When it comes to RV travel, troubleshooting motorhome rental issues is essential in making the most of your road trip. As the Orange County RV rental leader, 1st Choice RV only rents high-quality and functioning motorhomes. Still, though, travel can be unpredictable, and you can never be sure what may happen on the road. Understanding motorhome tires, and specifically how to change a flat, could spell the difference between an unforgettable trip and one you’d rather not remember.
Driving an RV on a flat tire will not only cause a lot of expensive damage to the vehicle, but it is a serious safety concern for both you and others on the road. Instead of pushing it by driving on flat motorhome tires, learn a bit about RV rental troubleshooting so you can handle the problem once you identify it.
Preparing to Change Flat Motorhome Tires
Before jumping in and changing your flat tire, you need to do a few critical tasks to ensure the job is done safely and smoothly. First, pull your motorhome over to a safe location – well off the road. When parking, do your best to make it as level as possible. Once your RV is parked and stable, gather all of the necessary equipment. That should include gloves, a jack, a lug wrench and socket set, a torque wrench, something soft to kneel on, and reflectors to alert other drivers that you are outside working on your RV.
Changing a Flat on your Orange County RV Rental
While it may sound intimidating, changing a flat tire on a motorhome isn’t that bad if you follow these simple steps.
1) Loosen the Lug Nuts
This one is self-explanatory. Before jacking your motorhome up, loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire so you can turn them by hand once the vehicle is lifted.
2) Jack up your Motorhome
Lift your RV off the ground by placing a jack under the frame or at a designated jack point. Consider placing a piece of wood under the jack to add stability and putting tire chocks under the tires on the opposite side to prevent any movement.
3) Remove the Lug Nuts and Tire
Your loosened lug nuts should now come off easily. Use your wrench to take them off completely, and carefully remove the tire from the axle.
4) Replace the Tire
With the flat tire set aside, place your spare tire on the axle, making sure you line the tire up with the wheel studs.
5) Tighten the Lug Nuts
When the spare is placed onto the axle and lined up correctly, it is now time to tighten the lug nuts. No matter how many nuts your specific tire has, you should tighten them in a “star” pattern. That is, tighten the first, move to the one across from it, jump back across the tire to tighten the next, and continue this pattern until all are sufficiently tight and secure.
6) Lower your RV
Carefully lower your jack, returning the motorhome to the ground. Once the tire is on the ground, give each nut one more tightening to ensure that they are secure.
Flat tires are not something to be taken lightly. Before taking an Orange County RV rental on the road, you should be familiar with the basics of changing a tire. If you are uncomfortable with this – which is totally fine – seek out a professional or someone with more experience to lend a hand. When you come to pick up your RV from 1st Choice RV, our team will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
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