How often to replace Casita wheels?

[whoot]

I had heard that you should replace your RV tires every 2 years, regardless of how far you drive on them. My Casita was towed 2k miles in 2015, sat mostly idle since then, and now I need to move it another 2k miles. How do you tell if the wheels need replacing?

One tire has a reddish tint, because the sun shown on it for the first 6 months I had it, then I realized I needed tire covers. They've mostly been covered since then.

When I do move it, I would prefer to not have any blow-outs, so I've resigned myself to change the tires. The tires are currently behind my winter skirting, so I have to remove that to get to the tires. A guy at Walmart said they could replace the tires if I brought the wheels in, which is what I plan to do.

I was just curious if this is all really necessary.

[Donna D.]

Two years? Outrageous. Tires do age out and do wear out. BUT, I keep track of both and when necessary replace every 4-7 years.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Two years? Outrageous. Tires do age out and do wear out. BUT, I keep track of both and when necessary replace every 4-7 years.

Agreed, 4-7 years is generally accepted age range for replacement. If you think your have been treated less than optimal then maybe four years assuming there is no sign of damage, and it holds inflation.

Be sure you know the date code on your tires.

And I highly recommend a TPMS. While it might not save from trailer damage if you have a sudden blow out, there is great comfort in going down the road and being able to read the pressure in your trailer tires. Get metal valve stems if you use sensors on the valve stems. They tend to break the rubber valve stems.

I am very happy with the TST 507. I bought it from Plugitright who sold a version with only two sensors, but they no longer sell them. I prefer the non-flow-through type.

[Jack L]

When I bought my 1994 bigfoot in 2012 I found that the trailer was built in the last half of 1993. All trailer builders title anything built in July or later as next years model. also, it had 2 of the original tires and they were dated in early 92, so they sat in some warehouse for a while before the bigfoot left the factory. My point here is that checking tire code dates is important. A 2015 trailer could have tires that are older than 2015. Two real enemies of tire age are heat and ultra violet light (sunlight). I'm OK with tires that spent 2 years in a cool dark warehouse before being put into service. Using them for 5 more years would not bother me.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Everybody replying is assuming you mean tires not WHEELS.

I replace the tires about every 5 to 7 years without worrying about tread wear. You automobile and truck tires are only good for about the same amount of time, but by that time you've generally worn the tread to where replacement is needed.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Everybody replying is assuming you mean tires not WHEELS.
...

That is because the OP's first sentence is:

I had heard that you should replace your RV tires every 2 years...

And he continued to talk only about tires and even their covers (with only calling them wheels one other time). So its a pretty safe assumption that he said what she meant in the post if not in the title.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by gordon2

That is because the OP's first sentence is:

I had heard that you should replace your RV tires every 2 years...

And she continued to talk only about tires and even their covers (with only calling them wheels one other time). So its a pretty safe assumption that she said what she meant in the post if not in the title.

And, her name is William.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

And, her name is William.

Noted, and two "S"'s removed. Now what about those tires....

[whoot]

Ah, yes I meant "tires", the rubber part. I have to take of the entire "wheel" to get Walmart to replace the tire, though it sounds like I may not need to replace the tires. I will take some pictures of them once I get the skirting out of the way. One tire has some sunlight damage (reddish tint), so I may replace them just for peace of mind.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by whoot

... One tire has some sunlight damage (reddish tint), so I may replace them just for peace of mind.

Bill, I would just pull the trailer to a tire shop, such as Discount Tire which has a pretty good reputation, and ask them to eval the tires including reading the date code. I have found them to be honest but if they tell you there is a problem, ask for specifics so you verify the issue. Then when you decide to replace them with some Maxxis tires, the shop can order them or you can order them and then take them to the tire shop to be mounted on the rims. They can also put the metal valve stems on (which are only a few dollars). I guess the tire shop at Walmart does OK for a lot of people, but I have used Discount Tire and been very happy with them. In fact they will even negotiate price with me. You can also order trailer tires and wheels already mounted for not a whole lot more than then tire alone, and put them on the trailer yourself.

[WendyW]

My understanding of tires is that they begin deteriorating from the inside out the minute after they’re manufactured, no matter how well they’ve been protected or stored. So appearance is secondary to date made, unless the outside shows extreme wear. Also, your trailer tires should all be the same age, brand and size, for best results. I’ve learned tire info the hard way!

Wendy W. and
Rhett the Anti-War Cat

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by whoot

I had heard that you should replace your RV tires every 2 years, regardless of how far you drive on them. My Casita was towed 2k miles in 2015, sat mostly idle since then, and now I need to move it another 2k miles. How do you tell if the wheels need replacing?

One tire has a reddish tint, because the sun shown on it for the first 6 months I had it, then I realized I needed tire covers. They've mostly been covered since then.

When I do move it, I would prefer to not have any blow-outs, so I've resigned myself to change the tires. The tires are currently behind my winter skirting, so I have to remove that to get to the tires. A guy at Walmart said they could replace the tires if I brought the wheels in, which is what I plan to do.

I was just curious if this is all really necessary.

I would not buy tires from Walmart. They may not sell you a quality tire. Check out ratings and buy the best. If you are not going to tow the trailer but 2K miles and no more I'd have the tires evaluated by a tire store and use them if they check out OK. If you plan to tow the trailer a lot then I'd consider replacing them. Most RV and trailer tires are good up to 7 years. Sitting is hard on them and if they have been sitting 2 years without being moved they will have a flat spot. This could be a problem. Tires last longer and wear better when moved and warmed up on the road.

[Joe Romas]

I would not buy tires from Wal-Mart eather.

I had a set of Maxxis tires that had small age cracks after only two years old.
I've been following tires on all three Casita forums and have arrived at the conclusion that you can pretty much depend on three years but after that your rolling the dice

I bought new tires last year, Good Year Endurance "D" rated ones. they are made in the US and I'm hoping that since Good Year and all the other makers as far as that goes got a black eye when they switched to making them in China and am hoping the Endurance is to be their saving grace. At least that's what I and some others are hoping.

I bought size 205/75R15 that is what Casita is using with the high lift axle option and they were $110 each plus "stuff" at Discount tire.

I also got two new aluminum rims and made sure they used stick on weights. My new 2017 GMC Sierra with mag rims came with stick on weights too.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Sitting is hard on them and if they have been sitting 2 years without being moved they will have a flat spot. This could be a problem.

Totally agree with this, I hated that it took 3 miles or so for the tires to warm up and quit thumping. Easy fix though, I haven't bought a nylon tire since the late 60s....no problem .

[berwin]

If you check most tire manufactures they say that an inspection of the tires tells you what you need to know. If the tires are showing any weather checking, or dry rot. inspect tread depth. if it is under 2/32". all of these mean replace the tires. if you take the time and put in just a little maintenance of your tires they will last 7-10 even longer. when not in use cover them to keep them out of the sun light, use a tire conditioner, check your tire pressure regularly. I use my camper to much to get more than 3 or 4 years from a set of tires before they are just worn out...

[whoot]

I will upgrade my 2015 SD 17 from:

Goodyear Marathon ST225/75R15 Load Range C

to:

Goodyear Endurance ST225/75R15 Load range E

[steve dunham]

How often you replace trailer tires has a lot to do with usage , sun exposure , and the tires quality , I’ve had low end Chinese trailer tires fail in 2 to 3 years and quality trailer tires last over 8 years
From what I’ve read , the Goodyear Endurance is a high quality tire and when we replace our trailer tires this Spring , Endurance will be at or near the top of our list.

From my experience the only thing worse than a Chinese travel trailer tire is a Chinese boat trailer tire

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by whoot

I had heard that you should replace your RV tires every 2 years, regardless of how far you drive on them. My Casita was towed 2k miles in 2015, sat mostly idle since then, and now I need to move it another 2k miles. How do you tell if the wheels need replacing?

One tire has a reddish tint, because the sun shown on it for the first 6 months I had it, then I realized I needed tire covers. They've mostly been covered since then.

When I do move it, I would prefer to not have any blow-outs, so I've resigned myself to change the tires. The tires are currently behind my winter skirting, so I have to remove that to get to the tires. A guy at Walmart said they could replace the tires if I brought the wheels in, which is what I plan to do.

I was just curious if this is all really necessary.

William,

A bit off topic, but a couple of years ago you were asking about campgrounds with storm shelters. The “RV Travel” newsletter now has a listing of campgrounds with storm shelters. You may want to check it out.

As to tires, I would recommend the Endurance over the Marathons. Endurance are manufactured in the US. They have a higher load rating so inflate them to Goodyear’s inflation chart based on the weight of your trailer. The max sidewall pressure is 65 psi, but 65 psi on a small trailer might result in a bouncy ride. I would guess that whatever you are inflating your current tires to would be a good number, or at least a good starting point.

[Jon Vermilye]

2 years if very conservative. The often quoted time to replace even unworn tires is 5 years, although I've never managed to go more than 3 years before mine wore out. I used Maxxis tires until the Goodyear Endurance arrived on the scene. I now use them & have been pleased so far.

[Gerry]

forgetting where I hesitate to write anything but before I went on my cross country trip, I asked an RV tech. and he said 5 years from date stamped on tire and he showed me where it was should be the limit.
Sorry again for not having all the facts!