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Tent Camper Owner’s Manual
T
ires
Your camper tires play an important role in the load carrying capacity of the vehicle. To ensure good tire life, check
your tires often. Inspect the general condition of the tire, as well as the air pressure. Always check the air pressure
when the tire is cold. Tires that are hot from traveling will show higher pressure. The correct tire pressure and the
load carrying capacity of the tire is imprinted on the side of each tire sidewall. Remember that the air pressure in
your camper tires will not be the same as the pressure in your tow vehicle tires. Always inflate camper tires to the
correct pressure. Do not over or under inflate. Under inflated tires will run hot, shortening the tire’s life, and de-
creasing the camper’s safe load limit.
T
ire
s
afeTy
Use the following information to make tire safety a regular part of your vehicle maintenance routine.
s
afeTy
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irsT
-b
asiC
T
ire
m
ainTenanCe
Properly maintained tires improve steering, stopping, traction, and load-carrying capability of your vehicle. Under
inflated tires and overloaded vehicles are a major cause of tire failure. Therefore, to avoid flat tires and other types
of tire failures, you should maintain proper tire pressure, observe tire and vehicle load limits, avoid road hazards,
and regularly inspect your tires.
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inding
y
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V
ehiCLe
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r
eCOmmended
T
ire
p
ressure
and
L
Oad
L
imiTs
The tire information and vehicle certification label contains information on tires and load limits. These labels indi-
cate the vehicle manufacturer’s information including:
• Recommended tire size
• Recommended tire inflation pressure
• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR-the maximum occupant and cargo weight a vehicle is designed to carry)
• Front and rear gross axle weight ratings (GAWR-the maximum weight the axle systems are designed to carry)
u
ndersTanding
T
ire
p
ressure
and
L
Oad
L
imiTs
Tire inflation pressure is the level of the air in the tire that provides it with load-carrying capacity and affects the
overall performance of the vehicle. The tire inflation pressure is a number that indicates the amount of air pressure,
measured in pounds per square inch (psi)-a tire requires to be properly inflated. (This number is also expressed in
kilopascals (kPa) which is a metric measuring system used internationally).
Vehicle manufacturers determine this number based on the vehicles design load limit which is the greatest amount
of weight a vehicle can safely carry and the vehicle’s tire size. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is referred to
as the ‘recommended cold inflation pressure’.
Tire pressure should always be measured when the tire is ‘cold’ to get an accurate measurement. A cold tire is one
that hasn’t been driven on for at least 3 (three) hours. As you drive, your tires get warmer causing the air pressure
within the tire to increase. Therefore, you cannot get an accurate measurement of tire pressure unless the tire is
cold.
C
heCking
T
ire
p
ressure
Because tires are designed to be used on more than one type of vehicle, tire manufacturers list the ‘maximum per-
missible inflation pressure’ on the sidewall. The number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be
put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
It is important to check your vehicle’s tire pressure at least once a month for the following reasons:
• Most tires naturally lose air pressure over time.
• Tires can lose air suddenly if you drive over a pothole or strike the curb when parking.
• With radial tires it is usually not possible to determine under inflation by visual inspection.
For your convenience, purchase a tire pressure gauge to keep in your vehicle.
