If you own an RV, then you will want to ensure that everything in your RV is in absolutely perfect condition.
It is a well-maintained camper or motorhome that will ensure you are able to hit the ‘open road’ with next-to-no issues.
In this article, I am going to discuss that one question most RVers have ‘do RV tire covers help?’
Why use RV tire covers?
To put it simply; it is because it is going to save you money in the long term.
RV tires are expensive, and you have a lot of them on your RV.
It is likely that you are going to be heading out in the heat in your RV.
It is likely that you are going to be driving through fields laden with mud. All of this is going to have a huge impact on your RV’s tires. This is why you need to have RV tire covers.
Obviously, they are not going to be able to protect them from everything out there, but they should be able to extend the life of your camper’s tires, just a little bit.
If you can get an extra year or two out of your tires before you replace them, then that is going to be a nice saving every so often.
On an average RV tires last around 5-6 years. But, to get to that many years you definitely need to protect the tires.
Is it necessary to cover RV tires?
Nope. It isn’t necessary.
In fact, there are many people out there who will not cover their RV tires.
These are the people who are almost constantly on the road and do not really want to be adding and taking away the RV tire covers almost constantly.
However, if you are planning to stay in the same place for long periods of time, then you will almost certainly want to cover your RV tires.
It will afford them the greatest protection.
As mentioned previously; the RV tire covers will also help to ensure the lifespan of your RV tires.
Which is important as it is going to be pretty expensive to get hold of some replacement RV tires, and it will be nigh on impossible if you are in the middle of nowhere.
Of course, if you want to ensure that your tires are protected fully, then you are going to want to go to lengths to ensure that you pick up the right size RV tire covers.
After all, if you are here looking for the answer to the question ‘do RV tire covers help?’, then you already want to know that you will be protecting your RV covers in the best possible way.
And the bulk of this protection will come from choosing the right covers.
Do RV covers really help?
Absolutely! Many people who have RV covers in place find that their tires last a whole lot longer than without them.
Read : Are RV Covers worth it?
You just need to make sure that you pick the right size for your RV tires here. It is the only way to ensure that your vehicle’s tires are fully protected.
Do RV tire covers cause mold?
They can, but you can do things to mitigate the risk.
Remember; mold is caused by moisture being trapped in an area.
This means that you should always clean off your RV tires before you put the cover on.
This will reduce the chances of mold. If you have put your RV into long-term storage, then remove the cover every few weeks or so, make sure that the mold has not started to form.
Finding the right size covers for your RV tires
Honestly, learning which is the right size RV covers are is not actually that hard. You aren’t going to need to measure anything at all.
This is because the tire will already have done the hard work for you.
Obviously, you can still physically measure the tire if you want, but the easiest way to find out the right size covers for your RV tires will be to look at the number written on the actual tire. Although, you are going to need to do a few calculations here. Thankfully, they won’t be too difficult.
The first two numbers will be the first calculation that you need to make. Let’s assume that your tire has a number like this:
ST175/80-R16
The first thing you will need to do is look at the 175 and the 80. You will be looking for 80% of 175. This is 140. You will then need to convert that to inches, which would be 5.526. Now, double this, and you will have 11.052. You will then add this to the last number, and this will give you the size of the tire that you need. In this case, you would need a tire cover that is at least 27-inches.
You can also measure from the base of the tire to the top but do bear in mind that you may be an inch or two off like this.
That being said, RV tire covers all do seem to be around the same size, and thus you won’t really go that far wrong if you are trying to calculate everything ‘in a hurry’.
Will covers prevent RV tire dry rot?
To a degree, yes.
There are a lot of things that will contribute towards dry rot in a vehicle’s tires.
You won’t be able to deal with absolutely every single issue.
However, the RV tire cover will help to protect your tires from the harmful UV rays, which will, at least, reduce one of the factors which cause dry rot.
Pros and Cons of RV tire covers
RV tire covers can help to slow down certain types of damage to your RV tires, particularly when your vehicle is in long-term storage. For example; they will help to prevent harmful UV rays hitting the tires which can weaken the rubber of the tire.
It can also help to prevent moisture from getting to the tires, rodents hitting the tires, and dirt and grime collecting. Basically, it will help to ensure that your vehicle tires are in peak condition.
The only real con is that RV tire covers can be a touch on the expensive side. Although, do bear in mind that they are going to help to prevent early replacement of your tires, which will save you money in the long term.
Types of RV tire covers
Honestly, outside the differences in the material (and these differences will be minor), there are not that many different types of RV tire cover. The only thing you will need to be thinking about is whether you are going to be covering a single wheel, or two wheels with the same cover.
Then, look for a color or pattern that looks good for you. Although, of course, do make sure that you pick up the highest quality RV tire covers that you can afford. This will ensure the best possible protection.
5 Best RV Tire Covers
There are a lot of different RV tire covers on the market. Here, we are going to walk you through five of the best. Of course, you may want to look at some of the options to find one that is going to be perfect for your needs.
Classic Accessories OverDrive RV Dual Axle Wheel Cover
Classic Accessories tire covers are some of the best there are, and they are highly affordable too. This particular cover will help to protect two wheels on the same axle. The cover will protect against UV rays and mildew. It is exceedingly simple to attach to your wheels too. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
Aebitstry Tire Covers (4-Pack)
These tire covers may be cheap, but they pack a real punch. They are tear-resistant, UV-resistant, and they can even withstand huge amounts of water pressure before buckling. They are quick and easy to put around the tire. The best part is that these are universal covers, so you don’t need to think too much about the size of your RV tires. This set should fit anything from 27″ to 32″ in diameter.
Kohree Tire Covers 600D Oxford
These tire covers for your RV are some of the most expensive on this list so far, but they are tough as nails. They are made from a non-woven fabric, which helps to increase the lifespan of the tire covers. They are easy to apply to your tires too, and if you want something that is going to give the highest levels of protection, then these Kohree Tire Covers should be at the top of your list.
NicoMoO Tire Covers Extra-Thick 5-Ply
These tire covers are designed to be extra thick. They are going to be fantastic when you are putting your vehicle into longer-term storage, or if you are in a particularly damp or sunny area.
Explore Land Tire Covers
If you want tire covers that can be applied within seconds, then these ones are your best bet. An elastic band will instantly hook the RV tire cover into place. They come in a variety of sizes too, which means you should be able to find the right one for your vehicle.
Other ways to protect RV tires
Honestly, the only ‘real’ way in which you are going to be able to protect your RV tires perfectly is to invest in some quality RV tire covers.
However, there are other ways in which you can add a touch of protection. It is easy to neglect the RV tires and we assume a lot of things. It is here in this article that i have covered all the points in depth about how to protect rv tires.
If you really do not want to be putting tire covers on all the time, then you can purchase chemicals that will add a layer of protection to the tires. This means purchasing dedicated chemicals that can block out harmful UV rays.
You will also want to look into cleaning the RV tires regularly. While this is not going to help with absolutely everything when it comes to the protection of your tires, it should at least help to extend the life of the tires.
You will also want to look into ways in which the RV is balanced well. That way your vehicle won’t be putting an uneven amount of pressure on certain wheels.
Conclusion
To conclude on this discussion, I would say having your RV tires covered is definately worth it.
An RV that is not taken care of won’t last long, which means taking care of every component of the RV. May it be RV roof, floor, or tires. People do all sorts of things to protect their expensive motorhome or travel trailers. RV skirting, roof sealing, and RV tires cover too.
