Vehicle Fit
RV Spare Tire Cover Buying Guide: Class A, Class C, Travel Trailer, Fifth Wheel
May
Anyone who has owned an RV for more than a season has learned the same lesson about outdoor exposure: time is the enemy of every material that sits in the sun. The roof membrane, the awning fabric, the window seals, and yes, the spare tire all age on the same UV clock. The cheaper the material, the faster the clock runs.
The spare on the back of an RV is unusual in that it has it worse than the rest of the vehicle. The roof has a coating. The awning rolls up between trips. The tires that touch the road get rotated and replaced. The spare just hangs there, year after year, accumulating sun damage that no one notices until the day it actually has to be used.
The other thing that complicates RV cover shopping is sizing. Class A motorhomes, Class C campers, fifth wheels, travel trailers, pop-ups, teardrops — each uses different tires, mounted in different places, in different overall diameters. Cover sizing has to follow the tire, not the class of vehicle.
Here is the practical buying guide across the RV spectrum, from utility trailers to full-size Class A motorhomes.
RV spare tire covers range from 14″ (utility trailer) to 36″ (Class A motorhome). Most travel trailers use 27″–30″; Class C motorhomes use 30″–33″. For year-round outdoor RV storage, Marine Grade Vinyl ($169) is the right material — lighter-grade covers fade noticeably inside up to 2 years of constant exposure.
Sizing by RV class
- Class A motorhome: 32″–36″ cover
- Class B (camper van): 28″–31″
- Class C motorhome: 30″–33″
- Travel trailer (most common): 27″–30″
- Fifth wheel: 30″–33″
- Pop-up camper: 20″–24″
- Teardrop trailer: 14″–20″
- Boat trailer or utility trailer: 13″–16″
- Horse trailer: 15″–17″
If you are between sizes or running non-standard tires, the how-to-measure guide linked at the bottom walks through the measurement. Sizing is to overall tire diameter, not rim diameter.
Best material for RV storage life
RVs sit outside more than almost any vehicle category. The spare cover gets continuous UV during long storage stretches plus highway exposure during travel. Marine Grade Vinyl ($169) is the right default — up to 5 year outdoor lifespan, the same fabric category used on RV awnings and outdoor furniture.
PU Leather ($129) works for shaded covered storage but degrades faster under direct year-round sun. Polyester ($69) is a budget option for occasional-use covers in garage-kept RVs — not the right call if the RV lives outdoors.
Common RV cover designs
- Camper Life statement designs — lifestyle taglines that resonate with full-time RVers and weekend campers alike.
- Camping scene illustrations — tents, campfires, mountains, stars, pine silhouettes.
- State pride and patriotic. US flag, state silhouettes, veteran tributes.
- Family RV name. Custom typography with the RV nickname or family name.
- GPS coordinates — favorite campsite, home base, or significant location.
- Sports and collegiate tributes. The tailgate-trailer crowd has its own visual language.
Where the spare mounts on RVs
RV spares end up in several different places depending on class and build:
- Rear ladder — most common on Class C motorhomes and fifth wheels with access ladders.
- A-frame at the trailer hitch — common on travel trailers and some fifth wheels.
- Rear bumper carrier — common on Class A motorhomes and vintage units.
- Hitch-mounted exterior — aftermarket setups that work across classes.
The cover wraps the wheel itself, so the mount type does not change the cover fit. Sizing follows the tire diameter.
Frequently asked questions
Will the RV colors fade in direct sunlight?
All five materials use fade-resistant UV printing, but lifespan varies. Marine Grade Vinyl is rated for up to 5 years of outdoor life, PU Leather and PVC for up to 3 years, and Polyester for up to 2 years. Marine Grade Vinyl is the right pick for outdoor-stored RVs.
Does the cover come with a backup-camera hole?
Yes — included free on every cover. Choose the “with camera hole” option at checkout. The hole is centered and sized to fit any factory or aftermarket camera position, including modern Class C rear-camera systems.
Can I customize the design with a name, family logo, or RV-park identifier?
Yes — free design proof, no extra cost, no minimum order. Send the wording or logo at checkout, or use the custom spare tire cover page.
What size for a 27-foot travel trailer with 15-inch ST tires?
A 29″ cover fits ST205/75R15 tires, which run about 29 inches in overall diameter. For non-standard sizes, measure across the spare and use the universal size chart.
My RV is in storage 8 months a year. Does a cover help?
Especially in that case. A stationary RV gets constant UV on the same surfaces day after day, with no rotation or movement to spread the wear. Marine Grade Vinyl extends the spare’s usable life by years compared to leaving it uncovered.
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