Category: All RVing Articles

Motorhome Tires – What Are The Best Brands For Your RV?

In this article, we’re going to be talking about the very best motorhome tires.

Sooner or later, we all have to buy new tires for our RV because they wear out.

And the life expectancy of most RV tires is really right around five to six years.

That’s because motorhome tires often age out before they wear out.

So when it’s time to get new tires for your motorhome or your RV, what are the best brands to choose from?

Well, drawing up a list of the best motorhome tires or RV tire brands is very subjective.

That’s because it really comes down to opinions about the quality of tire brands.

So how then, did I form my list that I’m going to give you today?

Table of Contents

Watch my video about buying motorhome tires

My List Of The Best Motorhome Tires

Well first of all, I searched a lot of RV forums online as well as RVing websites. The internet is a treasure trove of tire buying information.

Also, I’ve talked to a lot of motorhome and RV owners over the years too. And there are certain brands that I hear a lot about repeatedly.

Of course, what I’m looking for is, what are the brands that get the most positive comments?

The ones that are talked about a lot. But they’re talked about for the right reasons.

And when we’re drawing up a list of those best motorhome tire brands, there are two categories that tires generally fall into.

Number one is premium tire manufacturers. These are the ones that we’ve heard about for years and we know them very well.

Premium Motorhome Tire Brands

And right at the top of the list is Michelin motorhome tires. They are well known for making a quality product for a wide range of vehicles.

And online, many RVers just rave about the Michelin tires they have on their RV.

Michelin motorhome tires

Some of them even go to the point of saying that you really shouldn’t buy anything else.

Well, I can’t go quite that far. But I can say that they do make a good, quality product.

However, the downside of Michelin motorhome tires is that they’re very expensive. Usually more so than almost any other tire out there.

But there are other premium tire brands to choose from too. And the ones I hear about a lot in a positive way are Bridgestone and Continental.

Bridgestone and Continental RV tires

So those three tire brands would be very good to choose from. After all, we’ve heard about them for years and we know that they build good tires.

And any of them would be good for your RV or your motorhome.

More Premium RV Tire Brands

Now there are other premium brands like Goodyear and Firestone and Cooper too.

So am I saying that you should not buy those brands? Not at all!

Again, this is a list of the very best motorhome tires and RV tire brands.

And what we’re talking about are the ones that get the most positive reviews online.

So those are the three brands that I can recommend in the premium category.

Less Expensive Motorhome Tires

But there’s a second category as well. And that is the less expensive tire brands for your RV or your motorhome.

Mainly they are Japanese brands. And these get a lot of comments online as well.

In fact, there’s a lot of reviews about these Japanese motorhome tire brands too.

And the good news is that they’re almost always very positive in the things they say about them.

Japanese Brands To Consider

Now number one on the list of these less expensive brands is Toyo motorhome tires. They are very popular with a lot of RVers.

But you also hear a lot about Hankook, Sumitomo and Yokohama motorhome tires.

Motorhome tires from Hankook, Sumitomo and Yokahama

Now some of these brands may not be recognizable to you at all.

But a lot of people are using them, and quite a few are saying really positive things about them.

In fact, a scenario that I often see online is that an RV owner will talk about how they switched from Michelin tires over to one of the Japanese brands instead.

And they often mention how happy they are with the switch.

Well, why did they switch in the first place? Almost always it’s because of the cost of Michelin tires, and their need to save some money.

Are These Less Expensive Tires Inferior?

So the question is, if you do that too, are you going to be buying a really inferior tire?

And there is good news is from all the reviews I have seen and the people I have talked to.

That is that you’re going to get a very good quality tire even from these less expensive Japanese brands.

So that’s my list of premium brands and less expensive Japanese brands for consideration.

How To Get Motorhome Tires Online

Now another question is how do you get RV or motorhome tires?

Well, it’s hard to find an RV tire shop that has all of these offerings in one place. But you can find them online.

And here’s a great resource for you. It’s a website called motorhometires.com and they also are reviewed a lot online as well.

Motorhometires.com - a great resource for RV tires

And they have great reviews overall for the service they offer. So consider using them for your RV and motorhome tire needs.

And many of the brands that I mentioned here today are sold by them. Not all of them, but many of them are.

And here’s the really good news. When you look at the price they list online it will include shipping the tires to you.

And it will also include mounting and balancing, new valve stems, disposing of your old tires and local installation for free.

So when you look at the price online, that’s all of what you’re going to pay for your next set of tires. And that’s really good!

Local RV Tire Installation

In fact, they will send the tires to anyone you want locally too.

So let’s suppose that you have a tire shop that you like a lot. And you have a lot of confidence in them.

Well, you could have motorhometires.com send your tires directly to them for installation.

You just bring your rig in to that shop and they’ll replace your tires.

However, there’s another option too. Motorhometires.com has over 4,000 installers available across the country.

Many of them are mobile installers that can actually come to you wherever your RV or your motorhome is located to replace your tires.

It could be in a campsite. It could be at your home. Or wherever your RV happens to be.

Mobile tire installers can come right to you
Mobile tire installers can come right to your RV campsite

So really, you have your choice of installation location. Isn’t that great?

So then, you could get your tires installed at a tire shop. Or you could have a mobile installer actually come right to you instead.

Other Online Motorhome Tire Resources

Now there’s not just motorhometires.com that you can buy RV tires from.

But they are a resource that I hear a lot about on many RV forums and websites. And lots of RVers have had very positive things to say about them.

Of course, there are other online websites where you can buy RV tires too.

So make sure you look around for them as well when you decide that you need new motorhome tires.

How To Buy The Right Size Motorhome Tires

Now here’s a question many RVers face. What size tires and what specs should you use for your RV tires?

Well in almost every RV, there’s a data plate from the manufacturer. And it’s usually located in the front, right around the driver’s seat.

So look for it, and on that data plate you will see listed the size tires they recommend for replacement on your RV.

And that’s the best place to get the information for replacing your motorhome tires.

However, if you’ve got questions, the good news is motorhometires.com and probably most of these other online sites as well allow you to call them.

And they’ll walk you through the buying process. They have experts that can talk with you and help answer any questions that you have.

And they will help you feel comfortable about your tire purchase.

So if you feel you need some extra help choosing the right size tires for your rig, give them a call.

Conclusion

Of course, you don’t have to buy tires online though. You could go to local tire shops too.

Because many of these shops run specials from time to time. And often, they’re very good specials too.

So do your due diligence before purchasing your tires. Go around and check the local tire shops to see what they have to offer as well.

Really, getting new RV tires doesn’t have to be a hard process. Just try to start with the best motorhome tires and brands.

The ones that are most often recommended by RV and motorhome owners. The ones that get positive comments and reviews online.

And hopefully, the list that I gave you today will help you have a good place to start for that.

Well, that’s it for now. Have safe and happy travels my friends.

Flat Tow Braking – The Top 5 Choices For Your Towed Vehicle

This article is about the top five flat tow braking systems that I can recommend for your RV.

And of course, braking is one of the most important and major parts of flat towing. So you need to get it right!

And without a braking system for the towed vehicle, all the braking pressure is put on the tow vehicle up front instead.

Now this can actually work okay under most circumstances. But what if you get into hard braking situations where you really need as much braking as you can get?

Well, the towed vehicle’s braking system can easily become overwhelmed.

And that’s when you’ll appreciate having another braking system back there in the towed vehicle.

Watch my video on flat tow braking systems by clicking here

There are several different kinds of flat tow braking systems too. And we’re going to talk about that in this article.

Also, we’re going to cover the top five that I can recommend for your consideration.

Table of Contents

Flat Tow Brake #1

So let’s start with the systems that are permanently mounted into your towed vehicle first.

And number one would be the Invisibrake made by Roadmaster.

Invisibrake braking system by Roadmaster
Invisibrake by Roadmaster

Roadmaster is well known in the flat towing industry for producing quality products.

And the way it works is it detects when the brake lights are being activated in the tow vehicle up front.

When that happens, it applies the brakes back in the towed vehicle as well.

Now there’s a lot of great reviews for Invisibrake online. And that means that lots of people are loving it.

The reviews say that it’s very reliable in real world use. And it generally costs right around $1000 to buy the braking hardware.

Now that may seem like quite a bit of money. But most of these permanently mounted braking systems are going to be in that cost range.

But here’s an important point. Any of these permanently mounted braking systems is probably going to require having someone professionally install it.

Of course, if you’re a really good mechanic you might be able to do it yourself.

But most RVers are probably going to need to have it installed instead.

And if so, then you need to add the cost for the installation to the cost of the whole system. Then see if it will still fit into your budget.

Flat Tow Brake #2

Now let’s move along to our flat tow braking choice number two. It’s made by Demco, and it’s the Stay-In-Play Duo.

The Stay-In-Play flat tow braking system by Demco
Stay-In Play By Demco

And it’s very similar to the Invisibrake system. Because it also senses when the brake lights are being applied up front and then applies the brakes back in the towed vehicle.

But Demco goes one step further. And they also install an inertia sensor in the towed vehicle as well.

Now inertia sensors basically work when the vehicle lurches forward.

So when the tow vehicle puts on the brakes, the inertia sensor picks up on that. Then it applies the brakes back in the towed vehicle too.

So you actually have two systems working for you with the Demco Stay-In-Play Duo. And that’s kind of nice.

But even though it gets great reviews, it can be very complicated to install.

So you will most likely need some professional installation with this braking system too.

Flat Tow Braking System #3

Now let’s move on to the permanently installed flat tow braking system number three.

Again, it’s made by Demco, and it’s called the Air Force One.

Demco Air Force One Braking System
Demco Air Force One braking system

This one is a little bit different in that it ties into the air brake system of the tow vehicle.

So it’s really targeted for motorhomes with with air brakes. Most likely diesel pushers.

Happily, there are many online reviews from satisfied users of this system too.

And they say that it works very well and is very reliable. But it’s also complicated to install like the other permanently mounted systems.

So that means that you’ll probably need some professional installation on it as well.

Flat tow Brake #4

Now let’s move on to our fourth flat tow braking system. And that is a totally different type of system altogether.

It’s an inertia braking system. And it’s what many people think about when they think about putting brakes into a towed vehicle.

So the one we’re going to recommend here is the Blue Ox Patriot 3.

The Blue Ox Patriot 3 inertia brake
The Blue Ox Patriot 3 inertia brake

Now let’s talk about the way these auxiliary inertia braking systems work.

First of all, there is nothing that is hardwired into your towed vehicle’s brake system.

Instead, you’ve got a box containing the inertia brake that just sits on the floor.

And usually you put it right in front of the driver’s seat in the towed vehicle.

The box has an arm that goes out and attaches to the vehicle’s brake pedal.

And it also has an inertia sensor in the box. So when the tow vehicle lurches forward as the brakes are applied, it mechanically applies the brake on the towed vehicle as well.

This all happens without being connected to the tow vehicle at all.

And once again, there are lots of people that are very happy with the Blue Ox Patriot 3.

More About Inertia Braking Systems

But I have to say this though. And that is that these inertia brakes work very well in many cases.

But they’re not as reliable as the permanently mounted units. Although, Blue Ox seems to do a very good job with theirs.

But some of their competition is not nearly as reliable as they are.

So if you want an inertia braking system, the Blue Ox Patriot 3 is a very good choice.

And one of the best things about it is that it doesn’t take a lot of installation.

Also, you can easily move it from one vehicle to another. And that’s unlike all the permanently mounted units that don’t allow you to do that.

With them, you’re probably going to need to buy a new system for every towed vehicle that you get.

But with the Blue Ox Patriot 3, you can just take it and move it to another towed vehicle. And in fact, it’ll fit almost any vehicle out there.

Now one drawback is that it does cost more initially to buy. In fact, it’s right around $1500.

Instead of about $1000 for most of the permanently mounted units.

But keep in mind that you’re not going to have any installation costs on top of that.

Flat Tow Braking System #5

Now let’s move on to flat tow braking system number five. And it’s a very different kind of brake.

It’s the NSA Ready Brake. And it is very unique. Because it works entirely mechanically.

The NSA Ready Brake flat tow braking system
The NSA Ready Brake braking system

It slides into the hitch on the tow vehicle first. Then there’s a cable that runs from it all the way up to the brake pedal in the towed vehicle.

And there it wraps around the brake pedal. So when the brakes are applied up front, inertia naturally shifts forward.

Then the NSA brake pulls the cable and puts the brakes on manually in the towed vehicle.

So it’s a very simple, very low tech, braking system that just simply works well.

And let me tell you, there’s a ton of happy people with the NSA Ready Brake system. There’s lots of positive reviews for it online.

In addition, it’s also fairly portable. So it’s not going to be a one-off type system like many of the permanently mounted ones are.

On top of that, the really good news is that it’s the least expensive of all the options I’ve mentioned.

In fact, it can very often be bought for somewhere between five to seven hundred dollars. And that’s a real deal!

All right, that’s the five flat tow braking systems that I feel that I can recommend for you.

Just follow the links that I have provided to get more information about them.

Don’t Forget Safety

Now my final point is this. When you get a braking system for your towed vehicle don’t just get the system itself.

You will also need to make sure that it has an automatic breakaway switch too. And what do I mean by that?

Well, what happens if that towed vehicle somehow disconnects from your tow vehicle? And believe me, that has happened on numerous occasions.

So you do not want the towed vehicle just free-rolling down the highway, do you? And doing all kinds of damage?

No, you want it to stop right away after disconnecting. And that means you need a breakaway system that’s going to apply the brakes when it disconnects.

So make sure that you have that as well. It’s a very important safety feature.

Conclusion

Now what about choosing among the systems that I’ve covered today?

Well really, any of them will work fine for you. First, just look at the price and decide how much can you afford.

Then look at the suitability to your particular vehicle. The one you intend to use as your towed vehicle.

Also, what is the installation that’s going to be required? Ask yourself “Can I do it myself or will I have to pay an expert to install it for me?”

And if someone installs it for me, will I stay inside my budget for flat tow braking?

So by thinking through what I’ve mentioned very carefully, you can decide what works best for you.

Truthfully though, if you choose any one of these five systems, I feel that you’re going to be very happy with the results.

Have safe and happy travels my friends.

Used Class C Motorhomes – Should You Buy One?

This article is about used Class C motorhomes. Should you buy one or not?

Well, if you’re not really sure about what a Class C RV really is, here’s a picture of one.

Used Class C motorhomes - what a Class C looks like
An example of a Class C motorhome

And one of the best ways to know if it’s a Class C is to look right up front there above the cab.

Do you see that area that comes out over the cab? That’s usually an identifying characteristic of a Class C RV.

And that’s because that area is often used for expanding sleeping arrangements in a Class C motorhome.

So now that we know what a Class C looks like, the next question is who should be buying a used Class C motorhome?

Watch my video on used Class C motorhomes

Well actually there’s a lot of different kinds of RVers that use them. In fact, some people even travel fulltime around the country in them.

But generally speaking, they’re most often used for part-time RVing. Also by snowbirds or weekenders, and vacation RVers. Especially those that have families.

Now let’s talk a little bit about the pros and the cons of buying a used Class C motorhome.

Table of Contents

The Pros Of Used Class C Motorhomes

Let’s start with the pros first. And the number one pro on my list is their low price compared with other new motorhomes.

For instance, compare the cost of a used Class C motorhome with a used Class A RV. You can do that here at RVTrader.com.

And here is what a Class A motorhome looks like:

An example of a Class A motorhome

Now in most cases you’re going to find that the class C will be much less expensive to buy.

So if you’re just getting into RVing and you want a low-cost motorhome, the class C is often going to be a good way to go.

The next pro is that they’re smaller than class A RVs. So they usually fit in most campsites much easier.

And this is good if you like to go to state parks, national parks and national forests.

Because this is where the campsites are often not very big and spacious.

So a Class C could work very well for you if you want plenty of choice for campsites.

More Advantages Of Class C RVs

Another advantage of a Class C motorhome is that they’re easy to repair.

In fact, the engine is right up there, so it’s very easy to access and work on.

This is unlike Class A RVs where the engine is more difficult to access in many cases.

And it’s usually a gas engine, not a diesel. So you have a lot more mechanics available to repair engine problems. And that’s a great thing.

The next pro is that it often will sleep a lot of people. More than most other kinds of motorhomes.

So if you have a family, that’s a great advantage. In fact, many Class C RVs will sleep eight to ten people. And that’s really impressive!

Another pro is that they’re generally much easier to drive. Especially for those that aren’t familiar with RVs and motorhomes at all.

For instance, Class A RVs can take a little more time to get used to driving down the highway.

But if you know how to drive a passenger vehicle or truck, then you’re probably going to be fine with a Class C.

Now there are also a couple of cons about used Class C motorhomes that need to be considered. So let’s talk about them now.

The Cons Of Class C Motorhomes

And the first one is something that a lot of people complain about the most.

That is that they feel like maybe they need more living space than a Class C RV offers.

Remember we talked about the fact that they’re not quite as big as Class A RVs. So some people feel that they prefer the Class A for that reason.

And the second con is that you’re not going to find quite as much storage area in a class C either. Not nearly as much as you do very often in class A RVs.

So there are a few cons that need to be considered. But in general there’s a lot of pros overall for buying a used Class C RV.

Now let’s talk about whether you should buy a new or a used one.

Should You Buy A New Class C Motorhome?

So first up let’s talk about the pros of buying a new one. And number one is that you get a factory warranty with it.

Obviously, that’s great for the first year of your ownership too. In fact, almost anything that goes wrong with your new RV can be taken care of at no cost to you.

And lots of people buy new RVs in general for that reason alone.

Then the next pro is that you’re going to get the latest features in a new RV.

So whatever is the latest and greatest equipment is what you’re going to get in new Class C RVs.

And you usually get the more modern colors and furnishings instead of a dated living area.

Now the next positive is that nobody has owned that RV before you. So there’s been no pets. There’s been no smoking.

Also, nobody’s been living in it before you. And many people feel good about that.

They like the fact that they’re not actually getting something that somebody else has lived in.

Now the final pro about buying new is that you know the history of the RV.

And that’s because you are actually making the history of that RV as you travel and camp in it.

That means that you can maintain and care for it properly from the first day of ownership.

So there’s lots of pros for buying a new Class C RV. But now the pros for buying a used Class C motorhome should be considered as well.

Should You Buy A Used Class C Motorhome?

And number one is the price. You can buy a used Class C motorhome for much less than a new one.

Because when you buy new, you’re going to take the biggest depreciation hit on that RV.

It’s the largest markdown in worth that anybody’s ever going to take from there forward.

Truthfully, in the first year the depreciation of most RVs is just monstrous.

And then after that, yes it goes down from year to year, but not nearly as bad as the hit you take in the first year of ownership.

So you definitely are going to save money on depreciation costs when you buy a used Class C motorhome.

Now the next pro is that the RV’s bugs have most likely been fixed by the previous owner(s) at that point.

And now you’ve got an RV that actually really works like it should.

Finally a real pro to buying used is you’re going to have a lot more models to choose from. And that’s for one simple reason.

When you buy a new RV, you only have one year of models that are available to you.

But when you buy used, you can have several years of RVs to look at instead. And that opens up a lot of options for buying.

Okay so we have gone through several points now. So do you feel that a used Class C motorhome will work for you at this point?

Buying Used Class C Motorhomes The Right Way

Well if you do, then I’ve got a three-step process that I want to share with you.

And this process is very important if you’re going to buy a used Class C motorhome.

Number one if you’re going to buy used, you need to focus on the best used Class C brands.

And this is especially true in class C RVs. That’s because the class C segment of the RV industry just seems to be filled with a lot of brands that have not been making really quality products.

Now it doesn’t mean that they can’t be good RVs eventually if you put a lot of work and care into them.

But they’re often not up to the quality standards of some of their competition.

And this is more true in the class C segment of the RV industry then almost any other type of RV.

So how do you get a good used Class C brand? Well I’ve done my best to try to help out in that area.

First of all, I encourage you to watch a video that I made a while back on the subject of the top three used Class C brands that I can recommend for your consideration as an RV inspector. Just click below to watch it.

Now the brands in that video are a great place to start when you’re looking for quality used Class C motorhomes.

Protect Yourself In The RV Buying Process

But I also took things a step further for you. And I produced a guidebook that actually covers all the used class C brands on my recommended list.

Used Class C RV buying guide

And I highly recommend you consider that as well. Because the guidebook will give you a lot more RV brands and models to choose from.

Now the next point is that you also need to have a buying process for getting the right RV.

So I created a another guidebook on how to buy used RVs the right way.

How to avoid an RV money pit

And this this guidebook is going to show you how to buy a used RV at the right price.

Then make sure that it is the right RV for you personally as well.

And finally, how to spot a quality RV that is even worthy of your consideration in the first place.

In other words, it’s going to show you how to weed out all the used Class C motorhomes that you really don’t need to be spending a lot of time with.

And then you can focus on the ones that are actually worth looking at and considering for purchase.

So these guidebooks will help you know how to get the right RV, and buy it at the right price.

Now suppose you have found the one you want. What do you do then?

The Final Step For Buying Success

Well, now it’s time to call in an NRVIA certified inspector. And have them go through that RV from top to bottom.

Get an RV inspection on Class C Motorhomes
Get an RV inspection on Class C motorhomes

That way you can make sure that there aren’t any hidden problems that you can’t see.

Of course, by using my guidebook you’re going to be able to weed out a lot of RVs yourself.

And that’s because you’re going to spot some problems right away that you need to avoid completely in the RVs you look at.

However, even with all of that knowledge, there’s no way that you have the kind of skill and experience that an NRVIA certified inspector is going to have.

And they will be able to find hidden problems that you cannot see on your own.

So take the next step and get that inspection by a qualified professional. And that way you’ll know what you’re buying.

Conclusion

Now by following this three-step process you can buy a used Class C RV that you can trust.

Remember number one is to buy from the best brands. Don’t go messing around with those brands that haven’t been building with quality.

Then number two is learn how to spot a quality RV on your own. One that’s worthy of your purchase.

And then, number three is before you take delivery of that RV, get it inspected.

That way you know there’s no big hidden problems that you’re going to have to deal with later.

Now if you do all those things, let me assure you that buying a used Class C RV or motorhome can be a very smart thing to do.

Have safe and happy travels my friends.

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