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Tire covers?

SCADAMAN29325
Explorer II
Explorer II
Firstly do tire covers help, not much or a lot?

What should I look for when buying tire covers?

Any recommendations on which ones to buy or stay away from?

Thanks, Phil
THANKS! Phil and LuAnn
1st timers, brought it home 2022-10-19.
1994 Fleetwood Jamboree Rallye
M-T31-Ford-460, 1994 Ford E350
I may not know what I am doing, but I am having fun doing it!
12 REPLIES 12

JBarca
Nomad II
Nomad II

I'll add some of my findings specific to tires used in a tandem axle trailer tire setting.  These findings may apply to a motorhome also. 

All trailer tire brands are not created equal; some brands get weather-checking cracks at 4 to 5 years, while others have been 10 years and not one crack. Amazing!  These tires were not covered, and the on the axles operating.  I had a friend with General ST trailer tires that were so old they did not have a normal date code on them.  They were made in the USA, which was a dead giveaway of how old they are.  I told him, you are on borrowed time, and one lucky guy, change them all.  He does short trips and got lucky. He has a year 2001 camper built in late year 2000, about the time DOT date codes started changing to the current format.  It was now about 6 - 7 years ago when he changed them.   I saw those General trailer tires and could not believe how good a 13 to 15-year-old trailer tire could be. I would never trust them that old.   

I used to have Maxxis ST trailer tires on my camper when new in 2003.  The tires were 5 years old and had the start of heavy weather checking in the treads and side walls.   I changed them out due the age, never had a failure, but I for sure had the cracks.  Both my friends 2001 camper with the General tires and mine are in the same state of Ohio and had been uncovered.   The rubber compounds are obviously different.

I have a full timer friend who I do some service work for them on their 2005 camper.  They winter in AZ or TX.  Their spare tire had an all black with white lettering on it tire cover, they had the spare blow out on the camper in AZ one winter parked in the campground.  The tire was old, 10 years plus old and it was a Mission brand. The Mission ST tires had their issue even in the running conditions,  but this is the first one I have seen explode on a covered spare tire parked in the campground.  Age, a black cover and heat did not seem to help this tire.  And the black tire cover helped hold the heat in even more.  

I fully agree, a working tire has a better chance of surviving do to the tire rolling as was stated.  But black things sitting still in the high heat, soak up heat badly and fast.  Heat is a known breakdown factor of rubber compounds. Camper folks who live in areas of not as intense heat, may fair better then those in high heat, high sun states.  The amount of sun and heat, or lack of, are a big factor in what may work for some, but not everyone just due to where they camp, how heavily loaded the tires are and the long distances they travel in the high heat. 

Once I became better educated on tire failures, tire capacites needed for tandem axles, heat and tire age, I started using white tire covers when the camper or flat bed trailer is stored outside.  Why, less heat plain and simple and heat has been proven to damage tires as time goes on.  As to the brand of cover,  I used the Adco covers, but I also treated them with 303 Aerospace UV protectant, and that UV treatment really help add a few more years to the cover not disintegrating. 

Since our forum spans the entire US, and we all have different brands of tires, stored in different conditions, towed under different weights and distances, what worked for some for 30 years and never had an issue, may not be true for everyone. 

Tire age, to the original poster, if you are on 7 years on your motorhome with LT tires, not sure what states you camp in, how much reserve load capacity is on your tires, the pressure you run them at, or the distances you travel, but consider getting new tires, soon.   Your good luck may not last much longer. 

Hope this helps,

John

 

2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.

Cybergrunt
Nomad
Nomad

I've always had mixed feelings about the value of covering RV tires. Having said that, I have always covered them. I know, I know...call me Mr. Undecided. What I haven't done, however, is spend much money covering them. I use heavy duty tarps (5'x7'), a bungee and some 550 cord. Sounds a bit rough, but they look decent and cost maybe $25 every 7-8 years when they wear out. Minimal cost for possibly minimal benefit. Good by me.

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โ€ƒ

2021 Forest River Wildwood Heritage Glen 24RLHL: 810-825# TW, ~7500# GVW
2020 F-250 XLT Super Duty SRW: 7.3 V8 gasser, 3.55, 10spd

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
They look nice but they don't do much.. However..

I did project onto them at Christmas with a pair of Mr. Christmas projectors.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
SCADAMAN29325 wrote:
Good info for the newbie!

We are camping monthly in our class c. I think I will use that money toward a new set of tires which will be needed soon as those are almost 7 years old.

Thanks to all!


Speaking from a budget minded perspective, your tires โ€œmayโ€ be due for replacement. Or they may not dependin on their condition. Some would call it cheap insurance. Some may call it money not yet needed to spend.
Just a consideration. Assuming youโ€™re thinking about covering them I presume theyโ€™re still worth covering which could mean they still have a few years life left in them.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
^ Yup 10-4.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
Grit dog wrote:
SCADAMAN29325 wrote:
Firstly do tire covers help, not much or a lot?

What should I look for when buying tire covers?

Any recommendations on which ones to buy or stay away from?

Thanks, Phil


Presume youโ€™re considering them for when parked for long periods (at home?).
If so, if the tires are substantially in the sun, it may/will help.

So not to answer your question with a question but is one of both sides of the rv largely exposed to direct sunlight when parked at home? Or elsewhere for long periods.


I'll answer that question. Yes, my driver's side tires are in the sun at home, and they are always covered with polar white covers. They make me feel that I am protecting them. No visible sun damage at 8 years old last Summer, when I replaced them. I also agree that a frequent rolling tire will live longer than a parked one by a large margin.

Jerry

SCADAMAN29325
Explorer II
Explorer II
Good info for the newbie!

We are camping monthly in our class c. I think I will use that money toward a new set of tires which will be needed soon as those are almost 7 years old.

Thanks to all!
THANKS! Phil and LuAnn
1st timers, brought it home 2022-10-19.
1994 Fleetwood Jamboree Rallye
M-T31-Ford-460, 1994 Ford E350
I may not know what I am doing, but I am having fun doing it!

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Explorer II
Way2roll has already mentioned that a major factor is using the tires. Tires age quickly if not run frequently. I gave up worrying about sunlight after I tried to put my 4 year old spare tire into rotation. It seemed ok until it was on the truck for a week or two and the cracks appeared virtually overnight. That tire had been under the truck bed and of course never saw direct sunlight or excessive heat.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
SCADAMAN29325 wrote:
Firstly do tire covers help, not much or a lot?

What should I look for when buying tire covers?

Any recommendations on which ones to buy or stay away from?

Thanks, Phil


Presume youโ€™re considering them for when parked for long periods (at home?).
If so, if the tires are substantially in the sun, it may/will help.

So not to answer your question with a question but is one of both sides of the rv largely exposed to direct sunlight when parked at home? Or elsewhere for long periods.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

IB853347201
Nomad
Nomad
Winter in the south, summer in the north. Tires always in the sun and heat. Never had tire covers, never needed them. My tires are always replaced after 7 years, never have had an issue. On our 3rd motorhome, Class A. Been RVing for close to 30 years.
2010 Suncruiser

way2roll
Navigator II
Navigator II
Understandably heat/UV affects tires and will cause dry rot but the real issue is sitting. Tires that are exercised regularly continually to stay flexible and release oils and compounds that resist dry rotting. I would love to see any evidence to support tire covers on tires just sitting. I doubt they have any real benefit to tires that are driven on regularly. So if your RV sits for long periods of time in the sun, they will probably offer a minimal benefit. How much is an elusive question. If you drive your rv frequently it's probably a waste of money.

Jeff - 2023 FR Sunseeker 2400B MBS

Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Explorer II
Scadaman,

This is a paraphrase of the answer that I got from Roger Marble some years back while at an FMCA convention.

Tire covers can help, but it is not the UV that is the issue, it is the heat. So, have white tire covers and be sure that they are on the sunny side of the RV. New compounds are not very UV sensitive, but heat is the enemy of tires and the sun is real good at providing heat.

Matt_C
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dogs (one dear dog is waiting for us at the bridge) going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.