A tire blowout on an RV is not like a blowout on a car. At highway speed, a blown tire on a motorhome or fifth wheel can cause loss of control, damage to the rig, and serious accidents.

The good news: most RV tire failures are preventable. Here's what you need to know.

RV tires carry enormous loads — a Class A motorhome can weigh 30,000+ pounds, and even a modest travel trailer puts significant weight on its tires. They also sit stationary for long periods, which causes flat-spotting and accelerates age-related degradation.

Unlike car tires, RV tires often fail from age before they fail from wear. A tire that looks fine — good tread depth, no visible damage — can still be dangerously degraded if it's more than 5–7 years old.

Every tire has a DOT code on the sidewall. The last four digits of this code are the date code: the first two digits are the week of manufacture, the last two are the year.

Example: DOT ...2419 = manufactured in the 24th week of 2019.

If your tires are more than 5–7 years old, replace them — regardless of tread depth. This is the single most important thing you can do for RV tire safety.

Underinflation is the leading cause of RV tire blowouts. An underinflated tire flexes excessively, generating heat that breaks down the internal structure until it fails catastrophically.

How to find the correct pressure:

1. Weigh your rig — ideally at a truck scale, with everything loaded as it would be for travel
2. Note the weight on each axle (and each side if possible)
3. Consult the tire manufacturer's load/inflation tables (available on their website) for the correct pressure at your actual load
4. Inflate to that pressure — not the maximum on the sidewall, not a round number you remember

Check pressure:

• Before every trip
• After the rig has been sitting for more than a week
• When temperatures change significantly (tire pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10°F drop in temperature)

Always check pressure when the tires are cold (before driving). Hot tires will show higher pressure — this is normal and expected.

A TPMS monitors pressure and temperature in real time while you're driving and alerts you to dangerous conditions before a blowout occurs.

For a motorhome or fifth wheel, a TPMS is not optional — it's a safety system. Popular systems:

• TireMinder — well-regarded, good app integration
• Pressure Pro — reliable, widely used
• TST (Truck System Technologies) — popular with fifth wheel and motorhome owners

Expect to pay $150–$400 for a quality system. It's cheap compared to the cost of a blowout.

Before every trip, walk around your rig and look at each tire:

Sidewall cracking (dry rot): Fine cracks in the sidewall rubber are a sign of age-related degradation. Minor surface cracking may be acceptable; deep cracks that penetrate the sidewall are a replacement indicator.

Bulges or bubbles: A bulge in the sidewall indicates internal structural damage. Replace the tire immediately — a bulge is a blowout waiting to happen.

Uneven tread wear: Wear on one side of the tread indicates an alignment or inflation issue. Wear in the center indicates chronic overinflation; wear on the edges indicates chronic underinflation.

Embedded objects: Check for nails, screws, or other objects embedded in the tread. A nail in the tread may not cause immediate deflation but will eventually.

Valve stems: Check that valve stem caps are in place and that stems aren't cracked or damaged.

UV radiation degrades tire rubber over time. If your rig sits in the sun for extended periods — as it does at many RV parks — tire covers significantly extend tire life.

At Surfside Beach RV Park, the Gulf Coast sun is strong year-round. Tire covers are a worthwhile investment for long-term stays.

Replace your RV tires when:

• They're more than 5–7 years old (check the date code)
• Tread depth is below 2/32" (use a tread depth gauge)
• You see sidewall bulges, deep cracking, or structural damage
• You've had a blowout or significant impact (even if the tire looks okay)
• You're planning a long trip and the tires are borderline — don't gamble

Do you have a spare? Is it inflated to the correct pressure? Is it the right size for your rig?

Check your spare at the same time you check your other tires. A spare that's flat or the wrong size is useless when you need it.

Safe travels from Surfside Beach RV Park. Questions about the park or planning your stay? Call 979-233-6919.