My RV Mentor

 Avoid the Bombs -- Don't Go Cheap on Tires

How often do you hear about travel trailer blowouts and the actual tire brand turns out to be something you have never heard of? Many (or most) RV manufactures put these off-brand tires on new recreational vehicles; it has to be a profit margin decision because great tires are available, they just cost a little more. 

But in all fairness it takes 2 things to make a China Bomb and not just the fact the tire was made overseas.

Goodyear Marathon

1. Poorly made or engineered tires that are prone to heat failure and catastrophic failure. The Goodyear Marathon is pretty much the poster child of China Bombs but there are many other brands on the market today that you should avoid.
2. Owner Abuse. Yes, in countless number of cases it is you, the owner, that sets the stage for tire failure. The top three things that leads to blowouts are: 

• Failing to maintain correct tire pressure 
• Over speeding the tire  (check rating)
• Not replacing an old outdated tires (4-6 years)

My video below looks at all of these issues and provides recommendations on not only how to properly maintain your tires but how to keep you family safe going down the road. In addition, how to prevent tire failure which can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your RV.

Be aware that what your local tire shop recommends may be an off-brand tire or a tire he promotes just for profit reasons. As a consumer be proactive and know what tire you want "before" going in to buy tires. That way the tire dealer will agree with you or have the challenge to convince you in to buying another brand for specific reasons. Listen carefully and make an educated decision.

Once you get those great tires and know they must be replaced every 4 to 6 years you are still only half way there to being safe and money wise. Remember the comment above about "keep the correct air pressure?" Sounds easy and it really is but it takes a certain amount of dedication to check and monitor your tires.

• Each travel day check air pressure and make necessary adjustments. Each tire Brand/Make has a tire pressure chart with recommended tire pressure based on trailer weight. The maximum tire pressure indicated on the tire sidewall may not be your correct running psi. Google search your tire.

• Inspect all tires for damage, bulges or tread separation and cracks. Remember with the 4 to 6 year replacement rule your tire thread is not an indication of how much life remains in the tire. Chances are your tires will still have good thread when they are replace for old age.

• Use a Tire Pressure Monitoring System which gives you an early warning for tire failure. I highly recommend the TST-507 4-Cap System which I have been running for over 15 years.

The last thing you want is a mechanical or tire failure that interrupts your camping experience or worst yet injures someone. You can take preventative actions against tire failure and I hope this information prepares you to travel with confidence and worry free.

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