Parking on gravel

[Macsimone]

I park/store my Winnie Class A on gravel. Would there be any benefit to the tires by placing plywood under each tire?

[be happy]

Not sure about plywood, I have always parked mine on 2x10's . The reason for doing this (I believe) is to stop the moisture from settling in the rubber of the tires. A side benefit it gives a bigger foot print so the tires do not sink into the gravel over time.

[blueridge-fl]

We have stored 2 RVs over a period of 5 years (so far) in a gravel lot. The gravel is pea gravel and not the big limestone chunks. We don't use wood planks or levelers while parked in storage and have had no tire problems. I do go drive the RV at least once a month just to keep everything in working order. The biggest problem I have had with the gravel lot is how miserable it is to crawl under the RV on the gravel.

[Morich]

On gravel, I might want something to keep it from settling down and semi-stuck but that depends on what part of the country and weather. But that would also be something much stiffer/ stronger than plywood. We built a "quickie" type drive of the solid concrete blocks and they work really well for driving and storage. Definitely NOT the normal blocks with holes as they break really easy. 2X 10 or 12 is a good alternate but they tend to warp and/or rot if you are in wet areas.

[Macsimone]

Thanks for your thoughts.

[FishBear]

Something that I use with success...

If you use the plastic office chair mats at work, home, etc., they do wear out after a few years. Don't pitch them... cut them to appropriate size and drill lots of 1/4 inch holes in them. Use under tires. Keeps rocks and "most" dirt away from rubber and drains water quickly.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Macsimone

I park/store my Winnie Class A on gravel. Would there be any benefit to the tires by placing plywood under each tire?

What about a set of these? They last forever, I hope...

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by Wyatt

What about a set of these? They last forever, I hope...

We've got some - and no, they don't (last forever).

We use them for getting near level before deploying the hydraulic jacks. With the weight of our small gasser Class A they deform and bow on gravel or soft ground.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by DryCreek

We've got some - and no, they don't (last forever).

We use them for getting near level before deploying the hydraulic jacks. With the weight of our small gasser Class A they deform and bow on gravel or soft ground.

“DryCreek”, responding about gravel sites. I don’t know, but there’s something amusing about that.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by Wyatt

What about a set of these? They last forever, I hope...

Plastic pads are OK as long as the pads are wider and longer than the tire ground contact area. Having the tire hang over the sides or end of the pads can hurt the tire by placing the forces on the belt is a "bent" configuration as I posted on my blog.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by Macsimone

I park/store my Winnie Class A on gravel. Would there be any benefit to the tires by placing plywood under each tire?

In general I see no problem with parking on gravel.


1. Assuming you do not end up sinking into soft ground underneath.
2. Assuming the gravel is never submerged under water
3. Note that large or sharp gravel can leave marks (indentations) into the tread. I would suggest that smaller than walnut and not piled up but raked level would be better.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Plastic pads are OK as long as the pads are wider and longer than the tire ground contact area. Having the tire hang over the sides or end of the pads can hurt the tire by placing the forces on the belt is a "bent" configuration as I posted on my blog.

Thanks Tireman, I always appreciate your professional opinion, and I do read your blog. Thank you for doing that.

We use a single set of ramps to drive up to a double set while we’re parked at home. That way, both rear tires are fully supported.