Tires Dry Rotting
I have a 2001 dutchmen class c motorhome. The tread depth on the tires are great but I have not moved the rv in a while and the tires are dry rotted. I am a newbie to the rv world learning as I go. Fo...
Forum Discussion
I am glad you are able to get your tires replaced for free from that recall.
The tires on our 2007 E350 are the originals, now 7 years old. They still look brand new with no cracking or other visual concerns, I assume because we keep the rig inside a relatively climate controlled garage when not on trips, and I have never used any kind of tire care product. They are the Michelin load range "E" tires so our light 9000 pound rig (10,500 loaded) with 60 & 65 psi does not "test" their load limit. So I plan to get still more years of use before replacing them.
I assume that your tires are cracking because of the elements, primarily the sun. I hear that many tire dressings can do more harm then good in preventing side-wall cracking. I would try covering the tires which are exposed to direct sunlight, and use NO tire dressing on any tires unless specifically formulated to prevent tires from cracking.
Also, I hear it is best to store vehicles with the tires inflated to the max psi as stated on them. For load range "E", that is typically 80 psi. That minimizes tire contact to the ground and maintains their shape. When deformed, they can develop cracking in those areas. I am not 100% sure of it, but it makes sense and does no harm.
With our first rig and now with our second rig, the front tires will need to be replaced before the rears due to uneven thread wear. I have a good wheel alignment, but the fronts wear funny regardless. I believe the cause is from consistent broad-side winds while traveling across country for days at a time. Holding the steering wheel at a slight angle to maintain going straight for so long chews up the front tires.
The tires on our 2007 E350 are the originals, now 7 years old. They still look brand new with no cracking or other visual concerns, I assume because we keep the rig inside a relatively climate controlled garage when not on trips, and I have never used any kind of tire care product. They are the Michelin load range "E" tires so our light 9000 pound rig (10,500 loaded) with 60 & 65 psi does not "test" their load limit. So I plan to get still more years of use before replacing them.
I assume that your tires are cracking because of the elements, primarily the sun. I hear that many tire dressings can do more harm then good in preventing side-wall cracking. I would try covering the tires which are exposed to direct sunlight, and use NO tire dressing on any tires unless specifically formulated to prevent tires from cracking.
Also, I hear it is best to store vehicles with the tires inflated to the max psi as stated on them. For load range "E", that is typically 80 psi. That minimizes tire contact to the ground and maintains their shape. When deformed, they can develop cracking in those areas. I am not 100% sure of it, but it makes sense and does no harm.
With our first rig and now with our second rig, the front tires will need to be replaced before the rears due to uneven thread wear. I have a good wheel alignment, but the fronts wear funny regardless. I believe the cause is from consistent broad-side winds while traveling across country for days at a time. Holding the steering wheel at a slight angle to maintain going straight for so long chews up the front tires.
