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Article and Photos by: Steve Blume, Tiffin Ambassador
Remember when “service stations” didn’t just sell gas but also offered batteries, belts, and tires? I do. In the 1980s, my Exxon District Manager role involved formal tire training, so I figured I had a decent handle on what mattered when it came to tires—even on a 40-foot motorhome. When I walked into the Michelin RV Tire Care seminar at the Tiffin rally in Myrtle Beach, it wasn’t because I expected to learn anything. I just had a fresh cup of coffee and needed a seat.
I walked out with a full page of notes and a whole new understanding of RV tires—and the myths many of us unknowingly live by.
One of the biggest surprises? Age doesn’t automatically make a tire unsafe. I’d always heard that once a tire reaches seven years, it needs to be replaced. Some owners argue that you should replace at five years to be on the safe side. However, Michelin states and promotes in their tire warranty brochure that a well-maintained and regularly inspected tire can be safely used for up to 10 years (based on the sidewall date) despite the warranty ending at seven.
Bottom line? Don’t rush to replace a perfectly good tire just because it had a birthday. Start inspecting yearly after year seven, and have a professional look at them during your annual service—or at a rally.
This might be the most misunderstood topic in the RV world—and the source of a lot of bad advice online. Tire pressure isn’t something you copy from your neighbor, or assume is fine because “that’s what the dealer delivered it with.”
You need to know your coach’s weight. Ideally, you should have your coach weighed at all four corners—road-ready with full fuel and water tanks, and your gear onboard. If that’s not possible, go by the factory placard on the entry door frame until you can.
Once you know the weight, use the tire manufacturer’s inflation chart to set your PSI. Do not use the “max PSI” listed on the tire sidewall. That’s a safety limit, not a pressure recommendation.
And here’s a key detail I didn’t know: set your PSI based on the heaviest corner on the axle, and apply that number to both tires on that axle. Don’t average the weights! If one side has a slide-out, a washer/dryer, or extra cargo, it’s likely to be heavier. Inflate to that value across the axle to ensure safety and balance.
Also, don’t adjust tire pressure when the tires are hot. Let your coach sit for four to six hours before checking.
Finally—stick to the chart. No extra “safety margin” needed. It’s engineered for your tire’s performance. On the road, a ±5 PSI variance between tires is acceptable.
Overinflation doesn’t just mess with ride comfort—it reduces traction. Too much air creates a “crown” and a smaller footprint, meaning less rubber is in contact with the road. You want a nice square footprint for stability, stopping power, and even wear.
I never thought of it that way before. I assumed higher pressure was always safer. But in this case, too much air can work against you.
Many RVers worry when they see their tire temperatures rising, especially in the summer. But the Michelin experts assured us that increasing temperatures are normal—as long as all your tires are rising together. What you’re watching for is a single outlier. One tire heating faster than the rest is your early warning sign that something may be wrong.
Another myth: thinking all edge wear is a sign of failure. Not always. Some large RV tires are designed with edge patterns that naturally wear slightly—so don’t panic if you see it. Have it checked, but don’t assume the worst.
And skip the tire dressing. If it wipes off black when you rub it, that’s part of the tire itself breaking down. Soap and water is all you need.
If your coach sits for long periods on raw concrete, consider using mats under the tires. And if possible, keep your tires shielded from direct sunlight. Both concrete and UV exposure accelerate deterioration.
When replacing your tires, replace the valve stems. It’s cheap insurance for such a critical component.
And maybe the best tip of all—drive your coach. Regular use is the best thing you can do for your tires, belts, seals, and all the other rubber components throughout your RV. Letting it sit too long does more harm than good.
I thought I was just passing time at a rally with a hot cup of coffee. Instead, I got an education that may have saved me from premature replacements, uneven wear, or even a roadside blowout.
The seminar was led by Leah Feig Simmons, with Customer Engineering Support at Michelin North America, Inc. She not only answered every question with deep technical knowledge, but also shared something I didn’t expect: there was a sign-up sheet at the Michelin booth for a free tire inspection at my coach. It turns out Michelin offers this service at every rally they attend—one-on-one time with a tire expert, right at your site. To my surprise, she came out and performed my inspection!
To be clear, I’m not offering these recommendations as my personal opinion—I’m simply passing along what I learned from some of the best tire experts in the industry. While this was a Michelin presentation, the technology and principles apply across all major brands. Whether you run Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, or another manufacturer, the fundamentals remain the same.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there—some of it just outdated, some of it flat-out wrong. What I didn’t know about tires turned out to be a lot. But now I do—and I hope this helps you know a little more as well.
Steve first lives it, then colorfully writes about it, especially his passion for the RV lifestyle. A retired entrepreneur, he and his wife spend half the year traveling the country in their Tiffin Allegro RED 38 KA and the other half at home in Brentwood, TN with family. Married for almost 50 years, once you meet them he and Nancy are easily remembered – he is 6’4″ and she is 4’7″. His articles on business, personal development, faith, fundraising and running have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines over the years.
