Hi guys.
I just want to pass on a very important message to everyone regarding their tyres.
There are so many of us driving around with tyres that have adequate tread and adequate pressure inside. While this may appear to be a safe situation, many of us may still be chancing danger.
The problem with most caravans is that they don't do a lot of milage and tyres may last well past their expected lifespan. Most tyres that last beyond 5 years can begin to develop cracks in the side wall.
See pic below.
Bottom line. Check your tyres before going on a trip, and if you see cracks developing in the sidewall then it's time to replace your tyres.
There are a few things that cause a tyre to develop cracks in the sidewalls.
1. Sunlight:- A tyre that is constantly exposed to the sun when in storage has greater chance of developing cracks in the sidewalls much earlier than those not exposed to sunlight.
TIP:- Have your tyres covered from the sun. Either cut a piece of timber masonite to the shape of your wheel arch and have it cover the tyre when parked or some other type of cover.
2. Tyre is under recommended pressure:- A tyre that is under the recommended pressure usually develops a flat spot causing tyres to stretch and develop cracks in the side wall.
TIP:- Keep your tyre pressure up to recommended pressure, especially before going on a trip
3. Age:- Like everything else, we can look after ourselves and our things, but age still catches up on us all. Even those of us who look after our tyres as best we can cannot fight the ageing process. We can slow it down but can't stop it. So it's a good idea to keep an eye on the side walls and look for signs of cracking. Once again as soon as you see them starting to appear, it's time to get some new ones.
Another tip I was told by my "Tyre Guy" was to raise your wheels and sit the axel of the van on jacks making the tyres sit just off the ground. This keeps your tyres from developing a "flat spot" and also keeps them free from moisture absorption. If you don't feel energetic enough to do that, then he recommends that you always keep your van off the grass/ dirt. Have a slab laid or even just park your van on pavers.
We all hate flat tyres, and I know some of us know how inconvenient a flat tyre on a caravan is. Also getting a burst tyre in a van while travelling a 80 to 100km`s can be very dangerous. Vans often slide all over the road with sudden tyre failure, and our chances of having an accident are very high when this happens. Another point is that we never have flats in convenient places either. So best to avoid them however we can.
This is what can happen if cracks in tyre walls aren't noticed. When our vans drop by 5 or 6 inches to one side when being towed at highway speeds along a road, we can be at high risk of being involved in an accident.
So can I take this opportunity and ask all of us to take a few minutes out, and take the time to check your tyre pressures, and the sidewalls for any cracks. Definitely worth the chance to reduce the chances of damage to our tyres, our vans and ourselves.
Travel Safe Guys!
I just want to pass on a very important message to everyone regarding their tyres.
There are so many of us driving around with tyres that have adequate tread and adequate pressure inside. While this may appear to be a safe situation, many of us may still be chancing danger.
The problem with most caravans is that they don't do a lot of milage and tyres may last well past their expected lifespan. Most tyres that last beyond 5 years can begin to develop cracks in the side wall.
See pic below.
Bottom line. Check your tyres before going on a trip, and if you see cracks developing in the sidewall then it's time to replace your tyres.
There are a few things that cause a tyre to develop cracks in the sidewalls.
1. Sunlight:- A tyre that is constantly exposed to the sun when in storage has greater chance of developing cracks in the sidewalls much earlier than those not exposed to sunlight.
TIP:- Have your tyres covered from the sun. Either cut a piece of timber masonite to the shape of your wheel arch and have it cover the tyre when parked or some other type of cover.
2. Tyre is under recommended pressure:- A tyre that is under the recommended pressure usually develops a flat spot causing tyres to stretch and develop cracks in the side wall.
TIP:- Keep your tyre pressure up to recommended pressure, especially before going on a trip
3. Age:- Like everything else, we can look after ourselves and our things, but age still catches up on us all. Even those of us who look after our tyres as best we can cannot fight the ageing process. We can slow it down but can't stop it. So it's a good idea to keep an eye on the side walls and look for signs of cracking. Once again as soon as you see them starting to appear, it's time to get some new ones.
Another tip I was told by my "Tyre Guy" was to raise your wheels and sit the axel of the van on jacks making the tyres sit just off the ground. This keeps your tyres from developing a "flat spot" and also keeps them free from moisture absorption. If you don't feel energetic enough to do that, then he recommends that you always keep your van off the grass/ dirt. Have a slab laid or even just park your van on pavers.
We all hate flat tyres, and I know some of us know how inconvenient a flat tyre on a caravan is. Also getting a burst tyre in a van while travelling a 80 to 100km`s can be very dangerous. Vans often slide all over the road with sudden tyre failure, and our chances of having an accident are very high when this happens. Another point is that we never have flats in convenient places either. So best to avoid them however we can.
This is what can happen if cracks in tyre walls aren't noticed. When our vans drop by 5 or 6 inches to one side when being towed at highway speeds along a road, we can be at high risk of being involved in an accident.
So can I take this opportunity and ask all of us to take a few minutes out, and take the time to check your tyre pressures, and the sidewalls for any cracks. Definitely worth the chance to reduce the chances of damage to our tyres, our vans and ourselves.
Travel Safe Guys!
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