Good info on Tires

[Travelers]

The short version:
Now that we know how age and the elements can affect the life of your RV tires what can we do to help extend the life of tires when they’re not being used?

Considering where and how your RV is being stored can add life to your tires. Of course a covered, dry garage is the best scenario, but we know this isn’t always possible.

The first step is to clean the tires. Clean the tires with a mild soap and water. Avoid using tire dressings. Sidewall rubber contains antioxidants and anti-ozones that are designed to work their way to the surface of the rubber to help protect it. Washing tires excessively removes these protective compounds and can age tires prematurely. The same is true of most tire dressing designed to make your tires shine.

Inflate the tires to the recommended inflation pressure on the tire sidewall when in storage.

Avoid storing tires on petroleum based products like asphalt and other heat absorbing surfaces, and avoid storing tires on frozen ground.

If stored outside you should place some type of barrier between the tire and the ground surface. Make sure the blocking is wider than the tires tread and longer than the tires footprint. If tires are not blocked properly and the load distributed evenly the tire sidewalls can be damaged.

Avoid any exposure to heat and sunlight. If the RV is stored outside cover the tires with covers that block out the sun.

The RV should be stored with the least amount of weight on the tires as possible. That means it should be unloaded prior to storage.

You should move the RV every few months help prevent sidewall cracking from the tire sitting in one position for too long.

Following these simple tire storage tips can add life to your RV tires, but keep in mind that tire age and exposure to the elements are leading causes for tire failure. Make sure you know the age of your RV and automobile tires and always inspect your tires for signs of weather cracking before each trip.

The long version from RVNET:
http://blog.rv.net/2009/08/tire-age-can ... MagSept09b

[snoking]

Here is a very well researched and written thread on the difference of how LT and ST tires are tested. After reading it you will understand why so many ST tires fail and why LT tires are a better choice for a trailer if the meet your weight ratings.

Testing of tires

Chris