Skid Wheels

Skid Wheels for Your RV

If your RV or trailer frequently bottoms out or drags its rear end onto the pavement when you’re driving across a culvert or coming onto an incline, you may have to check if you need skid wheels. RVers who drive the big Class A motorhomes or tow long trailers should install skid wheels, if they haven’t already. Too many drivers have learned their advantages too late. That cringe-inducing sound you hear every time your vehicle slams its rear bottom on the asphalt or concrete can be avoided by installing skid wheels.

Some RVers would just try to negotiate those road undulations as slowly and carefully as they can. However, no matter how carefully you navigate those bumps, the regular wear and tear of scraping and banging your RV or trailer’s bottom will cause ugly damages to your vehicle. This is especially true with those long trailers or even big RVs. The best way to help prevent this is to install skid wheels.

Some RVs will have features or mechanisms that allow the driver to adjust the ride height as needed. If this is the case with your vehicle, skid wheels may not be necessary at all. You can also take a look at your RV’s suspension. The shocks may have worn out or have been damaged, which will cause your RV to ride too low. In any case, it’s a good idea to carefully check your vehicle’s suspension and frame first before deciding to get skid wheels installed.

The purpose of a skid wheel is to prevent the RV or trailer from dragging its bottom when driving onto or across a steep incline. The skid wheels will take the impact instead of having your RV’s rear scraping across solid pavement. A lot of rear bumpers even get torn off when this happens. A set of skid wheels will raise your vehicle and allow it to roll over those bumps instead of dragging.

Skid wheels usually won’t have weight capacities because they are designed to help roll your vehicle over inclines and bumps. They are not made to carry heavy loads for sustained periods of time. However, popular choices for skid wheels would be rated at around 5,000 lbs. each, so you can go with that as a basis if you’re shopping for a set.

There are basically two types of skid wheels available on the market right now. They can be either frame-mounted or hitch-mounted (if your vehicle has a hitch installed). Receiver hitches on a trailer or RV are notorious for being low spots, so you will definitely want your skid wheels there. The main idea here is to mount the skid wheels where the undercarriage of your vehicle is at its lowest, whether it’s the frame or the hitch receiver.

A good set of skid wheels is not as costly as you might expect, and they can be mounted relatively quickly too. But after installing those skid wheels, you will know it was worth the effort and price when you negotiate a steep driveway and don’t hear any sounds of metal scraping across the pavement.

Swivel Skid Wheel 4 – These wheels are available in three sizes so you can get the one that fits your needs the best. These will help protect your vehicle from a lot of pounding from the pavement, and can be either bolted or welded on.

Mini Weld-On Steel Roller – Machined from a solid piece of billet steel, so you know it’s super tough and strong. A less costly alternative for protecting the undercarriage of small to medium-sized RVs, trailers, and toy haulers.