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On the Road
Checking Tire Pressure
It is important to check your RVs tire pressure at least once a month for the following reasons:
Most tires may naturally lose air over time.
Tires can lose air suddenly if you drive over a pothole or other object or if you strike the curb
when parking.
With radial tires, it may not be possible to determine under-inflation by visual inspection.
For convenience, purchase a tire pressure gauge to keep in your tow vehicle or RV. Gauges can be
purchased at tire dealerships, auto supply stores, and other retail outlets.
The recommended tire inflation pressure that RV manufacturers provide reflects the proper psi when a
tire is cold. The term cold does not relate to the outside temperature. Rather, a cold tire is one that has
not been driven on for at least three hours. When you drive, your tires get warmer, causing the air
pressure within them to increase. Therefore, to get an accurate tire pressure reading, you must measure
tire pressure when the tires are cold or compensate for the extra pressure in warm tires.
Steps for Maintaining Proper Tire Pressure
1.
Locate the recommended tire pressure on the RVs 'Tire and Loading Information' label located at
the exterior driver side front corner of the sidewall. (See inserted label art for identification).
2.
Record the tire pressure of all tires.
3.
If the tire pressure is too high in any of the tires, slowly release air by gently pressing on the tire
valve stem center core with the edge of your tire gauge until you get to the correct pressure.
4.
If the tire pressure is too low, slowly add air, re-checking until you reach the proper pressure.
5.
Check all the tires to make sure they have the same pressure.
6.
Replace all valve stem caps.
If you have been towing your RV and think you may have an under-inflated tire, fill it to the
recommended cold inflation pressure indicated on your RV Tire and Loading Information label.
While your tire may still be slightly under-inflated (after cooling down) due to the extra pounds or
pressure in the warm tire, it is safer to tow with air pressure that is slightly lower than the RV
manufacturers recommended cold inflation pressure than to tow with a significantly under-inflated tire.
Since this is a temporary fix, don't forget to recheck and adjust the tires pressure when you can obtain a
cold reading. If you have operated your RV with a severely under inflated tire, promptly have it
removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to be sure it is not damaged. Tires driven
even for short distances while under inflated may be damaged beyond repair. Tires should be inspected
regularly for excessive wear or irregular tread wear, bulges, aging, cracking, cuts or other damages.
Remove any nail, stones, glass, etc., embedded in the tread to prevent damage. Even minor damage can
lead to tire failure.
This is an example of the 'Tire and Loading
Information' label which you will find located at the
exterior driver side front corner of the sidewall. You
will notice data on this label that includes the
installed and recommended tire size, maximum cold
air pressure, and maximum cargo weight. Note that
air pressures and cargo weights are listed in both US
and METRIC standard measurements.