Best Surface to Park on - Long Term

[canesfan]

I keep my trailer in the back yard when not in use, grass mostly, but the tires kill the grass and it turns to dirt. A few years ago I added a driveway up my side yard from the street to the fence, but didn't continue it into the back yard. I am thinking of adding some sort of driveway from the fence to where the trailer sits. Not sure what material I want to use, most likely not concrete, maybe gravel or preferably nice river stone. I've heard before that parking long term on concrete isn't the greatest for tires and to put wood under them, something about the concrete and the rubber and blah blah blah, I was wondering if there really is a "best surface" for long term parking for tires? I used to back it onto boards, but even pressure treated wood deteriorates laying on the ground and then bugs get into it, etc.

[hoffbrew]

I park on a 15 x 40 gravel pad with 2 10" x 20' rail road ties recessed in the ground, works great and always level.

[therink]

I park mine on a pad consisting of about 4" thick crushed limestone (1") rolled out and compacted surrounded by landscape timbers. I have concrete pavers where the tires sit. I used to park on grass but the moisture wasn't good for the underside.

[bsmith0404]

I always park on 2x10s. Dirt isn't good for tires, the oils in asphalt are terrible for them, I've heard some things about concrete, but I think it is probably the better than most other materials. I can see lime stone as a good option, or possibly a good bed of screenings. The problem with crushed rock is the TV spins too much in it and you end up tearing up any weed shielding you put down. With all of that, I just stick with 2x10s, I can buy a 16' for a few dollars and cut it in half every year if needed, but so far I'm on 4 years with my current boards and they are still in great shape. Don't use PT lumber, it bows and twists too much.

[mom2budnbug]

We park on a 4-6" deep gravel parking pad. Just been tearing up the grass on the way to the gravel. Still trying to figure what will work best that area.

[jsmith948]

3/4" crushed rock pad w/ 4x8x16 pavers (actually caps for walls). Pavers are laid out level and square to each other and about 1/2" above the level of the crushed rock. Easy on & off - trailer is level once parked. I am curious about the afore-mentioned 'interaction' between the tires and the concrete pavers.
I've seen many trailers parked on concrete - never knew it would be a problem?

[canesfan]

Thanks for all the suggestions!! I've got all these boards laying around now that I don't need them anymore, so I may use some of them "just because", but I'm trying to "reclaim" my back yard once again and want it to look nice when I'm done, so maybe a "pad" of sorts and pavers. IDK.

As for the "interaction" between concrete and tires, I forget who told me, it was something about moisture or something if I remember. Kind of like back in the day you couldn't sit a battery on concrete for whatever reason that was, I can't remember. Or today you can't put a laminate floor down over concrete unless you put down a vapor barrier first. Not sure there' s anything to it, the tires and concrete that is, but that's why I asked. I'd hate to spend the money to do something only to find out it's going to suck whatever, if any, good life there is out of these wonderful OEM tires, or their soon to come replacements. But I don't want to do a concrete pad anyway and was just wondering if there were other materials that might have adverse effects before I embark on this project.

[jsmith948]

We were parking on r/r ties, but water tended to collect where they were 'CHECKED'

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[jsmith948]

Sorry, darn tap a talk. Was going to add that we read about creasote and tires and changed to concrete

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[AlbertaRvMan]

Hi,

I also just moved our trailer to a semi permanent camp ground. The area is gravel/dirt.

I need to lift the back end of the trailer up a few inches and was thinking of either
1) 4"x6"x5' pressure treated wood under each side

- I think the 6" width should be ok and the 4" height should support the trailer
- I'm not quite sure on the length, I forgot to measure the distance between the wide axels on the ground and leave room for chocks. Does anyone know this distance?

2) stack two 2"x10"x 5' pressure treated planks under each side.

Someone above said dont use pressure treated, I'm not sure why and would think it would be better outside (unless the chemicals in the wood are bad for tires)

I appreciate the help. Thank you.

[Tinbender]

Interesting thread.
I have read on the forums over the last few years that concrete is bad for tires, blacktop is bad for tires, gravel is bad for tires, treated wood is bad for tires.
Always makes me wonder what the heck are we supposed to drive on or pull our RV's on? The roads are of these materials, if the tires we are using can't handle the environment we better find some that can.

As for the material for your driveway extension a lot depends on the sub-strat. How well does it shed water? How muddy does it get when wet? If it is fairly stable and well drained soil I would just dig it down 3-4 inches and fill and compact with 3/4 minus road base to 4-5 inches. If it is a clay or some other poor draining mucky ground I would dig it out and pour 3-4 inch concrete slab and be done with it.
Tinbender

[therink]

Albertarvman
1) On my trailer, I need 6' boards to handle width of both axles/tires with room for wheel chocks on each end.
2) maybe the PT wood is bad for tires, dunno. I suppose untreated wood will work but not for long term as the ground moisture will takes it toll quicker than treated.

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by Tinbender

Interesting thread.
I have read on the forums over the last few years that concrete is bad for tires, blacktop is bad for tires, gravel is bad for tires, treated wood is bad for tires.

Block the trailer up, take tires off and store them in the basement......

[JRTJH]

There isn't a lot of information from the tire manufacturers about how to store their products during periods of non-use. Essentially they all say to try to store the tires OFF the vehicle, if that isn't possible, overinflate by a "given" percentage, avoid grease/oily storage, avoid "black asphalt" that absorbs heat, light colors that reflect sunlight, ozone generating items like motors, radiators, welding machines, protect with a good tire dressing, and cover the tires to help protect them.

Most of the "information" about what is supposedly "bad for tires" comes from users who experience a problem and attribute their problem to a specific storage condition that they "think must have caused the failure".... Did it cause the problem? Did it contribute to the problem? Was it even a part of the problem??? It depends on how often one hears the story. After years of parking on a particular surface, enough people will have a tire failure and these, when combined "must have merit" (or do they) ????

There's an old adage, "If you hear it often enough and long enough, you'll start to believe it"..... I wonder how much "tire myth" is "local legend" and whether any of it is scientifically verifiable?

What's right? If you've "always done it a specific way" and never had a problem, chances are your method of storing your tires is as safe and effective as anyone else's method..... Of course, if you're inviting disaster by just parking the darn thing till spring, you may just have been "lucky so far". I'd suspect that being proactive, parking on a clean, dry surface, overinflating slightly and covering the tires is probably better storage conditions than most tires get and should be OK for most applications.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by poncho62

Block the trailer up, take tires off and store them in the basement......

Don't store them too close to the furnace, the electric motor emits ozone

[AlbertaRvMan]

Originally Posted by Tinbender

Interesting thread.
I have read on the forums over the last few years that concrete is bad for tires, blacktop is bad for tires, gravel is bad for tires, treated wood is bad for tires.
Always makes me wonder what the heck are we supposed to drive on or pull our RV's on? The roads are of these materials, if the tires we are using can't handle the environment we better find some that can.

Well I am still uncertain how to store on a semi permanent basis. I want to have the option to change locations, etc... I don't think removing the tires makes sense for me.

How much should I over inflate? My tires are supposed to be set to 65 psi.

I bought tire covers from the dealer.

Maybe I'll use a pressure treated 2x10 on the ground surface and another 2x10 (untreated) between the pressure treated board and tire.

Is there any science to support that pressure treated is not good for tires? What about cedar (naturally treated but hard to get in 2x10)...

[HappyCamperMN]

Originally Posted by AlbertaRvMan

Well I am still uncertain how to store on a semi permanent basis. I want to have the option to change locations, etc... I don't think removing the tires makes sense for me.

How much should I over inflate? My tires are supposed to be set to 65 psi.

I bought tire covers from the dealer.

Maybe I'll use a pressure treated 2x10 on the ground surface and another 2x10 (untreated) between the pressure treated board and tire.

Is there any science to support that pressure treated is not good for tires? What about cedar (naturally treated but hard to get in 2x10)...

After reading John's post, I wouldn't worry too much about whether you're using pressure treated or not. Personally, I would stick to a single board rather than doubling up. Just my $0.02.

[JRTJH]

On AG tires the manufacturers recommend overinflating by 25%. Of course many of them are run at 8 or 10 or 15 PSI so 25% is only a couple of pounds increase. On most of the tire manufacturer's websites I've seen, they recommend 10PSI over (which is what most ST manufacturers recommend if you're going to increase overall speed above 65 MPH. All of them recommend that you NOT overinflate above your maximum wheel rating. None of them (that I've read) indicate any problem with pressure treated wood, concrete or even creosote baked railroad crossties. Although I would think creosote would destroy almost anything but the wood it's boiled into..... That stuff is nasty.

Google is your friend, do a google search for "Tire manufacturer storage recommendations" That's where I got most of my information.

[Festus2]

Over the years, I have parked over the winter a variety of RV's on crushed rock/gravel, asphalt and various type of wooden boards and have never experienced any issues with the tires. All our RV's have been kept outside- often in the rain - seldom on anything "dry" and have not disintegrated, rotted or cracked. It doesn't get hot enough here on the west coast to worry about heat from asphalt.

I've used a variety of boards ranging from 3/4" plywood, to 1 1/2 "fir and cedar.
I do have the tires covered due, in part, to being given a "free set" of tire covers otherwise they probably would have remained uncovered.

Having the tires sit on a scrap piece of board works for me - treated, untreated, plywood, fir, cedar - makes no difference- whatever is available from my workshop.
How complicated can this be?

[Ken / Claudia]

Heres the big question, if the RV is used part/half of a year and sitting in storage the rest. And we know that the tires will be rotten in 5-7 years. Will what they are parked on really change anything? My past I have used tire covers and not, parked on 2x8s or just gravel. Now I do not care, all my vehicles sit on concrete without covers.