Inclement Weather Tire Placement

[detectivedrew]

I am sure this topic was discussed before. I apologize for a repeat.  I looked in some different areas and possibly used the wrong key words.

I have heard that tire to ground contact (cement, grass, mud, etc...) can rot a tire. It can also develop a flat spot? Should I move my RV every few weeks to change where the weight sits and secondly, I have heard that placing the tires on wood helps to keep the moisture off of them.  Is there a proper way to protect the tires?

Thanks

 

[John From Detroit]

I have heard that too. and there is some truth to it.... if you let the vehicle sit for 5 or 10 years.

In practice I have never seen evidence of that on either my trailers, which sat all winter, or the motor home, which did the first couple of years,, Always wheels down.

By the same measure we had wagons and such that sat for winter after winter after winter on the farm and I don't think we ever changed a tire on them.  These all sat on dirt all the time. (Save when we were pulling them down the road Which was not often).

 

[bucks2]

Find the manufacturer of your tires and go to their website to see what they recommend. For example I have Goodyear tires on my MH. Their suggestions are on this page: http://www.goodyearrvtires.com/tire-storage.aspx

This subject has been discussed dozens of times with even more dozens of people with opinions of exactly how it should be done. I'm guessing that "detective" Dave has been to court once or twice. Let's say you've been to court to defend a speeding ticket you issued to Mr. A (or B or C) Did anyone at that hearing ask you how your neighbor thought you should calibrate the radar unit you used? Or did they ask you how the manufacturer said to calibrate it, and then, didn't they ask if you had done it EXACTLY as the manufacturer said to do it?

Imagine if you have a 295-80-22.5 blowout right while you are next to Mrs. B on the freeway. A portion of that tire may slap against her car causing her to lose control and crash. Now, do you want to explain that Ken in Puyallup said you didn't need to do anything special, don't need to drive the tires every so often, don't need to do anything special with inflation, etc? Or do you want to pull out the Goodyear tire care pamphlet and show how you followed their instructions, thereby showing you used due care and caution?


Ken

 

[Jammer]

Mine stays on rubber in one spot all winter.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Mine has been sitting on the lawn for 3 winter now and the tires are fine. I think its just a Internet myth. Maybe true if you left the RV sit for 5-6 years and never moved it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's not quite a myth - it's what is called "best practice".  Failure to follow "best practice" doesn't necessarily mean things will go sour, and following it can potentially prevent some types of problems.  Tires like to be clean and dry, and they like to be rolling cause that is what they are designed to do.

If the soil in your area drains well (sand, gravel, etc), doesn't contain noxious chemicals, and isn't strongly acid or base in pH, then it probably makes no difference at all whether you put something under the tire. Since most people don't have a clue about any of that, telling them to park on a board or plastic mat seems like a safe approach. However, I have to wonder if it really is, since outside boards are usually pressure-treated wood (laced with chemicals), and some synthetic mat materials contain who-knows-what ingredients to keep them flexible, make them pretty, etc.

My coach is parked on clean sand (Florida topsoil!). It usually gets moved every 6-8 weeks, so the tires flex a bit and a different spot becomes the bottom. Works for me.

 

[detectivedrew]

Thanks everyone.

I did not think to look up the tire manufacturer recommendations.  I have blinders on when it comes to RV maintenance; a complement to this forum. I go here first for answers but the producer is the safest way to go.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Well I typically hitch up and move mine about once a month from April to October so between October to next April for the winter it typical stays parked on firm ground near the driveway edge. I've had cars sitting out in the yard for years other that a flat spot in the tires (73 Charger) the own is still driving on those. He's they straighten out after a few good miles. As for Mom's Magnum XE I kept in the garage and was covered the front tires start to come apart from sitting on concrete? Weird... But the 73 Charger that sat in the dirt under a tree for years no damage. Go figure. (Shrug smiley)

 

[99WinAdventurer37G]

Well I typically hitch up and move mine about once a month

The others where I store my unit, say they at least drive theirs around the block every month.  I see a few of them out there every weekend.  They seem to think there's a lot more good that comes from driving it every month than just the tires.

This week I did not put the white tire protectors on there that I usually put on when I leave it for the week.  The tires seem to be turning white from the covers.  They're the white ones that Camping World sells.  Even some of the eyelets have popped out already.  So I don't know if covering the tires is good or not either.  So many questions....

 

[Ernie n Tara]

Just a quick note. Flat spots are usually the nylon reinforcement, often used in larger tires, taking a set. Thats why the manufacturers switched to polyester for passenger tires; weaker but much less prone to takinga set.  In any case the set will drive out in few miles and is unlikely to cause a problem.

As for setting on the ground; I doubt it has significant impact unless a nasty fluid (peroleum based or perhaps an acid) is there. I'd much prefer sand or clean dirt to treated wood similar.

Ernie

Ps I spent 30 years designing and qualifying products using tire materials and I don't take any special precautions.

 

[detectivedrew]

Thanks, Ernie