Tire protection when stored

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dufferDave

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Joined
Sep 11, 2018
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How do you guys put your RV away for a couple months and keep the tires protected from "storage damage"?
I am getting frequent tread separations---two on the road on my last trip. I don't like wasting vacation time prowling for tire stores and waiting for service.
When I park it at home, it is indoors, enclosed, sheltered from the weather and sunshine. Should I lift the whole thing off the garage floor using the jacks? Should I deflate 20 psi? Should I park with the tires on sheets of plywood (to keep 'em off the concrete)? I am getting lots of goofy sounding advice from friends, and I'm not sure that *any* of it is any good.
A little help, please?
 
Trailer or motor home? Tires need to be used. This helps the oils and solvents that make up the rubber, "circulate" if you will, in the rubber. With my motor home, I didn't let it sit over about a month before I got it out and made a 20 mile trip and back to Walmart or somewhere, to keep everything running and working, not just the tires. Now, my trailer has been sitting since November, and I tend to work on it in the winter, doing modifications and repairs, so it has not been out.

Some people will argue to not let tires sit on concrete, but I don't adhere to that theory.

Tell us a little more about your tire troubles. Brand, age of tires, what kinds of speeds you are driving, etc.

Charles
 
My experience has been storage isn't what causes tread separation unless the tires are in standing water. Tire layers are bonded together and separation is usually caused by age, mileage, heat, or tire damage. Heat can come from excess weight or speed, low tire pressure, or alignment. Driving on rough roads, rocks, or overinflation can cause tire damage. If your failures were all the same brand of tires I would switch brands.
 
dufferDave said:
How do you guys put your RV away for a couple months and keep the tires protected from "storage damage"?
I am getting frequent tread separations---two on the road on my last trip. I don't like wasting vacation time prowling for tire stores and waiting for service.
When I park it at home, it is indoors, enclosed, sheltered from the weather and sunshine. Should I lift the whole thing off the garage floor using the jacks? Should I deflate 20 psi? Should I park with the tires on sheets of plywood (to keep 'em off the concrete)? I am getting lots of goofy sounding advice from friends, and I'm not sure that *any* of it is any good.
A little help, please?
Click to expand...
Frequent tread separations!!!!!!! That's horrendous!

Before anyone can answer for your situation, could you please provide the make/model of the tires and vehicle/trailer as well as the loaded weight? Also include the DOT date so we know the age of those tires that are failing. We'd also like to know how long you store them before they are used again (months, years, etc.)

Regarding how I "store" my tires...

On my motorhome which may be stationary for 8 months. I have the tires inflated to my normal inflation which is based on the manufacturer's load tables. Sometimes the rears duals might end up on plywood that is in my open air storage site. The fronts are sitting on compacted gravel with minor overgrowth.

With my car which may not be driven for 1-2 days, I inflate to the MFG door frame specified psi. The car sits on my paver driveway in the Florida sun with no protection.
 
dufferDave said:
Should I park with the tires on sheets of plywood (to keep 'em off the concrete)?
Click to expand...
A tire company engineer did tell me that it is a good idea to put something between the tires and the concrete when sitting on it in one location for an extended period but I doubt that is what is causing your problems. His concern was for the metal belts inside of the tires and not tread separation. I agree with post #3 but would add that overloading can also cause tread seperation.
 
Kirk said:
A tire company engineer did tell me that it is a good idea to put something between the tires and the concrete when sitting on it in one location for an extended period but I doubt that is what is causing your problems. His concern was for the metal belts inside of the tires and not tread separation. I agree with post #3 but would add that overloading can also cause tread seperation.
Click to expand...
What I have been doing is starting and moving the RVs a few feet so the tires set 180° different spot where they hit the ground.

I do not buy into the theory that engines are best to not be started if not driven several miles. I run them once in a while when the RV is sitting and that is when I move the RV a few feet.

But after having two blowouts in two days, I am not so sure if that does any good. But perhaps I just had too old crappy tires.

-Don- Auburn, CA
 
dufferDave said:
Should I deflate 20 psi?
Click to expand...
No, just the opposite. Inflate the tire to the max load psi shown on the sidewall PLUS an additional 5-10 psi. If you want to go the extra mile, get some jack stands and lift some of the weight off the tires.

dufferDave said:
Should I park with the tires on sheets of plywood (to keep 'em off the concrete)?
Click to expand...
No need unless the concrete is fresh, i.e. hasn't been curing for at least 2-3 years. Well-cured concrete doesn't leach nasty chemical into modern tires. If you feel you must, buy plastic sheet or heavy-duty door mats to place under the tires.
dufferDave said:
I am getting lots of goofy sounding advice from friends, and I'm not sure that *any* of it is any good.
Click to expand...
Well-meaning, but most friendly tire advice is myth. You are already doing about all that can be done when you store inside where it is protected from weather & sun. The rest is age and there isn't much to be done about that.

Tread separations are most often a sign of under-inflation, sometimes coupled with excessive speed (65+ mph). The OEM tires supplied with a trailer tires are typically barely adequate to the actual load so need to one inflated to the max load value.
 
DonTom said:
I do not buy into the theory that engines are best to not be started if not driven several miles. I run them once in a while when the RV is sitting and that is when I move the RV a few feet.

But after having two blowouts in two days, I am not so sure if that does any good
Click to expand...
Maybe the engine will be next to go? :unsure::unsure:
 
DonTom said:
I do not buy into the theory that engines are best to not be started if not driven several miles. I run them once in a while when the RV is sitting and that is when I move the RV a few feet.
Click to expand...
That's a bit more than theory, Don. Aircraft manufacturers and mechanics advise to not run an engine unless you'll get it thoroughly warmed up. The automotive world says that too. The problem is moisture, that is, just starting the engine starts generating moisture that is only reduced by the engine warming up. On a chilly day you can actually see what I'm talking about by watching the exhaust from the tailpipe. When you start the engine (from cold, of course) you get a lot of white smoke (actually moisture, condensation) coming out, but as the engine warms that gets less and less until after a while it's no longer visible.

The problem with not warming the engine is that it leaves a lot of moisture built up internally (including in the oil itself), thus eventually causing some rust. Of course if you're running the vehicle every day or two beyond just starting and driving a block or two, then it's not a big deal, but if you don't get it thoroughly warmed up within some reasonable time after that brief run to move the tires then you cut your engine life quite a bit.

But since it's yours to do with as you wish...
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Well-cured concrete doesn't leach nasty chemical into modern tires.
Click to expand...
That depends on the concrete involved. We lived in east TX with inside RV storage for 8 years and the pad under the storage would get quite wet at times with some weather circumstances. I learned later that there was a moisture barrier under the living quarters but not under the garage area. The issue with concrete is the possibility of chemicals weeping which can happen when the concrete gets wet. I was told that it does lessen as the concrete ages and is less issue when wet from above than below as mine was. An interesting footnote to that is that we have moved but the current owners tell me that the sweating is decreasing as it ages too. The pad is now approaching 15 years old.

I doubt that tires are as susceptible to that as they once were but I tend to think that one can't be too safe. ;)
 
Larry N. said:
That's a bit more than theory, Don. Aircraft manufacturers and mechanics advise to not run an engine unless you'll get it thoroughly warmed up. The automotive world says that too.
Click to expand...
Yes, I realize all that. But I have had fuel pumps die right after sitting for months and also belts and such should be moved once in a while. I never start and stop. I always get the engine up to normal operating temp for a while before I shut it off. But I mean normal by the coolant temp gauge, perhaps not quite a real operating temp. I do realize best would be to drive it a few miles. But IMO, starting running the engine for 20 minutes every couple of weeks is better than leaving it sit for months.

-Don- Auburn, CA
 
We have left our truck and trailer in indoor storage on a cement floor for 6 months every year since October 2016 in storage lot in Boulder City.

We left these from November 2019 till December 2021 due to Covid. The truck tires definitely had flat spots that you could feel but which didn't cause any problems. We did a 3 month tour to Big Bend in Texas and back. We left them in storage end February 2022.

Then in May 2022 we took them out again. We changed truck tyres in late August and then we had an issue with the trailer tyres in September and changed all 4. The guy reckoned it was tyre rot but the bearings needed changed too and they had been done in December 2021.

As you can see normal 6 month storage doesn't seem to have had any impact for us. The extended storage probably did.
 
OK, vehicle and tire data--
Fleetwood 31 ft with dual rears (both sides)
TOYO "open country" steel belted radials, LT225/75R16 (all four rears)
Tire calendar age unknown (we bought this beast used in 2018 so at least 5 yrs old)
Tire mileage unknown, 30400 total miles on chassis (so they can't have more miles than that)
Recent tire usage is under 300 miles in 2022 and also before that in 2021 (all the cool places closed due to Covid)
Rated pressure under load is 80 psi and I usually run them at least 75 and closer to 80
Both tread separations were on the same side
 
If travelling on an interstate (if the pavement is not cracked and damaged) I will go about 65 mph, but any more than that and gas mileage goes crazy and everything in the cabin rattles and squeaks and makes me crazy.
Rougher roads get much slower speeds.
 
dufferDave said:
I will go about 65 mph, but any more than that and gas mileage goes crazy and everything in the cabin rattles and squeaks and makes me crazy.
Rougher roads get much slower speeds.
Click to expand...
I had that problem with my Y2K RV. I greased the driveshaft and it felt like a new RV. But bad tires can also cause that.

My problem was after 69 MPH exactly. I could not even drive it at 70 or it would shake like crazy. At 65 MPH, there was no trace of the problem.

See here.

-Don- Auburn, CA
 
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