Tires Parked For Months On Cement? Is There A Problem?

[FreightLinerFever]

Do I need to put rubber or wood between the tire and the cement to keep tires from getting a flat spot or rotting?

[tbutler]

There are a variety of things that can be used as parking pads to protect tires and extend their life.  There are special pads for this purpose, I've used wood and now I use cutting boards, inexpensive ones from Walmart will do.  Whatever you use should be large enough to support the entire footprint of each tire. 

To reduce the flat spot, inflate your tires to the maximum pressure given on the tire and the rim.  Do not exceed the lesser of those two pressures.  An alternate would be to put the jacks down to relieve the weight being supported by the tires.  You could also put the coach up on blocks as another alternative.

If parked outdoors, the tires should be covered to protect them from UV rays of the sun.

[manholt]

Floor on our current garage is gravel, so we both use marine grade plywood.  My past garage was cement and I used cardboard...the rest as Tom mentioned.  The age of life is still 6 - 8 years, depending upon the weight off coach and exposure to UV light. 

[cwswine]

I thought about using the horse trailer pads you can buy at Farm Supply and cut them to the correct size to use under my tires while in storage.  They are made from recycled tires so I won’t think they held any chemicals that would damage the tires.  What do you think?  

[jleamont]

2 hours ago, cwswine said:

horse trailer pads you can buy at Farm Supply

That is what I use at home on the asphalt driveway or parked in gravel (RV pad is gravel).

[tireman9]

The key issue is to prevent moisture from being in contact with the tires. 

If outside protect tires from exposure to UV

If indoors keep tires away from electric motor or any other source of Ozone.

[obedb]

I use wood between tires and gravel and I put jacks down to reduce load on tires. Did it on our first coach and do the same thing with our Phaeton. No problems with jacks on either coach. Done it for years. 

[five]

5 hours ago, obedb said:

I use wood between tires and gravel and I put jacks down to reduce load on tires. Did it on our first coach and do the same thing with our Phaeton. No problems with jacks on either coach. Done it for years. 

Ditto, jacks down, tires on plywood.

[elkhartjim]

I thought I would share the procedure Freightliner recommends for storage.

Copied from the FCOC website.

Preparing Your RV for Storage

by Mike Cody, Sr. Service Trainer
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation

Some of us are lucky enough to keep our RVs on the road all year long, but for many, fall means it’s time to put the motorhome away for a few months. As anyone who has ever left a lasagna in the freezer can tell you, it’s important to be thorough and thoughtful when preparing your RV for storage. This goes for your chassis as well.

When storing your motorhome for an extended period of time — 60 days or more — these steps should be taken to give it maximum protection:

• Fill fuel tank and add a high-quality fuel stabilizer to the fuel (never store with a partially full tank of fuel).
• Change the engine oil and filter (used oil does not give adequate protection).
• Cooling system was originally protected with antifreeze to -34 degrees F. If colder temperatures are expected, adjust the mixture. If coolant has been in the vehicle for five years or 100,000 miles, flush the cooling system and fill with an appropriate mixture of antifreeze and softened water, and be sure that the coolant contains a rust inhibitor.
• If it has been more than 18 months or 24,000 miles since the transmission has been serviced, change the fluid and filter.
• Service the fuel filters.
• Run the engine until fully warmed up.
• Operate the air conditioning.
• If possible, store the vehicle in a dry, well-ventilated area, protected from sunlight.
• Check tires for damage and set tire pressure to maximum as indicated on the sidewall of the tire. Clean the tires using the normal, mild soap that you would use to clean your RV.
• If possible, raise the vehicle onto safety stands. Do not store the vehicle on the hydraulic leveling jacks. Hydraulic jacks will “bleed” pressure over time, lowering the coach back onto the tires.
• Cover tires to protect from heat and sunlight.
• If possible, release the parking brake.
• Remove and clean the battery. Always disconnect the negative (-) cable first. Store the battery in a cool, dry place and keep it charged.
• Lubricate all grease fittings on the chassis and drivetrain.
• Cover all engine and transmission openings with moisture-resistant tape.

Depending on the make and model of your motorhome, there will certainly be additional items for your checklist. Be sure to reference your owner’s manual for more information. As always, if you have questions about storage or maintenance, give us a call at 800-FTL-HELP.

[manholt]

There is a reason I live in Texas!  Never met anyone that goes to -39 degrees after retirement.

Remove the battery?  Did not know that Freightliner made a "Smart Car"!