The number that matters on an RV tire isn't the size — it's the load range letter next to it, which has to match or exceed what the axle actually carries when the motorhome is loaded and fueled, not sitting empty on a dealer lot. Get the load range wrong and a brand-new tire is still undersized for the rig.
Load range gets confused with tire size constantly, and they're not the same thing. Two tires can share the exact size stamped on the sidewall and still carry two different weight capacities depending on the load range letter — C, D, E, and up — molded next to it. A motorhome's actual loaded weight, with water, fuel, and everything packed for a trip, is almost always higher than the empty curb weight on the manufacturer's sticker, and it's the loaded number that should set the load range, not the other way around.
Dual rear tires add a second variable most single-axle vehicles don't have. On a Class A or a diesel pusher running duals, mismatched tread depth between the inner and outer tire on the same side means one of the pair carries more of the load than its partner, and that imbalance wears out both tires instead of just the older one.
How do I know what load range my motorhome needs?
The number on the door-jamb sticker or in the owner's manual is a starting point, not the answer — it reflects the vehicle empty. A loaded weight check, done with the rig fueled and packed the way it actually travels, is the only way to know what each axle is really carrying, and that number is what should decide the load range, not whatever came on the tire from the factory.
Why do dual rear tires need to match?
Inner and outer duals on the same side are supposed to carry the load evenly between them. When one has noticeably less tread than its partner, it rides slightly smaller and ends up carrying less of the weight, which means the other one carries more, wears faster, and runs hotter than it should.
Replacing duals as a matched pair rather than one at a time avoids setting that imbalance up again.
Do I need to book ahead for a Class A?
Worth calling first, yes. A full-size diesel pusher takes more room to maneuver into a bay than a car does, and matching load range and tread across every tire on one vehicle takes longer than a single swap. Sacramento Tire Shop, at 1001 Richards Blvd, covers 13 cities and towns around the metro and can usually work in a smaller RV or a truck camper the same day; a full-size Class A is the one that goes faster with a heads-up call.
What's the difference between an RV tire and a trailer tire?
An RV tire carries and steers a motorhome under its own power, so it's built and rated differently than a trailer tire, which only carries a load being towed. The two aren't interchangeable even on a similar-sized rig.
How do I find out my motorhome's actual loaded weight?
The most reliable way is a loaded weight check at a certified truck scale with the rig fueled and packed the way it normally travels. The factory door-jamb sticker reflects the vehicle empty, not loaded.
Do you service dual rear wheels on a Class A?
Yes, and it's worth replacing duals as a matched pair rather than one at a time, since mismatched tread between the inner and outer tire on the same side puts more of the load on whichever one is larger.