You should inspect your RV trailer tires at least once a year and before use. Check the sidewalls, both inside and outside. It is strongly recommended that you check any RV trailer tire over 5 years old with a professional. Damage and wear come natural with use and over time, even with proper tire storage and maintenance. Knowing what to look out for increases the safety of your RV trailer.

The following issues are visual indicators that your RV trailer tires are wearing. If the following problems occur, it is strongly advised to have a professional inspect your tires before use.

• Loose Lug nuts and Broken Wheel Studs: This is a massive problem that can cause your wheel to fall off. Check the lug nuts of each tire to see if they are tightened.
• Tread Depth: Check the depth of the treads to ensure that they are still deep. An easy method to do this is to use a penny and gauge the depth of your treads with Lincoln’s face. Simply insert the penny into your treads with Lincoln’s head first. Can you still see Abe’s face? If not, it is time to get a professional to look at your tires. Different terrains will certainly play a factor on tread depth, so please see a professional for further advice.
• Dual Kissing: When dual configuration tires make contact, this is known as dual kissing. Friction develops and causes temperatures to rise between the two tires. This will weaken the casing material structure of the tires. You can prevent dual kissing by mounting your dual configuration tires properly, setting the dual spacing appropriately and inflating your tires to the correct levels. If dual kissing is caused by the tire casings growing, under loadat the contact patch.
• Wear Patterns: All tires mounted on RV’s should wear in a smooth, even wear pattern when the tires are maintained with the correct air pressure for the load on the tire. If tires begin to show an irregular wear pattern, and the vehicle alignment is correct, sometimes just rotating the tires by changing direction of rotation and wheel position will allow the tires to wear evenly.
• Sidewall Issues: Check to see if each tires sidewalls are normal. If there is any discoloration of the sidewalls, this may be caused by high running temperatures. Check to see if there are any cracks on the sidewalls. Cracks are usually due to the weather and ozone deteriorating the sidewalls.
• Rim Size: Make sure the rims are the correct size for your trailer tire.

Always check your SPARE tires as well!