RV Tire Covers: Are They Worth It, How to Size Them and 5 Picks (2026)

RV tire covers are a simple way to keep the sun off your tires while the RV sits. Trailer and motorhome tires often need replacing because of their age long before the tread wears down, and a big part of that aging comes from sitting parked in the sun. A good cover blocks that light, holds on in the wind and fits the tire you have.

This guide covers whether RV tire covers work, when to use them, how to measure for the right size, whether to pick white or black, and five covers worth buying.

Do RV Tire Covers Work?

Yes, they help with what they are made for, which is protecting tires from the sun. Winnebago says tire covers "provide protection from the sun's UV rays and help prolong the life of the tire," and it recommends them when an RV is parked at a campground for a long stay or kept at a storage facility.

The tire industry's own storage advice says much the same thing. A storage bulletin from the Rubber Manufacturers Association, the trade group now called the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, tells owners to keep tires out of direct sunlight. For tires stored outdoors, it says to protect them "with an opaque, waterproof covering with some type of vent openings." Opaque means light cannot pass through it. The vents keep heat and moisture from building up under the cover.

A cover is still not as good as shade. Continental warns that "UV rays and the sun's heat can wreak havoc on rubber" and says tires should not be stored in the open air even under a cover. Covered storage or a shaded place does more than any cover. When the RV has to sit outside in the sun, RV tire covers are the best option you have.

When Should You Use RV Tire Covers?

Use them whenever the RV sits in one place for more than a few days with its tires in the sun. That covers seasonal storage, long campground stays and the weeks it spends parked beside the house between trips.

Take them off before you drive, every time. A cover left on can come loose at speed and wrap around the axle, and you need to see the tires when you check over the RV before you leave.

RV tire covers matter most on the side of the RV that faces south, because that side gets the most direct sun overall in the United States. If you only cover some tires on a long stay, start there.

What Size RV Tire Cover Do You Need?

RV tire covers are sized by the diameter of the whole tire, measured from the ground to the top of the tread. This is not the rim size printed on the wheel. A 15 inch wheel can carry a tire that is close to 28 inches tall.

The easiest way to find it is to measure the tire. Run a tape measure from the ground straight up to the top of the tire, with the tire inflated to its normal pressure. Then buy the cover whose size range includes that number.

You can also work it out from the size on the sidewall. Take a common trailer size, ST225/75R15:

• 225 is the tire width in millimeters.
• 75 means the sidewall is 75 percent as tall as the tire is wide, so 225 times 0.75 is about 169 mm, or 6.6 inches.
• 15 is the rim diameter in inches.
• Add the rim to two sidewalls, one above and one below: 15 plus 6.6 plus 6.6 is about 28.3 inches.

That tire fits a 27 to 29 inch cover. When your number falls on the edge of two ranges, measure the actual tire, because a real tire can be slightly taller or shorter than the calculated size.

If your trailer has two axles with the tires close together, you can buy single covers for each tire or one double-axle cover per side. Double-axle covers are faster to put on but come in fewer sizes.

Should RV Tire Covers Be White or Black?

White is the better choice in hot, sunny places. A white cover reflects more sunlight than a black one, so it stays cooler and keeps less heat on the tire underneath.

Black hides road dirt and grime better, which helps if you keep the covers in a storage bay where they get dusty. In cooler or cloudy climates, the difference in heat is smaller, so pick whichever color you prefer.

What to Look For in RV Tire Covers

• Opaque material. Heavy vinyl blocks light completely. Thin fabric that you can see light through does less.
• A soft backing. A fleece or flannel lining keeps the cover from scratching chrome or painted wheels.
• A way to let air out. The tire industry bulletin asks for vent openings. A cover that is open or loose at the back lets heat and moisture escape instead of trapping them.
• A fastening that holds in wind. Bungee balls, a strap and buckle, or an elastic cord with a lock all work. Without one, a strong wind can blow the cover off.
• The right size range. Measure first. A cover that is too small will not stay on, and one that is too big flaps in the wind and wears out faster.

The 5 Best RV Tire Covers

These five RV tire covers include the main types: single covers, a double-axle cover and four-packs, with three different ways of holding them on. Each one comes in several sizes, so pick the size on the listing that matches your measured tire.

What Else Protects RV Tires While They Sit?

Covers protect against the sun. The same tire industry bulletin lists a few other habits for vehicles in storage:

• Keep every tire, including the spare, at the recommended pressure.
• Take as much weight off the tires as you can.
• Move the RV at least every three months, which helps prevent sidewall cracking and flat spots.
• Do not park the tires on black asphalt or other surfaces that soak up heat. A board or a pad under each tire helps.
• Keep tires out of standing water and away from electric motors and generators, which give off ozone that cracks rubber.

No cover stops a tire from aging. Published guidance on when to replace RV tires runs from five years to ten, whatever the tread looks like. The date is in the last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall: the first two are the week and the last two are the year. Our guide to travel trailer tires goes through what each tire maker says.

Quick Answers

Where to Go Next

If your tires are getting close to replacement age, Travel Trailer Tires explains how to read the date code and what each maker recommends.

For the rest of the RV, our guide to the best RV covers for winter storage covers protection for the rest of the RV.