when parking my class-C....

[dufferDave]

the user/owner manual says (yes, I am a dork who reads those things) to put a piece of plywood under the tires.
I have never heard of this. And I have never done this before. Anybody know the reasoning behind this idea or is it just one more piece of gear to haul around?

Any insight would be appreciated-

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Was it for long term storage or to prevent it from sinking in soft earth?

 

[Isaac-1]

Putting a barrier under tires during long term storage can be a good thing, depending on the parking surface and the climate you are in.  This topic comes up from time to time, some people think it helps, others don't, some think it depends on where you are.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If parked on a caustic surface or continuously wet ground, the rubber compounds in the tire can deteriorate more quickly.  Tire makers recommend avoiding uncured concrete surfaces, fresh tar/macadam, and soil that is not "well-drained", e.g. high clay content.  Thus, a barrier between the tire and the surface is a good idea on those types of surfaces.  Since the typical vehicle owner doesn't really know what surfaces to avoid, some sources make it general advice to use a barrier whenever parked for extended periods. What is "extended"?  Think in terms of months...  You don't need to carry slabs around with you and put them under the tires every time you park for the weekend.

I have not found RV manuals to be a great source of recommendations. They tend to spout popular wisdom rather than proven facts or professional engineering/scientific advice.  Likewise, advice from a component manufacturer is too often slanted toward protecting their component at the expense of some other. 

 

[dufferDave]

Was it for long term storage or to prevent it from sinking in soft earth?

Yes, it is for "long term" parking:

When parking your motor home for an extended time, in storage or camping, you can extend tire life by parking each tire on a piece of plywood approximately 12 inches square.  --  Class "C" Motor Home, Fleetwood RV, 2003, page 05-7

Now, I'm not sure what long-term camping is, whether this means setting up somewhere for a couple weeks or if this means something a lot longer. Anyway, I've never heard of this for any other vehicle like cars, trucks, or my old camper. And it seems to me that if I need to protect tires on one vehicle then I need(ed) to protect them ALL. Or I didn't.

I think Gary captured this situation with his notes about popular wisdom. Sad to see a major manufacturer sink to that level, now I'm not sure what else to believe in this manual.

 

[skydivemark]

Don't forget, RV's are probably the only (or almost the only)  type of vehicle that is likely to be parked for extended periods of time.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

My class A has been parked for 12 years beside my house on concrete. The passenger side tires have been on wood to level the coach.

I've only ever had one tire blow out over the past many years. Guess what...it was a rear passenger inside dual tire.  So much for the wood theory.

 

[HappyWanderer]

Oh man, I've been doing it wrong for the past 24 years?

 

[dufferDave]

Oh man, I've been doing it wrong for the past 24 years?

We are sending the wooden-platform-police to your house. Fair warning.

 

[sightseers]

now I'm not sure what else to believe in this manual.

A manual is just a book of a million worries...