Isn't good tire maintenance enough?

Good tire maintenance, quality tires, correct pressure, and a tire pressure monitor make blowouts much less likely, but can they prevent a blowout? Tire quality mainly prevents tread separation; it doesn't stop a blowout from road debris, a hidden impact or a defect.

The owner whose blowout ARMIS absorbed was running good quality new tires; the tire next to the blown one shows it. Use every tool you have to detect and prevent blowouts, and fit ARMIS for when all else fails.

The tire basics that matter most:

• Inflate to the pressure on the tire sidewall or the RV's tire label, checked cold.

• Use a tire pressure monitor (TPMS) to catch slow leaks and heat early.

• Stay within the tire's load range, including everything you've packed.

• Keep sustained speeds at or below the manufacturers recommendations.

• Replace trailer tires by age, not just tread depth or milage.

• Regularly inspect tires for damage, uneven tread wear, foreign objects, sidewall damage, or exposed steel belts.

• Cover tires when parked for extended periods of time to prevent UV damage and weaking of sidewalls.

• Regularly use quality tire products to aid in preventing dry rot (Armor all, etc..)

Questions on this page

• Do expensive tires prevent blowouts? They reduce tread separation but don't stop debris punctures or impact damage.

• Does a TPMS prevent blowouts? It warns you early about low pressure or heat, which helps you stop in time, but it can't stop a sudden failure.

• What else protects the RV? A wheel shield like ARMIS, so a blowout that still happens can't damage the body.