Buying the right set of RV tires involves many different factors.
Do you know how much weight your RV tires can hold?
Have you ever thought about how tires affect your motorhome and its ability to take road trips across the country?
Recreational vehicles require a lot of attention – with the tires often times being one of the most overlooked aspects. The tires are essentially the foundation of your RV or motorhome. To maximize the experience, you need to approach the buying process with the right knowledge.
That’s why we’ve created a guide that will help you understand RV tires, as well as how to find the best ones to suit your needs and particular motorhome.
Let’s start by discussing how RV tires are different from your everyday vehicle tires. Your motorhome might weigh anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 pounds, which means you need tires that can support an enormous cargo load compared to your regular car tires.
Like tires on tow vehicles and trailers, RV trailer tires have a specific design, construction, and purpose. They come in a variety of sizes to fit your motorhome, and different tires are built to hold different levels of weight.
Understanding exactly which tires best suit your needs will help you avoid costly blowouts and enjoy a smoother, more comfortable ride, wherever your travels may take you.
Before you begin shopping for motorhome or RV tires, you’ll need to know what class will fit your needs. There are three separate classes for RV/motorhome tires, each designed to bear a different amount of weight.
This class is for huge RVs – they’re the largest tires available on the market for motorhomes. They support somewhere between 15,000 and 30,000 pounds. They can also fit on an RV that’s up to 40 feet long. These are your motorhomes built on bus chassis.
Although you’d probably expect Class C to be the smallest tires, Class B tires are actually the smallest. They can only carry loads between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds, and it’s recommended that they go on motorhomes that are between 17 to 19 feet in body length. These are typically built on vans chassis, or possibly a truck chassis, and are for less people and more nimble travel options.
Last but not least are the Class C motorhome tires. These can support between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds of weight. These tires are usually recommended for motorhomes between 20 to 30 feet in length. These are typically build on heavy duty truck chassis and sometimes a heavy duty commercial van chassis, and have more living space than a class B.
If you’re someone who’s pretty familiar with RVs, you know that the RV Industry Association has certain standards that tires must meet.
When you look at your motorhome, or one for sale, try to locate the oval seal that indicates its rating with RVIA. This is how you can determine that the motorhome is compliant with more than 500 different safety specifications, including fire, life, heating, plumbing, etc.
The RVIA seal also indicates weights and ratings – this is where your tire choice comes into play. You’ll need to learn exactly how much weight your particular motorhome can safely transport to properly choose between the different classes of RV tires.
To learn more about how to distribute weight, how to weigh the motorhome, or how to tow it, you’ll need to consult the vehicle owner’s manual.
You’ll also need to get familiar with some basic terms to understand how much weight your RV tire can hold:
As an RV owner, you want to ensure that your tires (and motorhome) stay in tip-top shape for as long as possible. Here are a few tips that will keep your RV tires looking sharp for up to six years.
Referred to as “all-position, commercial truck tires,” these tires are essential for proper weight load rating and speed index. Other commercial truck tires are not suitable – as only all-position tires are capable of properly steering and controlling an RV. Be sure you are entering “commercial truck tire” into your search, not just the tire size – as you may end up with a passenger vehicle tire unfit for your needs.
Since most Class B & C Motorhome are built on van or truck chassis, they will take a tire make for light trucks. Select Highway tires to get the smoothest ride and best mileage unless you are driving primarily off road and then you might consider an AT tire. Be sure to select 10 ply tires, which are ply rating “E”. You should also always get the same or higher load index when purchasing replacement tires. Sacrificing on the load index can cause an unsafe driving situation and likely cause blow outs. When reading the load index you may see two numbers such as 120/116. The 120 is the load index for a single tire, and the 116 is for vehicles with dual wheels on the rear.
Keep in mind that commercial trailer tires are not suitable for motorhomes or RVs. They are designed for the trailers of 18 wheelers and to follow only – you wouldn’t have proper control over your RV on the road, and that would pose a threat to the safety of yourself and others.
When searching for smaller RV tires, make sure you find “commercial tires.” On 185 and 195 sizes, select a “blank” aspect ratio. Otherwise, you might end up looking at passenger car tires that are not suitable for your motorhome.
Small RVs, or Class B motorhomes, require particular tires. Using a tire that is too large could lead to an intrusion into the space of the tire’s wheel wells. Additionally, using tires that are too large could increase your fuel expenses without providing any benefits. On the other hand, using passenger tires can also increase fuel consumption and possibly result in a blowout – as these are usually smaller and lack the load capacity appropriate for an RV.
Thinking of getting a “small RV” that uses the smallest tires? Here are some popular models to consider:
To help you out even further, we’ve gathered a few of the best small RV tire options on the market, as well as some of their best features and their starting prices.
We’ll start our list with a basic commercial tire that has strong sidewalls, excellent mileage, and a high level of durability. You often see this three-season radial tire on commercial trucks, vans, and small RVs.
Features:
This long-lasting tire is popular among drivers who expect to encounter a wide variety of weather conditions, including heavy rain. Its open lateral grooves can take on different terrains and road surfaces with ease.
This one is best-suited for vans and small RVs.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $75/tire.
Features:
This tire is specially designed for small, European-style urban commercial vans. It certainly has no place on large trucks, but on small vans or motorhomes, it has just enough single load capacity to do its job.
When it comes to RV tires, this one is best suited for commercial sprinters.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $76/tire.
What’s a commercial sprinter?
Essentially, sprinters are a type of commercial van that many businesses use for deliveries, pickups, transportation, etc. Amazon uses these to make deliveries.
Some of the more popular commercial sprinter models include:
You might be wondering why we have commercial vans and their tires listed in this RV tire guide. Well, you might have noticed an increasing trend in the use of vans for recreational purposes. People are taking road trips in their sprinters or even living in them on-the-road. Therefore, it’s important that RV users understand what kind of tires these vans need.
Speaking of tires for commercial sprinters, here are some of the best on the market.
Features:
You’ll note that the tread rubber is extra durable. This leads to a longer tread life as well as the ability to channel more water out through the tread grooves. There’s a smaller chance of hydroplaning and a better chance of staying safe on the road.
This one is best suited tires for commercial sprinters.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $91/tire.
Features
Not only does this tire last for a long time, but it also helps vehicles reduce their fuel consumption and lower their levels of CO2 emissions. It has a short braking distance, strong water evacuation capabilities, and low hydroplaning risk.
This RV tire is one of the best suited for commercial sprinters.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $121/tire.
Features
Regardless of where you’re driving, on gravel paths, unpaved roads, or regular streets, this tire can take you there. It’s highly resistant to chunking and chipping, as well as flats and stone drilling.
When it comes to RV tires, this one is best suited for commercial sprinters.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $144/tire.
Driving a mid-size motorhome means you’ll need to find RV tires that fall in between the smallest and largest. You don’t quite need the load-bearing capabilities of Class A motorhome tires, but you still need something above the usual capacity.
Mid-size RV tires belong on many of the average RV models you’ll see, including:
Take a look at some of the top tires that belong on mid-size RVs and motorhomes.
Features:
Many RV tire reviews indicate that this tire is chosen by drivers of commercial trucks due to its excellent grip and handling on both wet and dry roads. Whatever weather conditions a delivery company might encounter, this tire can handle it.
Cost: This RV tire has a starting price of $163/tire.
Features:
Other benefits that come with this tire include low-fuel costs, high-mileage, and the ability to carry heavy loads. It also has a speed rating of “M,” meaning it can go up to a whopping 81 mph.
Cost: This RV tire has a starting price of $163/tire.
Features:
This tire has many benefits, from external edge siping that minimizes scrubbing to its enhanced traction and wear capabilities. Although it isn’t meant to go on the largest of trucks, it still has a high max-load rating and is designed to take on tough circumstances.
If you’re shopping for RV tires, this one is best suited for mid-sized options.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $208/tire.
Features:
This tire can be used in all wheel positions on small panel vans, medium-duty straight trucks, and 1-ton box vans that take 17.5”, 19.5”, and 22.5” tires.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $229/tire.
When you’re driving a large, Class A RV, you can’t skip on your tire size. You’ll need durable tires that can support a large motorhome and heavy cargo.
Large RV tires belong on many of the most common big RV models you’ll see, including:
Take a look at some of the top tires that belong on large RVs and motorhomes.
Features:
Heading out on a long haul? This tire delivers excellent comfort and reduced sway, which makes handling a breeze. You don’t need to worry as much about heat build-up and damage – thanks to its special rubber compound.
This tire can be used on large RVs, buses, motorhomes, and diesel pushers.
Cost: It has a starting price of $460/tire, which is more than many RV tires cost.
Features:
Because it incorporates low-profile engineering with quality construction, this tire offers great mileage with the potential to hold heavy cargo. Drivers of large trucks and delivery vans may choose it for its improved handling and stability, as well as its weight limit.
This tire can be used on large RVs, buses, motorhomes, and diesel pushers.
Cost: This tire has a starting price of $387/tire.
We recommend checking trailer tire pressure before every journey as well as onec a month if parked to ensure proper inflation. This is one of the best ways to protect your RV tires and help them last for years.
The answer to this question depends on how often you use the tires. If you’re on the road with your RV often, you might need to replace them in about three years. If you’re only driving a few times a year and not putting much strain on the RV tires, they could last as long as six years. Keep in mind damage from temperature extremes age tires prematurely.
If you’re wondering how long RV tires last and hoping to extend their lifetime, there are a few things you can do. Keep them safe with covers that block them from sunlight when they’re not in use. Always ensure that your RV’s weight is evenly distributed so that each tire is adequately protected. If you tires are dirty from you last trip, wash them to get any dirt ,debris or salt off the tires will help prevent deterioration.
If cared for properly and driven under usual circumstances, your RV tires could last between 80,000 and 120,000 miles.
The typical rule of thumb is to replace your RV tire every five to six years, depending on their frequency of use and maintenance. If you drive a lot of miles you may only get 3 years out of your tires.
Hopefully, this guide has given you the information and direction you need to choose the right tires for your particular motorhome. We want everyone to stay safe on the roads, and picking the right class of RV tire is a huge part of that!
Need help selecting your RV tires?
Contact the experts at Tires Easy – we’re more than willing to guide you toward the perfect set of tires for your adventurous motorhome.