Caravan Tyres

Collo · Senior Member

Caravan Tyres

Possum3 · Guru

I work on 10 years with the proviso that I dress the tyres 3 monthly check the sidewall hardness (radio plier on tyre lug) ensure you check inside of tyre from under van or remove and do thorough check also keep tyres inflated to correct pressures (nitrogen is better than air). Reduce exposure to sun when standing idle.

Mike Harding · Guru

Collo wrote:
How often do you change your van's tyres?

When they fail.

I'm doing "lockdown" in a small caravan park in Lockington, Victoria; parked next to me is an old van of perhaps 30 years or more. It's tyres look to me to be either originals or not far off and, frankly, were it mine I would replace them as 30 years is pushing things I feel, nevertheless they still work.

Greg 1 · Guru

Tyres do harden with age and at about the 6 year mark have lost a considerable amount of their original grip as a result regardless how little mileage they have done. On a van this is not so much of a concern but hardening of the sidewalls is as this can lead to blowouts. The tyres on a van are, in many cases carrying close to their maximum recommended load so the sidewalls do get a considerable workout. If you are planning a long trip, or going into remote areas, I would be changing them. If you are only travelling relatively short distances then you could possibly push that out to ten years, but I wouldn't go any further than that.

gdayjr · Senior Member

Manufacturers only guarantee tyres for 5 years.

Thats 5 years from the date on the tyre, not from when they are fitted, that can be anything from 6 months to year or more after manufacture.

Itchyfeet Pete · Member

This tyre was the spare on a 2008 van we bought second hand in 2014. It had never been on the road. In 2015 we decided to rotate the tyres and put the spare on one side of the van. At 1400km into the trip, travelling at maximum 90km/hr all on black top, this was the result. Yep, 6 years sounds about right to change.

thomas01 · Senior Member

We had the same experience as Itchyfeet. Rotated the 8 year old unused spare before heading off to Darwin from Victoria. Thought I was being thrifty. Got as far as Roxby Downs before we had issues. Luckily we had stopped for a break when we heard the hiss coming from the tyre. The side wall had split. If we hadn't stopped it probably would have ended up a shredded mess like Itchy's.

We couldn't get a replacement until we got to Coober Pedy. The price was also very deflating.

Robert.

gdayjr · Senior Member

The tyres age because of Ozone.

The cracking and splits you see on the side of the tyres is what is called Ozone cracking.

Just like humans, the vary air we breath, is the same thing that is slowly aging us, and killing us.

Cupie · Guru

I change mine after 6 years & always with about 50% of the tread remaining. It's a small cost with each tyre only about $110.

On one trip I picked up a slow leak & changed to the unused spare that was about 8 years old. I got the leak repaired but failed to exchange it with the spare. Some 1500k later & 20k from home a guy in a car next to me on the freeway was franticaly pointing to my wheels.

I pulled over & found the tread on that old tyre delaminating. I had been traveling on a crowded freeway at close to 100km just a few minutes before . A potential serious collision narrowly avoided.

On another trip without the van, an old tyre on my Patrol started delaminating but fortunately went 'thump thump' and caused me to pull over & change it. The Patrol is now also on the 6 year tyre change list too. It breaks my heart to dump those relatively expensive tyres with all their remaining tread.

When I first got the Patrol many moons ago, I was driving slowly through a new housing estate & heard a regular thumping sound. Turned out that it was from flat spots on a couple of tyres, presumably just before they delaminated. Of course I changed them to a set of Coopers. At that time I had no knowledge of issues with ageing tyres but I assume that that was the cause. For a number of reasons I believe that the guy who sold it to me had put second hand tyres on the then pretty new vehicle. (An earlier mechanical inspection that I found in the glovebox had noted the different types of tyres on it but after my purchase they were all the same but a bit worn).

My strong advice is to change all your tyres at about the 6 year mark.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

I had the misfortune of having a tyre innerwall blowout doing 95kph in October 2019. At the time of the incident the Chinese brand tyres (MPR which had come fitted on our new van) were just over 2 years old and had only done around 10000Kms, they actually looked to be in a very good condition. When we were planning on doing our first trip after the incident I told my wife that I wasn't prepared to go anywhere until I replaced the other 4 tyres with a well known brand. I called a mobile tyre fitter and he changed the 4 remaining tyres - he told me when doing the job that 3 of the tyres were good then showed me the 4th which he said had exprienced a steel belt failure and could have also blownout at any time. Since that experience I have become paranoid about tyre condition and I will ensure that I replace them every 5/6 years with a reputable brand whether they appear to be worn or not..

BB

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Collo wrote:
According to tyre websites, tyres should be changed after six years regardless of how many kms they have done as the rubber hardens and can cause a blowout.

Which "tyre websites" say that? How about a link please?

Cheers,

Peter

Rob Driver · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Collo wrote:
According to tyre websites, tyres should be changed after six years regardless of how many kms they have done as the rubber hardens and can cause a blowout.

Which "tyre websites" say that? How about a link please?
Cheers,
Peter

Here is an Aussie website with info which is fairly similar to all the other leasing brands.

https://www.michelin.com.au/auto/tips-and-advice/advice-auto/when-should-i-change-my-car-tyres

Most tyre dealers do recommend 6 to 7 years obviously subject to a professional inspection and related to its use and storage.

Good info in the link.

Regards

Rob

bgt · Guru

My understanding is that all tyre manufacturers have a 'use by' date on all tyres.

Rob Driver · Guru

bgt wrote:
My understanding is that all tyre manufacturers have a 'use by' date on all tyres.

Not correct bgt.

Here is some info on the varying codes on the tyre walls.

https://autoexpert.com.au/owning-a-car/2009/12/26/tyres-and-tyre-replacement-is-there-a-use-by-date.html

Regards

Rob

Roy E · Senior Member

Possum wrote;
(nitrogen is better than air)

Why is that, Possum?

Possum3 · Guru

Advantages of using Tyres filled with Nitrogen wont leak air and lose pressure. This is because Nitrogen molecules are larger than air molecules. Nitrogen is non-reactive and wont degrade tyre life (no moisture, no corrosion).

gdayjr · Senior Member

Possum3 wrote:
Advantages of using Tyres filled with Nitrogen wont leak air and lose pressure. This is because Nitrogen molecules are larger than air molecules. Nitrogen is non-reactive and wont degrade tyre life (no moisture, no corrosion).

Biggest con in the tyre industry.

I certainly used to use it for my racing bikes, but lets not forget that the very air that we breath, and the air that we pump into our tyres is 82% Nitrogen anyway.

If you can get it put in for free, then sure, go for it, but your tyres will only go up in pressure by about 10% when they get hot with norman air in them.

That's an increase of 4 to 6 psi

gdayjr · Senior Member

bgt wrote:
My understanding is that all tyre manufacturers have a 'use by' date on all tyres.

Not at all.

They have a manufacture date. They only guarantee them for 5 yrs, from that date.

All of those little numbers have a meaning.

check out the link for more info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV8bZ2qwDeg

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

bentaxlebabe wrote:
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Collo wrote:
According to tyre websites, tyres should be changed after six years regardless of how many kms they have done as the rubber hardens and can cause a blowout.

Which "tyre websites" say that? How about a link please?
Cheers,
Peter
Here is an Aussie website with info which is fairly similar to all the other leasing brands.
https://www.michelin.com.au/auto/tips-and-advice/advice-auto/when-should-i-change-my-car-tyres
Most tyre dealers do recommend 6 to 7 years obviously subject to a professional inspection and related to its use and storage.
Good info in the link.
Regards
Rob

The manufacturer in this case says 10 years with regular inspection.

I don't care what the dealer says. In many instances they have no clue.

Cheers,

Peter

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

No chance of nitrogen creating moisture in tyre ! Plus it doesnt expand the same rate as air !! Used in aircraft for that reason .

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
No chance of nitrogen creating moisture in tyre ! Plus it doesnt expand the same rate as air !! Used in aircraft for that reason .

Air does not "create" moisture in a tyre either biggrin . And if it did, so what?

We just drove down a beach and I needed to reduce my tyre pressures by 50%. Damn! I left the cylinder of nitrogen at home. What will I do now? confuse

When I start driving in temperatures of 50C below freezing, I might consider nitrogen, until then it stays in the same basket as air inlet turbulators and snake oil.

Cheers,

Peter

Greg 1 · Guru

I agree Peter. There have been some studies done on the benefits of installing nitrogen in tyres and all have come back with the fact that the benefits are either very small or non existent and certainly not worth the trouble or money.

Roy E · Senior Member

Aus-Kiwi,
Nitrogen is used to inflate large commercial transport aircraft tyres to prevent the possibility of brake/wheel fires when the fusible plugs on the inner circumference of the wheel hubs melt during an overheat (excessive brake use, say).The fusible plugs let go to prevent excess pressure (due to excess heat) which would cause a catastrophic wheel hub failure. When the fusible plugs (generally 3 per hub) let go (melt), the pressurized nitrogen is released directly onto the brake heat pack. When the tyres were pressurized with air, this would cause a brake/wheel fire. Nitrogen is not used in aircraft tyres for any other reason but this.
Cheers,
Roy.

Wanda · Guru

I've survived 50yrs of driving, approx 13x sedans, 6x 4x4s and 4x caravans. Christ knows how many kms travelled on the bitumen to say nothing of dirt and offroad.
Lasted this long without nitrogen and think I can last a few more years and a few more vehicles!
Cheers and thats my view on nitrogen!
Ian

-- Edited by Wanda on Tuesday 1st of June 2021 05:02:20 PM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

It can creat moisture where theres great temp differences as in aircraft . Anyway its of no benefit here ! In motor racing it may ? When tyre pressures bean so much to traction, tyre wear when on the limit ! But again not really relevant here . I use light truck tyres if it can on trailers . The grip is good, the tyre structure is supposedly stronger as they are often driven over Curbs etc I try to fit cover over wheels to keep UV off them !

Whenarewethere · Guru

If you want to get a very high percentage of nitrogen in the tyre you either need a second valve to purge the air or inflate & deflate with nitrogen for about 5 cycles.

If you want to reduce moisture in the compressor airline stick in a moisture trap.

Moisture in air after pumping up tyres which would otherwise have ended up in tyres.

Kiwoz · Veteran Member

Aus-Kiwi,

Possibly deemed to be a bit off track here because of the size but in the 70's, when the mid South Island power scheme was being built, the motor scraper hauls got longer and longer. This resulted in tyres popping from heat build-up. Nitrogen overcame the problem as it has virtually no pressure/volume increase with temperature rise.

The benefits for caravanning would be minimal because of the volume involved.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

EXACTLY !!