???  Okay, this a new one on me.  I get the whole flat spot for tires that aren't moved in a long time, but chemicals pooling?  My first reaction was is this April 1st, then Lucky Mike deadpanned the obvious solution so maybe its legit or is this a secret newbie ritual or rite of passage that us FNG's are "required" to go thru to reach senority status amongst the experienced.(and the senior guys get a great chuckle)  Is that one of the Campfire tales MarkS was alluding to on his "winter/summer transition" thread? I recall my Navy days when the new guys were sent to me(in supply) from the engine spaces with requisitions for "left handed screw drivers" or the aviation deck new guys needing "jet wash kits"(I heard about that one from my supply friends on aircraft carriers). 

 

-- Edited by biggaRView on Tuesday 13th of May 2014 08:49:36 AM

-- Edited by biggaRView on Tuesday 13th of May 2014 08:56:53 AM

Mike, stop it! (at least wait until I wipe up the coffee) Next you will tell the guy to be sure the muffler bearings are properly lubed. (Ha!)
I remember being the new kid on the drilling rig. Derrick man told me to go get a left handed 24. I brought him a 24, and he said, no, the left handed one. I told him to put it in his left hand. (I grew up in the oil patch and went to the rig with Dad when he would let me. Knew all the things the new guy was subject to, like, get the sky hook, chase off the mud pups, be sure to check the crown blocks ehn you come to work, etc, etc. However, bottle jack, spin tires is so logical, I would not have thought of it. I am sure somebody is going to recommend the use of nitrogen in the tires, to stop the mold growth. Jeez, the things we do for fun.

You guys are not being very kind to the gullible newbies here!!!

Ok so maybe I misheard but in the Rv Dreams Rally it was recommended that you drive on the tires at least once a month. the note I took (and I certainly could have gotten it wrong) was that they chemicals would "pool" if in one place too long. Would someone who was in the seminar please step in and verify whether I heard that right or not??

" It is recommended that tires be rolled every month to stop the chemicals from pooling in one place in the tire...makes sense. "


There is something about the use of the word "chemicals" in that statement that makes me wonder if the person giving the advice uses liquid flat repair in their tires and thinks this is being used by others.
The sealing products are a horrible product to use in any road tire.

Many have learned to expect a visit from the new hires in tire shops looking for the nitrogen gauge or asking when the the helium service is coming to refill the tire shop tanks.

Even a few new drivers were fooled when the shop mechanics told them to ask dispatch for trailers with helium filled tires that were better for carrying heavier loads.

The OP's post is a legitimate concern that most are not familiar with ........the easiest method to spin the tire is to place a bottle jack or lift and spin the tire 1/2 revolution..


but your right this thread went a little wacky right after......(off to my time out now...)

Hey Mike, forget the time out, gullible newbies are what make the rotating tire go round.

Btw I found a great deal on metric crescent wrenches at Harbor Freight.

Anyone interested in a case of cordless extension cords, They work GREAT when you are just out of reach of the outlet. Pm if interested.

Okay, point of clarification.  Lots of different materials go into the production of a tire, and some of those are chemical compounds - carbon black, sulfur, zinc stearate, wax, and various anti-oxidants and anti-zonants, and more - that help keep the rubber soft, protect the tire from UV rays, protect the surface of the tire, etc.  The term "pooling" was never used and the reason for that is now evident in this thread - it leads to mis-perceptions about "liquid" being in the tires.

Now, with that said, the tire manufacturers suggest that the chemical compounds engineered into the tires for the tire's long-term protection are best distributed throughout the entire tire by driving on the tires.  The tire manufacturers don't typically say this "out loud", they simply say "tires deteriorate when not being used".  The longer tires remain stationary, the more opportunity there is for permanent flat-spotting, and the less the chemical compounds get properly distributed uniformly throughout the tire to better protect them from ozone, oxidation, and UV rays.

So, though it is not absolutely necessary, we recommend that whether an RV is in storage or sitting in a seasonal site, that the RV be driven about once a month to help prevent flat-spotting and to assist with the distribution of chemical compounds so that the tires last longer.  The tire manufacturers say move the RV once every three months, but the RV Safety & Education Foundation recommends once a month not only for the tires, but to exercise the other functions of the RV.  If the RV can't be driven or moved, then make sure the tires are covered with breathable materials and that there is a barrier placed between the tires and the storage surface (especially if the surface is concrete, asphalt, or gravel).

Also, Michelin recommends that the inflation pressure be set to the sidewall pressure when the tires are mounted on an RV and the RV is in storage or a long-term parking situation.  Goodyear recommends inflating the tires to regular operating pressure plus 25% (but not over sidewall max and not over tire rim max inflation).

Jacking up the RV and spinning the tires will help prevent the flat-spotting, but it is the pressure on the tires when being driven that helps distribute the chemical compounds.

I hope that helps answer the original poster's question and provides a little clarification for the rest of the thread.   

     

It's the flexing and warming (puting some heat in the tire) when rolling down the highway. It's good exercise for the tire.

I can understand the flat spot on tires that set a long time before being moved, but I can not see chemicals moving around in a solid material such as a tire. Am I missing some thing here.

MarkS wrote:

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 Btw I found a great deal on metric crescent wrenches at Harbor Freight.

---

 

 

That's a very true statement. Crescent is a brand name just as Snap-on is. They make open end, box end wrenches etc..etc.. and all other sorts of wrenches, metric and otherwise.

 

An old Navy Aircraft  Mechanic just loves to mess with old USAF mechanics.

 

FastEagle