Home / Tools / Tire load calculator
RV tire safety tool

RV tire load calculator: check weight, pressure and tire safety before travel.

Enter axle weights, tire load ratings, cold pressure targets and tire age to see whether your travel trailer, fifth wheel or motorhome tires have enough margin for the trip.

Travel trailersFifth wheelsMotorhomes
RV Solver logo

What this helps catch

  • Overloaded tires or axles
  • Too little tire load reserve
  • Cold pressure below the target
  • Aging tires that need closer inspection
Interactive calculator

Use the numbers from your scale ticket, tire sidewall and RV labels.

A tire can look fine and still be overloaded. The safest answer comes from actual loaded weights, the tire load rating, the axle rating and the cold inflation pressure specified for the tire and RV.

Loaded axle weightThe weight carried by that axle or tire group when the RV is packed the way it travels.
Load per tireAxle or group weight divided by the number of tires carrying that load.
Cold PSI targetThe pressure target before driving, based on the RV placard or tire maker load table.
Reserve marginThe gap between actual load and the tire capacity entered. Less reserve means less room for imbalance.
Step 1

Choose a starting point

Pick a preset, then replace the example numbers with your scale ticket, tire sidewall, RV certification label, wheel rating and valve-stem rating.

Step 2

Tire groups

Use one row for each axle group you want to check. A towable RV may only need one trailer axle group. A motorhome usually needs a front axle row and a rear axle row. Individual wheel-position weights are even better if you can get them.

Group Loaded weight Tires Max load/tire GAWR Target PSI Current PSI Max PSI Age
Where to find the numbers: Loaded weight comes from a scale. Max load and max cold PSI are on the tire sidewall or tire data sheet. GAWR is on the RV or vehicle certification label. Target cold PSI comes from the RV tire placard or the tire manufacturer load/inflation table for the actual load.
How to use this tire calculator

Start with weight, then pressure, then condition.

RV tire safety is not one number. A safer setup comes from matching the actual load to the tire, wheel, valve stem, axle and RV label. The calculator checks the math, but the physical tire still has to pass inspection.

Use loaded scale weights, not brochure weight

Food, tools, water, batteries, propane, bikes and storage-bin cargo can change the load by hundreds or thousands of pounds. A trailer can also be heavier on one side. If you only have axle weights, keep extra reserve because one tire may be carrying more than the simple average.

Do not guess at tire pressure

The pressure target should come from the RV tire placard or the tire maker's load and inflation table for the actual load. The max cold PSI molded on the sidewall is a limit and rating point, not a universal instruction for every RV in every situation. Never exceed the lowest-rated wheel, valve stem or tire pressure limit.

Why a low-pressure tire fails

Underinflation makes the tire flex more. Flex creates heat. Heat damages the internal structure before the outside always looks bad. That is why cold pressure checks matter before the RV moves, and why a tire-pressure monitoring system should be treated as an alert system, not the only inspection.

Age and condition still matter

RV tires often age out before the tread wears out. Sun exposure, storage, curb impacts, overloading and heat cycles can weaken a tire. Record the DOT date code, inspect both sidewalls, and take cracking, bulges or uneven wear seriously.

Seeing sway, heat, wear or repeated pressure loss?

Use the towing troubleshooter to separate tire, bearing, brake, axle and hitch problems before replacing parts blindly.

Start towing diagnosis →

Sources and review notes

Use the RV tire placard, tire sidewall markings, wheel ratings, valve-stem ratings, axle ratings, tire manufacturer load/inflation tables and loaded scale weights for the exact RV. See the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tire safety resources for general tire safety guidance.

RV tire FAQ

Questions owners ask before a trip.

Should trailer tires be checked hot or cold?

Set and compare pressure cold, before driving and before sun or road heat raises pressure. Do not bleed air from a hot tire to force it back to the cold target.

Is one axle weight enough?

It is useful, but individual wheel-position weights are better. A side-to-side imbalance can overload one tire even when the axle average looks acceptable.

What if the tire has enough capacity but the axle does not?

The axle rating still controls. A stronger tire does not increase the RV axle, spring, brake, wheel, frame or suspension rating.

When should an RV tire be replaced?

Replace immediately for bulges, exposed cord, severe cracking, tread separation or repeated pressure loss. Age-based replacement depends on tire condition, storage, use and manufacturer guidance.