6 Best Lightweight Tires for Reducing RV Weight That Boost Your MPG
Shed pounds from your RV and boost fuel economy. Our guide covers the 6 best lightweight tires designed to improve your MPG and lighten your overall load.
Every time you pull into a gas station with your RV, you feel it. That constant battle between the freedom of the open road and the weight of your fuel bill is real. We obsess over packing light and emptying tanks, but often overlook one of the most critical components sitting right under our rigs: the tires. Choosing the right set isn’t just about safety; it’s one of the smartest ways to shed a specific kind of weight that directly impacts your miles per gallon.
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Why Lighter RV Tires Boost Your Fuel Economy
It all comes down to two key concepts: rolling resistance and unsprung weight. Think of rolling resistance as the energy your engine has to spend just to get the tires to turn. A tire with a more efficient design and compound creates less friction with the road, requiring less fuel to maintain speed. It’s like walking on pavement versus walking through thick mud; one takes a lot less effort.
Unsprung weight is everything not supported by your RV’s suspension—wheels, tires, brakes. Reducing this weight has a disproportionately large effect on performance and efficiency. Lighter tires mean your suspension doesn’t have to work as hard, and your engine has less rotational mass to spin up. While saving a few pounds per tire might not sound like much, it adds up to significant fuel savings over thousands of miles.
This isn’t about finding the absolute lightest tire on the market, which might be dangerously underrated for your rig. It’s about finding a tire that is engineered to be efficient for its load capacity. The goal is to select a modern, well-designed tire that minimizes rolling resistance while safely supporting your home on wheels.
Goodyear Endurance: Durability Meets Efficiency
Get reliable performance with this 2-pack of ST225/75R15 trailer tires, featuring a load range E and integrated tread for enhanced all-weather road grip. Backed by a 6-year manufacturer's warranty.
Goodyear Endurance tires are a go-to for a reason. They were one of the first major brands to really focus on the specific demands of modern travel trailers and fifth wheels. Made in the USA, they feature a robust internal construction with Durawall Technology to resist sidewall cuts and punctures—a huge plus when navigating tight campgrounds or rough backroads.
What makes them efficient is their specialized tread compound and symmetric, five-rib tread pattern. This design is optimized for lower rolling resistance, meaning the tire glides more easily down the highway. They also carry a higher N speed rating (87 mph), which doesn’t mean you should tow that fast, but it indicates a tire built to better handle heat buildup on long, hot travel days. Less heat means less wasted energy and better fuel economy.
The Endurance isn’t the lightest tire on this list in absolute pounds, but its efficiency gains make it a top contender. It represents a fantastic balance between rugged durability and modern engineering. For anyone who puts serious miles on their trailer, this tire is a benchmark for reliable, efficient performance.
Michelin Agilis CrossClimate for Class B/C RVs
Experience exceptional durability and extended treadlife for your light commercial truck, even under heavy loads. This all-season radial tire is engineered for reliable performance year-round.
If you drive a Class B or Class C motorhome, your needs are different from a towable. You’re looking for a tire that acts like a light truck tire but can handle the constant heavy load of a camper. The Michelin Agilis CrossClimate is, hands down, one of the best choices for this category. It’s technically a commercial-grade van tire, and that’s exactly what you want.
These tires are engineered for delivery vans that run all day, every day, carrying heavy loads. That translates perfectly to the RV world. The Agilis CrossClimate uses an advanced silica tread compound that provides excellent grip in all seasons while significantly lowering rolling resistance. This is a tire designed to save commercial fleets money on fuel, and those savings pass directly to you.
Beyond fuel economy, you get a tire with exceptional durability and a long tread life. Its SipeLock technology provides incredible wet and snow traction, giving you a much wider travel season. For a van conversion or a small motorhome, upgrading to the Agilis CrossClimate is one of the most impactful changes you can make for safety, performance, and long-term fuel savings.
Carlisle Radial Trail HD: A Reliable Performer
Carlisle Radial Trail HD trailer tire offers durable performance for your hauling needs. Engineered for reliability, this tire ensures a smooth and stable ride.
Sometimes, the best choice is the one that delivers consistent, reliable performance without breaking the bank. The Carlisle Radial Trail HD has earned a solid reputation in the RV community as a durable workhorse. It’s a fantastic upgrade from the often-subpar tires that come standard on many new trailers.
The "HD" stands for Heavy Duty, and its construction reflects that. It features robust internal belts that resist heat buildup and maintain stability under load. This stability is key; a tire that flexes and squirms less wastes less energy. Its tread compound is formulated for extended wear, which also contributes to maintaining lower rolling resistance over the life of the tire.
While it may not boast the cutting-edge technology of a Michelin, the Carlisle offers a significant efficiency improvement over generic trailer tires. It’s a practical, no-nonsense option that proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a safer, more efficient tire. For the weekend warrior or the full-timer on a budget, the Radial Trail HD is a smart, dependable choice.
Hankook Vantra Trailer: Optimized for Towing
The Hankook Vantra Trailer ST01 provides reliable performance for trailers. Its durable construction ensures a long tread life, offering dependable handling for your hauling needs.
Hankook has made a name for itself by producing high-quality tires, and their Vantra Trailer (TH31) model is specifically engineered for the unique stresses of trailer applications. Its design focuses heavily on stability and heat dissipation, two factors that are directly linked to fuel efficiency when towing.
The Vantra’s main strength is its high-stiffness pattern block and decoupling grooves in the shoulder. This sounds technical, but it means the tire is designed to resist the lateral, side-to-side forces you experience when towing. A more stable tire tracks truer, reducing the micro-adjustments your tow vehicle has to make and saving fuel.
Furthermore, the tire is built for durability with a reinforced structure under the tread to prevent belt separation, a common failure point in lesser trailer tires. This robust construction helps it run cooler on long hauls. A cooler tire is a more efficient tire, making the Hankook Vantra an excellent choice for those looking to optimize their towing setup for both safety and MPG.
Maxxis M8008 ST: Stability and Low Resistance
The Maxxis M8008 Plus ST Radial tire offers reliable all-season highway performance for trailers. Featuring a Load Range D and 8-ply rating, it's built for durability and consistent handling.
The Maxxis M8008 ST is another long-standing favorite among seasoned RVers, known for its longevity and predictable handling. It’s a tire that proves its worth over tens of thousands of miles. The secret lies in its advanced tread compound and sturdy, double-steel-belted construction.
This tire is engineered to run smooth and cool. The specific rubber compound used is designed to minimize friction without sacrificing grip, directly addressing rolling resistance. The five-rib tread pattern ensures that the tire’s footprint is evenly planted on the pavement, which not only improves stability in crosswinds but also reduces uneven wear that can increase rolling resistance over time.
For many, the Maxxis M8008 represents a sweet spot. It provides a noticeable upgrade in ride quality and stability compared to factory tires, and its efficiency-focused design delivers measurable fuel savings on long trips. It’s a testament to how solid engineering can create a tire that’s both tough and efficient.
Sailun S637T: Heavy-Duty Commercial Grade
The Sailun S637 Trailer tire, size 235/85R16, offers robust performance for your trailer. Engineered for durability and load capacity, it ensures reliable towing.
For those with larger fifth wheels or toy haulers, weight is a serious concern. You need a tire that can handle immense loads, and that often means a G-rated, all-steel commercial tire. The Sailun S637T is a beast in this category, and while "lightweight" isn’t its primary descriptor, its efficiency is remarkable for its class.
The S637T is an all-steel radial tire, meaning the casing and belts are steel. This creates an incredibly rigid and durable structure that is less prone to heat-inducing flex under heavy loads. This rigidity is the key to its efficiency. It rolls with less resistance than a comparable nylon-ply tire, translating to better fuel economy for your heavy rig.
Choosing a tire like the Sailun is about a different kind of efficiency. You’re getting a product designed for commercial trucks that run hundreds of thousands of miles. Its durability and resistance to wear mean it maintains its performance characteristics longer. For the heaviest of RVs, the S637T is proof that you can have extreme load capacity and improved fuel efficiency in the same package.
Choosing Your RV Tire: Load, Speed, and Age
Picking the right tire is more than just grabbing a brand name off this list. You have to match the tire to your specific RV, and three factors are non-negotiable: load, speed, and age. Get any of these wrong, and you’re compromising safety.
First, check your RV’s data plate for the required tire size and load range (e.g., Load Range E). Never, ever install a tire with a lower load rating than what the manufacturer specifies. It’s always safe to go up a load range if you need more capacity, but never go down. This is the single most important safety rule.
Second, look at the speed rating. Most trailer tires (marked "ST") are rated for 65 mph, though some newer models like the Goodyear Endurance are rated higher. Adhering to this limit is crucial for preventing heat buildup and potential blowouts. Finally, check the DOT code on the tire’s sidewall. The last four digits tell you the week and year it was made (e.g., "3523" is the 35th week of 2023). Never buy or use an RV tire that is more than five or six years old, regardless of how good the tread looks. Rubber degrades over time, and an old tire is an accident waiting to happen.
Ultimately, your tires are the only thing connecting your home to the road. Investing in a quality, efficient set isn’t just a line item on a budget; it’s an investment in fuel savings, peace of mind, and, most importantly, your safety on every adventure. Choose wisely, check them often, and they’ll carry you safely to your next destination.
