Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

First Time Putting on New Tires

August 31, 2022, 09:58:36 pm

I am going to be putting on new front tires.  This is my first RV and have not done this before.  I would appreciate any advice I can get.

A few questions-
1. Are the larger tire dealers, L-- S-----, etc. considered a wise choice for the installation.
2. Is there a particular way to jack the coach up to remove/install the tires. (I am concerned about putting stress on the bulkhead)
3. Is there concern about twisting the coach and cracking the windshield?
4. Proper torque for wheels.  Are the installers generally following recommendations? Dry vs lubed torque values?

These are the basic things running around in my head.  I am going to ask for new valve stems with the tires.

Any additional advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

-FT

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Re: First Time Putting on New Tires

Reply #1 – August 31, 2022, 10:01:46 pm

FT sent you a PM

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Re: First Time Putting on New Tires

Reply #2 – August 31, 2022, 10:21:57 pm

Thanks Rudy.

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Reply #3 – August 31, 2022, 11:46:51 pm

1. Tires are easy to mount and any shop can accommodate. I purchased from a COOP and had them special order them in. Was very pleased. No balance, used tire beads I supplied. No torque wrench, they normally just hammer them off/on with the impact. I carried a torque wrench.  Understand this was a small town shop in Arkansas and if possible they will be replacing my new tires when the time comes👍👍
2.  jacking under the axle is industry standard
        A. Your jacking up to clear the ground to remove, your not going to exceed any limits. If your concerned about over stressing your chassis your a long way from doing that. You regularly drive threw intersections and driveways with much more stress being induced. IMO if you are not in a metal to metal contact on your limit  stops on your front axle your fine.
3. See 2A
4. Manufacturer recommends one drop of engine oil on the washer on a two piece nut and torque is marked on nut. Much discussion on nut torque. Too little is bad too much is bad.
IMO I like to replace stems and extensions and rubber supports with tires

 So now to my questions
  1. What is your Actual axle weight? reference for replacement tire minimum requirements
  2. Are you seeking ride or truck rated OTR tire
  3. What do you plan to do for balance ? Machine balance or tire Beads?
  4. Do you run a TPMS? great investment IMO. TST👍👍
  5. what's available and is the date code good?
Scott

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Reply #4 – August 31, 2022, 11:49:17 pm

I lift the coach up with the air bags and then jack up on the axels. If you have independent
suspension I would have to see it to determine where the jack should go on the front. I torque
the nuts at 500 ft. lbs. dry. In my last coach I bought snow tires and let them put the tires on
and they were over torqued so I will do it myself from now on. Do you have all the tools and
moving tires around and taking them off an putting them on can be tricky.

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Re: First Time Putting on New Tires

Reply #5 – September 01, 2022, 09:40:59 am

FtRoadTrip wrote:

"I am going to be putting on new front tires.  This is my first RV and have not done this before.  I would appreciate any advice I can get."

Be careful for that you wish.

"A few questions-
1. Are the larger tire dealers, L-- S-----, etc. considered a wise choice for the installation."

There are tire dealers that service automobiles and those that service trucks.  Big Honkin' Over the Road Trucks.  You want to visit the latter.

"2. Is there a particular way to jack the coach up to remove/install the tires. (I am concerned about putting stress on the bulkhead)"

No sudden shocks.  You don't want to drop you FT off the jack.  Since you're lifting on the axle you only need to lift a few inches.

"3. Is there concern about twisting the coach and cracking the windshield?"

Yes, but.  It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end of the fall.  The Foretravel Unihome and Unicoach chassis design is incredibly stiff.

"4. Proper torque for wheels.  Are the installers generally following recommendations? Dry vs lubed torque values?"

Generally commercial tire installers don't use lube.  If you can't watch the installation, you're better off purchasing your own torque wrench, and if necessary help, to remove and replace the wheels yourself.

"These are the basic things running around in my head.  I am going to ask for new valve stems with the tires."

All good questions to ask and about which to think.

Any additional advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

-FT

Free advice is worth what you pay.

PS Check for an "L" on the driver's side wheel studs.  Then watch the service guy when he goes to remove those nuts.  The shop will bill you for the new studs and nuts and they're not inexpensive.

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Reply #6 – September 01, 2022, 11:09:18 am

I went to a large truck tire seller ( BAUER BUILT), I trusted that they knew how to do tires, they did not!
After waiting in the waiting room for several hours I became nervous.
I asked the service manager what was the problem, he had been sitting in the office just outside the shop the entire time I was there. We both walked into the shop. I was horrified to see the "TECH" sitting by my drivers side rear wheel with a Vise-Grip pliers surrounded by 3 other techs., attached to one of my rear lug nuts (or what was left of it). I heard the service manager quietly say to him, "You do know that these are reversed threads don't you!" Obviously the tech did NOT know this. He had sheared off two of the lugs at this point and did not have enough of a nut left on the third to be able to attach the #1000+1" air wrench on to it like the others he sheared off. He sure did try though. Imagine 3 techs all sitting there watching, then deciding that a Vise-Grip along with the torch they had applied to the stud and nut could remove a stripped lug nut that had been tightened to the point that a 1000#+ 1" impact could not and ultimately stripped the nut.
I don't know for sure by my guess would have been, had I not gone out to see what happened ,there story would have been that the studs and nuts were so corroded that they broke. No mention of the techs mistake.

The service manager looked over at me and knew I heard what he had said to the tech.
He told the crew( by now 3 techs were there working on this wheel)  to cut my aluminum rim off and replace it.
They stayed after closing but still could not finish the job (6 new tires).
The next day the job was done. They told me they could not replace the broken studs because that was not there business but suggested another repair place near by. I was thoroughly discussed by all of this and declined. I called another truck repair place a forum member had suggested that was about 70 miles away, I went there and $800 later the broken studs were replaced.
BOTTOM LINE; DON'T TRUST ANYBODY, DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING!

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Reply #7 – September 01, 2022, 11:29:27 am

The first thing to do if someone else is going to remove your wheels is to tell them that there are LH threads on one side  !!

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Reply #8 – September 01, 2022, 11:35:56 am

The last tires I put on I was able to get the mounting done for free with my old tires. Before that I always mounted my own truck and coach tires. Having someone else break down and mount the tires will be the way in the future. I will still remove and re-install the wheels myself for as long as I am able. Anyone interested in buying tire sledge and tire irons for big trucks?

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Reply #9 – September 01, 2022, 12:13:54 pm

On a 2001 coach he won't have any left hand thread nuts.

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Reply #10 – September 01, 2022, 02:06:05 pm

You probably have hub centered wheels. Older coaches have stud centered (Budd) wheels where the driver's side are left hand thread.

I use a little Never-Seez Mariner's Choice on the threads and reduce torque by 41%. I bought 300 lb torque wrench and run it to the max for the exact torque I want.

I usually deal with the high volume tire discounters. They buy container loads directly from mostly Thailand where most tires are made and have very late date stamps. They are much less expensive and even give an additional discount for cash.

I don't balance.

SmartWay verified tires have lower rolling resistance so use less fuel.
Most RV manufactures recommend regional tires. The sidewall is a little thicker and the grooves are in more of a V shape so they chuck rocks better. Good for campgrounds, gravel roads and curbs. That is what we have.

I use a couple of HF air/hydraulic jacks. I jack the coach up, remove the nuts, let the jack down until the stud is centered in the hole with no load on the wheel and not lifting it either. The air/hydraulic jack is perfect for the fine adjustment. I can remove or replace the tires without any help from tools, cardboard, etc. I just saw them back and forth for a few seconds and roll them away.

We have always had 295/75R22.5 on the coach. I went up to H rated tires with a M (81 mph) speed rating. The load rating is only at the pressure shown on the side of the tire. If you have a heavy coach, you have to watch the pressure on the steer tires especially. Our coach is very light at 36 feet and since we don't full time and drive with low water, the dealer recommended 105 psi all around. I still may go up to 120 psi cold if the temp is going to be high (like this next week) Many highways need maintenance and low pressures may damage the tires when they encounter pot holes.

Before buying, go to Check for Recalls: Vehicle, Car Seat, Tire, Equipment | NHTSA and enter the brand, size and model tire to see if there have been any complaints or recalls. Any person can make a complaint and they are all seen on the page.

Pierce

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Reply #11 – September 01, 2022, 02:52:34 pm

There will be old members that will disagree with what I'm about to say and that's ok, you are the one to decide concerning your equipment. There is good advice above what I will add is new to the thread. I owned a trucking company for 30 plus years and that makes me no expert BUT I have bought more tires than most and tried to keep the semis going down the road with no hopping or quiver so tire balance is my point. I never add ANYTHING to the INSIDE of a tire to reach balance. If a tire or wheel requires more than 8 oz of weight to reach balance they are selling a tire that is to far out of round OR you have a wheel that needs replacing. If that tire position has performed ok with an old tire then that disqualifies your wheel being out of round and points to their tire. Have each wheel spin balanced and I have the pull tires balanced as well. I won't argue the point here for my opinion  but you being new I thought I would offer my experience fwiw. I've seen people put golf balls inside a new tire for balance and I think that a new tire requiring anything foreign bouncing and spinning inside is pure nonsense.

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Reply #12 – September 01, 2022, 03:01:53 pm

What about using Centermatics?

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Reply #13 – September 01, 2022, 03:20:17 pm

Said all that to say beware of a tire shop that offers such remedies when they should be sending the tire back to mfg.

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Reply #14 – September 01, 2022, 03:26:06 pm

I've used centramatics that were on trucks that I've bought. I don't have an opinion . I've had bounce that was from a wheel that had a ring that had previously preformed ok. I have no absolute answer for an opinion. I wouldn't let a tire dealer sell me a set for new tires that they couldn't balance with 8 oz or less out of the shop.I've never bought the balancing rings myself, instead I've gone the route I mentioned.

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