Your RV’s tires are its basis – they have to be cared for and guarded if you wish to get pleasure from secure, clean journeys. However tire blowouts are an unlucky actuality of RV life, so it’s good to know the right way to change a tire on a journey trailer. 

We’ll present tips about tire modifications for single and dual-axle journey trailers, however first, a phrase on the right way to get assist once you’re damaged down on the aspect of the street. 

Good Sam Roadside Help is designed that can assist you overcome tire blowouts and different roadside points. In the event you’re new to RVing, we extremely advocate enrolling on this service, as performing sure emergency companies whereas parked on the aspect of the street may be extremely harmful. And for those who don’t do them appropriately, you are able to do extra hurt than good. 

Find out how to Change a Tire on a Single-Axle Journey Trailer

Technician Tip: At a service middle, technicians will use each the body and the axles as lifting factors since they’re on flat, stage concrete and may entry all sizes of jacks. On the aspect of the street, you’ll probably have a small bottle jack, and there might be no assure of the pavement situation (or the bottom on the aspect of the street). 

When altering a tire on the roadside, place the jack beneath the axle as near the spring mount as doable. 

Then observe these steps to alter a tire on a single-axle journey trailer: 

1. Fastidiously elevate the unit barely so you realize it received’t sink or tip, and place wheel chocks on either side of the tires that stay on the bottom. 
2. Break the lug nuts free on the tire to be modified. 
3. Elevate the trailer utilizing the jack till daylight is seen beneath the tire (2-3 inches off the bottom). 
4. Place a jack stand beneath the axle subsequent to the jack and decrease the jack gently till the axle rests upon the jack stand. Confirm you may nonetheless see daylight beneath the tire. Jacks are for lifting; jack stands are for working. The jack may be left in place if it isn’t in the way in which. In the event you don’t have a jack stand or wheel chock, you may put down your stabilizer jacks solely to stabilize the unit (NOT TO LIFT) whereas your jack is left in place.
5. Take away the lug nuts, swap out the tire, and reinstall the lug nuts finger-tight. 
6. Test the tire stress within the new tire and regulate as wanted. 
7. Carry the axle with the jack sufficient to take away the jack stand, then decrease it till the tire touches the bottom sufficient that it can’t flip. 
8. Tighten the lugs in a star sample in three phases: 20-30 foot-pounds, 50-60 foot-pounds, after which to the ultimate torque really helpful by the producer, sometimes 90-120 foot-pounds. 
9. Absolutely retract and take away the jack and chocks. 
10. Retorque as required by the producer (each 10/25/50 miles or 25/50/100 miles, and many others.)

Technician Tip: In the event you solely have one spare tire, we extremely advocate continuing on to your nearest tire store to get a substitute for the blown tire. Your spare must be used for emergency functions solely. 

Tire Dimension Description

When calling native tire retailers to inquire about spare tire availability, know your rim diameter and tire dimension to expedite the method. You’ll want a tire matching your current tire dimension, which is printed on the tire’s sidewall. It can look one thing like this: ST225/75R15.

Right here’s what these letters and numbers imply: 

ST = Particular Trailer

225 = Tire width in millimeters

75 = Top-to-width facet ratio

R = Radial tire

15 = Rim diameter

Find out how to Change a Tire on a Twin-Axle Journey Trailer

For dual-axle trailers, the method of eradicating the blown tire and putting in the spare is basically the identical. The distinction lies in your choices for elevating or jacking up the trailer to take away the blown tire. 

Utilizing a Tire Assist is the best and quickest technique, offered you solely have a single blown tire on one aspect of your trailer. The Tire Assist eliminates the necessity for a bottle jack to carry your trailer and a jack stand to relaxation the axle on whereas altering the tire.

A Tire Assist permits you to drive the remaining good tire onto an elevated cradle so your blown tire is off the bottom. Whether or not you again onto the tire support or pull ahead onto it relies upon largely on which tire is blown (i.e., pull ahead onto it if the rear tire is blown; again onto it if the entrance tire is blown). 

You’ll nonetheless want to interrupt the lug nuts free for the tire you’ll change whereas it’s on the bottom. From there, you may pull up onto the tire support, which cradles the great tire. It’s nonetheless a good suggestion to put wheel chocks on either side of 1 tire on the alternative aspect of your trailer for added security. 

Then, observe the identical procedures to swap out your blown tire for an identical spare: 

1. Take away the lug nuts, swap out the tire, and reinstall the lug nuts finger-tight. 
2. Test the tire stress within the new tire and regulate as wanted. 
3. Pull slowly off the Tire Assist till the substitute tire touches the bottom sufficient that it can’t flip. 
4. Tighten the lugs in a star sample in three phases: 20-30 foot-pounds, 50-60 foot-pounds, after which to the ultimate torque really helpful by the producer, sometimes 90-120 foot-pounds. 
5. Pull utterly off the Tire Assist. 
6. Retorque as required by the producer (i.e., 10/25/50 miles or 25/50/100 miles, and many others.)

As soon as once more, it’s good to amass a brand new tire as quickly as doable so your spare can return to being what it’s designed for – an emergency possibility. 

Listed here are just a few extra assets that can assist you care in your RV’s tires: 

Do you will have any ideas or tips for altering a tire on an RV? Share them along with your fellow RVers within the feedback beneath.