Search the Community

Recently came across the Michelin RV Tire Guide which contains a lot of useful information in the form of recommended practices for the use, care, maintenance and storage of RV tires. If this has been previously shared, please excuse otherwise, I hope it is helpful to others. https://www.michelinrvtires.com/reference-materials/tire-guide-warranties-and-bulletins/

Here is a post from my blog in March 2013 for those that haven't scanned the various topics. "Hopefully all the readers of this blog understand the importance of having the correct inflation pressure in ALL their tires. Be they on a 45' DP or your toad, a tow dolly, regular passenger car or anything in between. The question is how do you get a few more psi of air for your tires when you check in the morning but aren't parked next to a supply of high pressure air? There are a number of different situations and I can't possibly address them all here, but I think you can review these suggestions and find a plan that will work for your situation. I do need to separate out the few folks that discover they have a flat tire or one that has lost more than 20% of the minimum required pressure. NOTE: Tires that have lost 20% of their air are considered "flat" by the tire industry. You have a problem. Maybe a puncture or a failed valve or a tire that has been damaged. You should not drive on your flat tire. You need to change it if you have a spare and the proper tools and experience to do the job safely, or have it changed by a tire service truck and technician. Now the rest of you who just need a few psi to get back to your goal inflation that provides the inflation needed to carry the load plus a few psi "cushion", there is a way to handle your situation. The options depend on how much air pressure you need. If you need 80 psi or less one option is to carry a small "tankless" or "pancake" compressor rated at 100 psi and 1 or 2 Cubic Feet per minute (CFM). These are available for $20 to $60 at discount tool supply companies or auto parts stores. Some are 120V and some are 12v and can run off your battery or on-board generator. Just be sure you have enough extension cord or air host to get to all your tires. NOTE You will have a tough time ever inflating a tire to the pressure the compressor is "rated" for so don't buy a 100 psi compressor is you need 100 psi. If you have a larger rig like a Class-A, you probably need 90 to 120 psi and a compressor rated at 125 to 150 psi and 2 CFM or higher. If you have air brakes you may have enough on-board capacity and just need the appropriate fittings and host. There are small compressors on sale at less than $100 that claim to be capable of 125 psi. One other option for those only a few psi low. Drive to the nearest service station at slightly reduced speed (10 mph under the speed limit would be max) and follow these instructions on how to inflate a hot tire. 1. Record your cold inflation. 2. Calculate how many psi each tire would need to reach your goal cold inflation. 3. Drive at reduced speed, hopefully no more than 10 miles, to the service station with air available. You might want to call ahead to be sure they have enough space or long enough hose to reach your rig. Not all service stations can accommodate a Class-A with a toad. 4. Measure your now warm inflation pressure 5. Add the psi needed from step #2 above plus 3psi to learn your temporary "warm" tire inflation 6. Inflate your warm tires to the temporary goal inflation calculated in step 5. 7. Confirm you have the needed inflation the next morning after the tires are at ambient temperature and adjust accordingly. If you follow these steps I think you will find that your tires have the proper inflation or 1 or 2 psi more so you can set the inflation at your exact goal cold inflation using your digital gauge. If you have any concerns then have a service truck come out to top off your tires. Remember DO NOT DRIVE on any tire that has lost 20% or more of its air"

I thought posting this example might help those with the recurring question of "How much air should I use?" +++++++ I received this question. "I am a newbie. Just 5 weeks with my 2017 Bay Star 3113. I need some help understanding just what would be the correct or appropriate tire pressure on my coach. When loaded with my wife, dog and self, partial food and clothing, tools, chairs, BBQ ladders, 2/3 water, full gas and propane and misc stuff I got the following from the CAT scales: Front axle - 7,300. Rear axle - 13,260. Here is my dilemma: The dealer delivered the coach with about 85 lbs. per wheel cold, but when I use the Michelin Tire pressure chart for my 235/80R 22.5 XRE tires should be just 75 lbs! I am concerned that they will be "underinflated" and could build up excess heat. Should I keep the 85 lbs or lower the pressures?" ============== My reply: Welcome to RV fun. For all things tires (except buying) I obviously suggest you check my blog. I don't expect folks to remember everything but if you spend a few minutes checking it out, you can learn how to use the "Label List" on the left to find a post of the topic of interest. There is also a search box in upper left. Now to your specific question. 1. We want to know the heaviest load on your tires and since few RVs are perfectly balanced side to side for weight we ideally want to know the "4 corner weight" to learn the heavier end for each axle. lacking knowing that number IMO we can do a rough calculation by using 53% of the axle scale weight for the RV when it was fully loaded (the expected heaviest it will ever be). 2. 53% of your front would be 3,870# and rear would be 7,030# or 3,515 on each dual. 3. Looking at the Michelin load tables we find for your size at 85 psi can support 3,975 for single (front position) and 80 psi supports 7,050# for two tires in dual position. Yes we always round up. 4. Based on the above your MINIMUM inflation would be 85/80 This is the number I would use for the low pressure warning numbers on your TPMS. 5. I recommend adding 10% and again rounding up that means 93/88 psi for your Cold Inflation Pressure or CIP In your case given the close numbers for the front load I would be comfortable using 90 psi all around as a single number is easier to remember. This 10% gives you a nice cushion so you do not have to chase your tire pressure around whenever the temperature rises or falls. You could even get down to 85psi before needing to "top off" the tire pressure again. 6 All tires on an axle should be inflated to the same level for improved handling and response in an emergency situation. 7. I would set the TPMS High Pressure warning to 110 to 115 psi and your high temperature warning level to 160F. 8 Remember CIP means when tires are at ambient temperature and have not been in direct sunlight or driven on for at least two hours. Finally, In your case you are close to some numbers when we round so if your RV is more balanced than my suggested 47/53% you may be able to lower my suggested inflations by 5 psi but only when you confirm your heavier end is less than 53% of the total. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PS The above post will be on my blog in a few weeks. You folks just got the "Advanced notice".

A fellow Beaver Patriot Thunder owner in the DFW metro area has sustained damage as the result of an installation done by TCi of Fort Worth. The shop dragged his Accu-Shield covered wheels across concrete permanently damaging them. Further, he found a flat several days after installation, possibly that tire is ruined as well. Owners who are considering using TCi for tire replacement might consider waiting until the company resolves problems associated with RV tire installation. Both aesthetics and safety are at stake.

Having just upgraded to a tag-axle rig, I happily ordered a set of extra sensors from Daryl and Cheri at Lawrence Electronics Sales. They sell TireTraker TPMS for RVs. I've had great luck with the product; and, when I called to order a new sensor after a catastrophic dolly tire failure launched one into orbit (it faithfully transmitted the loss back to the receiver as it headed off on its one-way doomed flight), Daryl wouldn't hear of me paying. I protested, saying there was no way he in any way was responsible for an arbitrary tire failure, but he held firm (for the tires' manufacturer, Carlisle, it was a different matter). The icing on the cake: after submitting today's order, I held my breath as shipping and handling was calculated. Such is the fashion nowadays, with vendors gouging the dickens out of customers after they've already committed... Are you ready for this? USPS standard delivery, packed and shipped, for $2.95. Now, some two years after my initial purchase, I like my TireTraker system; but I LOVE Lawrence Electronics Sales. Kudos to Daryl and Cheri! Followup: I got a personal note from Daryl, in addition to my emailed receipt. It is SUNDAY. They have a customer for life.

TCi in Fort Worth was designated by the FMCA as my Michelin dealer, I'm glad they were. Superb service! The technician who installed my new front tires gave me the option of installing new valve stems, I asked for his input. "The rubber O-ring is the thing, we can't determine its condition without taking the stem apart; and, if we do that, we can't put it back together," he replied. The cost? Ten bucks. Of course, let's yank 'em off and install new ones, I said. It made sense; I mean, why seal old ones away for another five years? Well, the condition of the seven year old stem, once taken out, was not good. The chrome plating was coming off, the O-ring dried and brittle. "You won't believe the number of blowouts that start when that valve core yields," he says. Oh? It gave me chills to think I was on the verge of keeping the thing in place for a third set of tires... So, word to the wise: spend the $10 and have peace of mind.