May 1, 2026

How to Prevent RV Tire Flat Spots During Storage

Pull your RV out of storage after a long winter and you might notice a distinct thump-thump-thump at highway speed. That's tire flat-spotting — a condition where the portion of the tire that was in contact with the ground develops a hardened, flattened area from sitting stationary under load for months.

Mild flat spots often work themselves out after a few miles of driving as the tires warm up and flex back to their original shape. Severe flat spots can be permanent, causing vibration, handling problems, and a significantly elevated blowout risk. The good news: flat spotting is almost entirely preventable with a few simple steps before storage.

What Causes Tire Flat Spots

Tire flat-spotting happens when a portion of the tire sits stationary under weight for an extended period. The rubber compounds in a tire are designed to flex and return to shape during normal operation, but when the tire sits still for weeks or months, several things happen:

• Moisture migration. Tire rubber contains moisture that normally distributes evenly as the tire flexes. In a stationary tire, moisture migrates away from the contact patch, causing that section to become harder and less elastic than the rest of the tire.
• Viscoelastic creep. Under sustained load, rubber compounds undergo a slow deformation process called creep — the material slowly changes shape under the constant compression of the vehicle weight. This deformation becomes semi-permanent over time.
• Cold hardening. Low temperatures reduce tire flexibility significantly. A tire that flat-spots in warm weather may recover with driving; the same tire flat-spotted in cold winter temperatures may not.

Risk Factors That Make Flat Spotting Worse

• Underinflation. Low tire pressure means more of the tire sidewall flexes and contacts the ground, creating a larger, more severe contact patch under load. This is the biggest risk factor for flat spots.
• Heavy vehicle weight. The heavier your RV, the more weight is pressing down on each tire. A fully loaded Class A with several thousand pounds of cargo pushes harder than an empty trailer.
• Long storage duration. A tire stored for 1–2 months rarely develops permanent flat spots. Six months or more dramatically increases the risk.
• Cold temperatures. As noted above, cold makes rubber harder and makes flat spots more likely to become permanent.
• Older tires. Tires lose flexibility as they age regardless of tread depth. Old rubber is more prone to permanent deformation. RV industry experts typically recommend replacing tires every 5–7 years regardless of mileage.
• Hard parking surfaces. Asphalt and concrete are harder on tires than grass or dirt surfaces, though all surfaces pose some flat-spot risk.

How to Prevent Flat Spots: Step by Step

1. Inflate Tires to Maximum Recommended Pressure Before Storage

Tire pressure drops during storage as the air inside slowly escapes through the rubber (all tires lose pressure over time) and contracts in cold temperatures. Before storing, inflate all tires to the maximum cold inflation pressure listed on the tire sidewall — not the lower pressure you might run day-to-day for ride comfort.

Higher pressure reduces the size of the contact patch and keeps more rubber off the ground, reducing the severity of any flat-spotting that does occur. Check pressure monthly if your storage season is long.

2. Use Tire Cradles or Leveling Boards

Tire cradles — curved plastic or rubber platforms sized to fit under your tires — distribute the contact patch more evenly and protect the tire from the hard ground surface. They cost $50–$150 per set and are a worthwhile investment for long-term storage. Flat wooden boards (like 3/4-inch plywood) also work by putting an insulating, slightly softer surface under the tire.

Avoid storing tires directly on asphalt in hot climates. Asphalt can leach chemicals into tire compounds over time and accelerates degradation. A layer of plywood between the tire and asphalt solves this.

3. Use Jack Stands to Take Weight Off the Tires

The most effective flat-spot prevention is to lift the vehicle off the tires entirely. Use quality jack stands rated for your RV's weight, placed under the frame at proper lift points, to raise each tire just off the ground. With no weight on the tires, flat-spotting is impossible.

This approach requires knowing your RV's proper lift points (consult the owner's manual), having appropriately rated jack stands, and ensuring the storage surface is firm enough to support the stand loads. For large Class A motorhomes, this can be logistically challenging, but it's the gold standard for tire preservation in long storage.

If using jack stands, still keep air in the tires — never store tires deflated.

4. Move the RV Periodically

Moving your RV forward or backward by a tire rotation (roughly 2 feet) once a month changes which portion of the tire contacts the ground. This prevents a single spot from taking all the load for months on end. If you're making monthly check-in visits anyway (which we recommend in our storage checklist), adding a 2-foot move takes about 30 seconds.

5. Use UV-Protective Tire Covers

While tire covers don't prevent flat spots, they protect against a related threat: UV-induced sidewall cracking. Ozone and UV radiation degrade rubber, causing the small surface cracks (crazing) that weaken the sidewall. Tires stored outdoors with their sidewalls exposed to UV are significantly more likely to fail from sidewall weakness. Tire covers cost $20–$80 for a set and are worth using any time the RV is stored outdoors.

How to Tell If Flat Spots Are Permanent

When you retrieve your RV from storage, temporary flat spots usually resolve within 15–30 minutes of highway driving as the tires heat up and flex. If vibration persists after a 30-minute warm-up drive, you likely have permanent flat spots or another structural tire problem.

Also inspect tires visually before your first drive: look for bulges, cracks, or irregular wear patterns. Any visible sidewall cracking — especially cracking that goes below the surface — indicates a tire that should be replaced regardless of flat spotting.

If you have any doubt about the structural integrity of tires after storage, have them inspected by a qualified tire technician before highway use. RV tires experience very high loads, and a blowout at highway speed in a large vehicle is a serious safety event.

RV Tire Age and the 7-Year Rule

Even tires with adequate tread depth should be replaced every 7 years from the manufacture date (found on the tire sidewall as a 4-digit DOT code — e.g., “3422” means the 34th week of 2022). Old rubber loses elasticity and becomes prone to failure regardless of tread depth or visual condition.

If your RV tires are approaching 5+ years old, factor tire replacement into your storage season maintenance planning. Purchasing replacement tires is far cheaper than dealing with a blowout-induced accident or road call.