Essential tyre safety advice for caravan owners

With over half a million touring caravans in the UK, the Asda Tyres team have plenty of experience providing essential tyre safety advice to many of the nation’s two million caravanners. And this experience informs us that not all of you realise that there’s a huge difference between the way tyres behave and perform on cars and caravans. If you’re part of this fast growing recreational community, read on.

To begin with, caravan tyres are just like the ones typically used with your car or van, but the weight distribution they go through is completely different. With so many caravans running on just two wheels, there’s more pressure and stress on each tyre than that experienced with four-wheeled vehicles.

And even four-wheeled caravan tyres – typically positioned very close together – perform differently, due to the weight and pressure being forced down into a significantly smaller area when compared to a more even spread of tyres on a car or van.

And as a result, all this concentrated weight puts much more stress on caravan tyre sidewalls –  arguably the most important consideration for caravan tyre safety. More so than having good tyre tread? Yes, since typically a caravan is only on the road aproximately 2,000 miles a year. As such, tyres can be expected to wear down much slower, when compared to a everyday use car or van.

It’s essential that your caravan tyres are inflated correctly

Sidewall stress results from tyre wear on the tyre shoulders. This is known as rounded wear. It’s very important that caravan owners minimise tyre shoulder wear and sidewall stress by ensuring that their tyre pressures are correct and regularly checked. Consult your owner manual or caravan manufacturer for the best way to do this. Tyre pressures are determined by a combination of the caravan’s MTPLM (Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass). This is often determined by the caravan’s rating plate, the size of the tyres (typically 13” on older caravans, and 14” for modern models), and the amount of tyres it has (usually two or four). As an added precaution, make sure the MTPLM does not exceed 90% of the tyre’s load capacity.

Car towing a caravan

The UK’s leading tyre safety organisation, TyreSafe, offers caravan owners the opportunity to use their caravan tyre pressure calculator, but be advised that this is only meant as a guide for tyre inflation pressure. As a leading member of TyreSafe, premium tyre manufacture, Continental Tyres, advise “If you’re still in any doubt about caravan tyres, you should contact the vehicle manufacturer, who should be able to fully guide you in the correct fitment”. Continental is at the forefront of raising awareness about road safety – part of its Vision Zero initiative.

5 Top Tips for Caravan Tyres

– Make time to regularly check your caravan and car tyres

– Be sure you check your caravan and car tyres for damage before setting off on your journey

–  Always make sure you travel with a spare tyre

– Ensure that your caravan and car tyres are replaced regularly

– If you are in any doubt what so ever, always seek professional help

Premium tyre manufacturer, Continental, also suggests that you check both your caravan and car tyre pressures regularly. This is especially the case before you set off on each major journey. And when your caravan’s not in use, be sure to check the pressures at least once a month.

Why? Because irregular usage can result in tyre flat spotting. This is caused by the caravan’s weight being placed on a single spot of the tyres for overly long periods. This can also affect your tyre pressures adversely. The best way to avoid this occurrence is to turn your caravan tyres on a regular basis.

But even with this level of good practice, care and attention, tyre damage is still more likely with caravan tyres than those fitted to your car. Why? Because scrapes and bumps that are typically manageable for car tyres are often amplified for caravan tyres. This is due to most caravans having a very basic suspension set-up, compared to that found on modern cars. Caravans have relatively little inherent shock absorbing characteristics. As a result, caravan tyres can end up enduring a considerable amount of shock absorption. It’s for this reason that having the correct tyre pressures and optimal inflation before each journey is essential for caravan owners.

Caravan tyre pressure check

Low inflation

Under-inflated caravan tyres result in excessive loads being placed on the outer edges of the tyre. As a result, this can lead to the tyre shoulders wearing out more rapidly. This endangers the tyre sidewall, reducing its inherent strength. Under-inflated caravan tyres also result in noticeably poorer handling, leaving the driver with a sluggish feeling.

High inflation

Beware – over-inflated caravan tyres will typically result in much higher tyre wear across the central plain of the tyre. The consequences of this are significantly reduced tyre tread, and a subsequent loss of grip. If your tyres are over-inflated, your caravan’s suspension will feel a lot stiffer. This will be especially true if you catch bumps or holes in the road, and curbs as you corner.

With this in mind, it’s vital that you always travel with a spare tyre, specifically put aside for caravan use. Just like for your car, ensure that your replacement tyre matches the ones you currently have fitted caravan. It’s important that you remember that it is illegal to mix cross-ply and radial tyres together, so make sure that your tyres are all the same type.

For additional peace of mind, consider self-sealing tyres, like those that have Continental’s ContiSeal™ technology. These superb, self-sealing tyres can negate punctures up to 5mm in diameter immediately – such as typically created by nail damage – from inside the tyre. The beauty of ContiSeal™ is that it provides caravan owners with continued mobility and unaltered mileage, with no need for an immediate stop, or (often dangerous) roadside tyre change.

And, no matter whether through tyre damage or the passage of time, it’s important for caravan owners to ensure that their tyres are regularly replaced. The British Tyre Manufacturers Association advises that caravan tyres should ideally be replaced once they get to 5 years old, and absolutely no later than seven years. This is, however, dependent on the amount of usage your caravan gets. The Caravan and Motorhome Club agree, citing that the likelihood of tyre problems certainly increases after seven years. They should know, since they’re Europe’s biggest touring community.

Deciding which tyres are best for your caravan

Even a casual glance at the internet will demonstrate that there are many tyres available for caravan owners on the market. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is especially pertinent to tyre purchases. Premium Tyres vs Budget Tyres advice is a topic the Asda Tyres team have previously covered, and our position on the subject is unequivocal: premium tyres are not only safer (especially in wet weather conditions, something we get a lot of in the UK, right?), they also save you money in the long run.

Continental ContiEcoContact tyre

Tyre manufacturers like Continental offer a great range of 13” and 14” premium tyres, which are ideal for caravans. Their range includes the ContiEcoContact™ 5 that not only offers caravan owners a safe, fuel-efficient driving experience, but also provides run-flat and ContiSeal™ technology as standard. This tyre’s optimised rolling resistance means that fuel consumption is reduced – always a plus for caravan owners – without compromising on high braking safety, and shorter stopping distances on wet roads.

Talk to Asda Tyres for unrivalled tyre advice

If you’re not sure about which tyres are best for your caravan, don’t leave it to chance – seek professional advice. Get in touch with the experts at Asda Tyres. Our highly trained tyre professionals can take you through the options, offer impartial tyre advice, and expert fitting solutions. Click here to live chat with one of our experts, or find your nearest fitting station.

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