Tyre care for motorhomes and caravans
Heading out in your campervan or motorhome? The journey is all part of the fun, unless a tyre blowout halts your progress that is. The tyre(s) of your caravan or motorhome are the only contact between your second home and the road. That’s why it’s so important to prioritise motorhome tyre care throughout the year, not just the day before you’re due to travel.
The dangers of tyre damage
A tyre blow-out can be catastrophic, especially if you are travelling at speed with your caravan trailing behind you. Any tyre failure in these circumstances can lead to instability and imbalance. The safety and financial implications of which do not bear thinking about.
Tyre delamination
This is where the thread detaches from the casing of the tyre. The result of this could be a tyre with a flailing thread devouring the side of your bodywork. Tyre delamination can mean huge repair bills or, worse still, a serious accident.
Why would delamination occur? Well, this can be due to age, standing and poor pressure maintenance.
Here, we will look at the precautions you can take to reduce the chances of a disaster:
- Use the correct tyres for your motorhome or caravan: Van tyres (LCV) may be less expensive than dedicated motorhome tyres. That said, while they are legal to use on a motorhome, van tyres are not designed for this use. LCV tyres generally go through periods of load and unload, whereas motorhomes can be consistently laden.
Motorhome tyres also have thicker walls and are designed for heavy loads, so can often operate at higher pressures. Overall, dedicated motorhome tyres offer better value for money, last longer, and provide a superior driving experience.
- Check your caravan tyres regularly: You should periodically check for any cuts, cracks, or lumps in the surface of your tyres. These can indicate the surface has weakened, to the extent that air is pushing the inside out. Any weakening of the tyre walls is particularly dangerous. Remember to remove any stones that may be lodged in the tread.
- Replace ageing tyres: Consider replacing caravan and motorhome tyres when they are somewhere between five and seven years old. This is the case even when there may be plenty of tread left on them. Ultra-violet radiation and atmospheric ozone have an ageing effect on tyres, making sudden failure more of a possibility.
Where do you find the age of your tyres?
This is marked on one of the side walls. If you are lucky, it will be facing you, but could also be on the inside wall of the tyre. It will show the week and year in numbers. For example, (08 07) signifies the tyre was manufactured in the 8th week of 2007.
- Caravans and motorhomes have specific tyre pressures: Check tyre pressures before every journey; it's best to do this when the tyres are cold. Use an accurate and reliable gauge, such as the ones found at a petrol station. Tyre pressures are measured in pounds per square inch (PSI).
Because of their weight, tyres for motorhomes and caravans require higher tyre pressures than cars. This is especially true of motorhomes, which can sometimes be over 3,000kg. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your caravan or motorhome requires the same tyre pressure as your car.
Adjust pressure in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations, considering any additional load. Usually, the correct pressures can be found in the vehicle handbook, the plate on the driver’s door sill, or the fuel filler cap.
If you can’t find any information regarding the correct tyre pressures, contact your vehicle manufacturer.
- Tread: Check tread depth! The current legal requirement across the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tyre. If you are going away for a long trip, it is advisable to make sure you have over 3mm.
A tyre with a lower load index than the caravan or motorhome manufacturer’s specifications can easily become overloaded. That’s why we stress the importance of fitting the correct tyres.
- Overloading: Ensure that you are operating within the tyre’s maximum operating weight. An overloaded tyre will overheat and increase the risk of a blowout.
Again, stressing the importance of using the correct tyres: a tyre with a lower load index than the caravan or motorhome manufacturer’s specifications can easily become overloaded.
- Tyre degradation due to standing: Avoid leaving a vehicle unused for many months between holidays. Doing so can cause flat spots or side-wall deformities, which can cause failures when back in use.
- Don’t take chances: Your family’s safety is your priority. So, take the time to ensure your motorhome or caravan tyres are in tip-top condition before leaving for that well-earned break. The best breaks are those where you remember the highlights of your time away, not the troubles encountered after a tyre failure.
