with RV tire expert Roger Marble
I was recently following a thread on the use of the special “tire lifts” similar to those seen below.
One person discovered that the ramp they had purchased did not work on their model RV.
This points out the importance of testing and confirming that your DIY “emergency” equipment will actually do what you expect on your RV.
It doesn’t make any difference if it is a ramp, or a folding ladder, or an “X” wrench to get the lug nuts off a wheel if you get a flat, or some electric meter or other test instruments.
It’s ALWAYS better to confirm you know how to use the tool and to confirm you have the strength if needed or the necessary knowledge to actually use the emergency device.
I learned this the hard way with a “bottle” jack that was too tall to fit under the axle of my Class C RV.
I remember when I first started to drive and my dad told me that before he would lend me his keys, I had to use the factory “lug nut bar” to loosen the nuts. Then figure out how to assemble the “bumper jack,” get the spare out of the trunk, remove the tire from the axle, then put everything back where it belonged. I probably spent an hour working on it the first time but I did learn how to do every step correctly. (He let me know if I was doing something wrong and\or in an unsafe manner ).
So be sure you have the right equipment for any DIY emergency job and that you know how to use it.
Read more from Roger Marble on his blog at RVtiresafety.net or on RVtravel.com.
##RVT922
Also, when checking your tire’s air, might consider checking your spare, if so equipped. Every trip, I see cars on the side of the road with a flat or blown tire and no spare tire. Where are all these spare tires?
I wrote a note on another site about how I checked the spare on the back of our trailer (something I ALWAYS DO before leaving our home) and found ZERO pressure. Huh? I quickly decided somebody thought it would be funny to let the air out of our spare when we were parked somewhere (Walmart comes to mind) shopping. I didn’t discover this until we were home getting ready for our NEXT trip. Now I always check the spare when doing a walkaround whenever we stop for a break. So many commented on my comment that they never thought of checking the spare. Oh, and once I refilled the air in our spare, it never lost any air – as usual.
Good tip
Just another reminder of knowing “WHICH END OF THE SCREWDRIVER TO USE”!