S01 E04 - How to choose the right RV tire to stay safe and save money

Choosing RV tires might not be a sexy topic, but we’ve seen catastrophic failures when someone makes the wrong choice.

We had stopped to help a fallen motorcyclist, when a pick-up truck towing a double-axle travel trailer went by with a flat tire on the passenger side. We assumed they would pull over to change it but they didn’t realize they had a flat, and just kept going.

Naturally, we drove after them to make them aware of the problem, but heavy oncoming traffic made it impossible to get their attention. Then chunks of rubber started flying past us followed by billowing clouds of blue smoke. We had a feeling this was going to end badly.

There’s no doubt that you’ve had to purchase a new set of tires for a vehicle. For your daily driver, you typically decide whether you need Passenger (P) or Light Truck (LT), and then choose summer, winter, or all-season. For your towable RV, you’re going to look for Special Trailer (ST) tires, which are specifically designed for towables as well as cargo and boat trailers. They have thicker, stiffer sidewalls to carry increased loads, minimize flex, and reduce the chance of sidewall punctures. They allow the trailer to track better and reduce trailer sway,