 1/2" crusher run for 5 months or so on 2" X 6" boards inside a trailer shed. I keep the tires at max sidewall pressures and jack each wheel 2-3 times a winter and rotate each one 90 degrees so it sits on a different spot. Takes all of 6-8 min.
    I've ran nothing but LT tires on my various RV trailers over the years. There good for 6-8 years or 50k-55k miles whichever comes first.

    When my equipment trailers sit they have no load. They sit in the tractor barn out of the sun on same type crusher run/wood and always at max psi 24/7 365 days a year.


    Biggest issue with the old bias ply and early radial tires, was flat-spotting from sitting. I know that my old JD Model A is real fun to drive after sitting for several months, even at its top speed of 6.5 mph. :-)

    Lyle
  • laknox wrote:
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    laknox wrote:
    TazFord wrote:
    To help prevent dry rot don’t park directly on soil, asphalt, or concrete. Park on leveling pads or similar


    I bought some 2x6 redwood, cut them in half and run my rig up on those. I feel that it bought me time, especially with the first couple sets of China bombs. Always covered, too.

    Lyle


    Redwood DANG!!!


    2 8' lengths at HD weren't bad. Only mistake I made was cutting them =exactly= in half, then screwing them together 2" off center to make a bit of a ramp. Problem is that when you drive off one end, the boards will flip up, catching stuff on the underside of the trailer, like the steps. I =should= have cut the boards 4" off-center so one is longer than the other. So far, they've lasted over 10 years...

    Lyle


    I believe it! Redwood is naturally rot resistant.
  • If your main concern is the tires you can always get a cheap used set of tires and wheels to put on when sitting for long periods. This way the trailer is still movable if needed.

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