Caravan and motorhome tyre checklist: what to check before you tow
Caravan tyres almost never wear out. They age out — and they usually do it with plenty of tread left, which is exactly why the failures come as a surprise on the A55 in August.
Why caravan tyres fail differently
A car tyre typically covers enough miles that it wears out before it gets old. A caravan does the opposite. It might do a few hundred miles a year and spend the other eleven months standing still, carrying a substantial static load, exposed to sunlight and weather.
That combination ages rubber. It hardens, loses flexibility and develops fine cracks in the sidewall, while the tread still looks close to new. A tyre in that condition can look entirely serviceable, pass a glance in the driveway, and fail under load and heat on a warm motorway run.
There is a second factor specific to caravans: a single axle carries a heavy, tall, side-wind-sensitive load, and there is no driver feedback through the steering. On a car you often feel a deflating tyre. On a caravan you frequently do not notice until something lets go.
Five years, and never past seven
Guidance from the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association is that caravan tyres should ideally be replaced at five years old, and should never be used beyond seven years. The Caravan and Motorhome Club advises replacement at five years; the Camping and Caravanning Club advises seven.
Crucially, age is counted from the date of manufacture moulded into the sidewall, not from when you bought the caravan or when the tyres were fitted. A caravan bought new can easily be sold with tyres already a year or two old, and a used one can come with tyres far older than the van’s last owner realised.
Finding the date
Look for a four-digit number on the sidewall, often in an oval. The first two digits are the week, the last two the year. 3419 is week 34 of 2019. If that puts the tyre past five years, plan to replace it; past seven, do not tow on it. The code appears in full on only one sidewall, so check both sides before concluding it is missing. More detail in our guide to tyre markings.
The CP marking, and why it matters
Motorhome and campervan tyres are often marked CP. These are built specifically for the job: a stiffer construction to cope with a heavy load carried continuously, including long periods parked, and compounds and tread suited to road use and soft pitches.
A van-derived motorhome may be fitted with ordinary commercial C tyres instead. That is not automatically wrong, but it is worth checking what the manufacturer specifies, because a motorhome sits at close to its maximum weight far more of the time than a van used for deliveries does.
Getting the pressure right when loaded
This is where most caravan tyre problems begin. Pressures should be set for the actual loaded weight, not the empty weight, and a caravan loaded for a fortnight away is a very different vehicle from one sitting on the drive.
- Check pressures cold, before you set off, not after a run.
- Use the caravan or motorhome handbook figure, which is often considerably higher than a car’s and may be specified against a load table.
- Do not use the Max Press figure on the sidewall as your target. That is the tyre’s limit, not your recommended pressure.
- Check the spare. It is the one that is always forgotten, and it is only useful if it holds air.
- Weigh it if you can. A weighbridge run once, loaded as you actually travel, tells you more than any amount of estimating.
Under-inflation is the most damaging single fault. The tyre flexes more, builds heat, and heat is what causes a blowout at speed on a warm day — which is precisely the combination you get towing to the coast in summer.
Storage does more damage than towing
- Keep tyres out of direct sunlight. UV is a major cause of sidewall cracking. Tyre covers are cheap and genuinely effective.
- Move it occasionally. Standing in one position for months creates flat spots and concentrates stress in one part of the sidewall. Rolling it a half-turn every few weeks helps.
- Avoid standing on wet grass or bare earth long term where you can. A board under each wheel is better than nothing.
- Keep fuel, oil and solvents off the rubber. They degrade it quickly.
- Do not over-deflate for storage. A soft tyre distorts under a static load.
The pre-tow check
Five minutes, before you hitch up. We have made this a one-page printable so you can keep it with the paperwork.
- Date code — under five years old? Never over seven.
- Pressures cold — set for the loaded weight, all tyres including the spare.
- Sidewalls — look for fine cracking, bulges, cuts or scuffs, on both the outer and inner faces.
- Tread depth — legal minimum is 1.6 mm, and 3 mm is the sensible replacement point.
- Uneven wear — one edge worn suggests an alignment or axle problem worth investigating.
- Valves — caps present, no perishing at the base.
- Wheel nuts — torqued correctly, and re-checked after the first few miles following any wheel removal.
- Spare — present, inflated, in date, and you have the tools to fit it.
- Noseweight — within the towbar and vehicle limits.
- Loading — heavy items low and over the axle, not at the back.
Towing speed limits, and why they exist
When towing a caravan or trailer in the UK, the limits are lower than for a solo car: 50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways, unless lower limits are signed. Built-up areas remain 30 mph. On a motorway with three or more lanes, you may not use the outermost lane.
The lower limits are not arbitrary. Speed is what turns a small instability into snaking, and heat build-up in a tyre rises sharply with sustained speed. If a tyre is going to fail, it will do so at speed, under load, on a warm day.
If you feel the outfit start to snake, ease off the accelerator gently and hold the steering steady. Braking hard or steering sharply typically makes it worse.
Mobile tyre fitting for caravans and motorhomes
If a check turns up a tyre that is out of date or damaged, you should not tow on it — and you should not have to. Our mobile tyre fitting service comes to the caravan, at home, on site or at the roadside, anywhere in North Wales.
Tell us the size and the date code when you call and we will bring the right tyre with us.
Call 07768 491888More guides and tools
Questions, answered
How often should caravan tyres be replaced?
Guidance from the British Tyre Manufacturers' Association is to replace at five years old and never to use them beyond seven, regardless of tread depth. The Caravan and Motorhome Club advises five years; the Camping and Caravanning Club advises seven. Age is counted from the date of manufacture on the sidewall.
How do I check the age of my caravan tyres?
Find the four-digit code on the sidewall, often inside an oval. The first two digits are the week of manufacture and the last two are the year, so 3419 means week 34 of 2019. The code is moulded in full on only one sidewall, so check both sides.
Why do caravan tyres fail with plenty of tread left?
Because they age rather than wear. A caravan covers few miles and spends most of the year stationary under load and exposed to sunlight, which hardens the rubber and causes sidewall cracking. The tread can look nearly new while the tyre is no longer fit to tow on.
What does CP mean on a motorhome tyre?
CP indicates a tyre designed specifically for motorhomes and campervans, with a stiffer construction to cope with heavy loads carried continuously, including long periods parked. Check what your manufacturer specifies, as some van-derived motorhomes are fitted with commercial C tyres instead.
What pressure should caravan tyres be?
Use the figure in your caravan or motorhome handbook, set for the actual loaded weight rather than the empty weight, and check them cold before setting off. Do not use the Max Press figure on the sidewall as a target, because that is the tyre's limit rather than your recommended pressure.
What is the speed limit when towing a caravan in the UK?
50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways, unless lower limits are signed, with 30 mph in built-up areas. On motorways with three or more lanes you may not use the outermost lane.
Should I cover my caravan tyres in storage?
Yes. Ultraviolet light is a major cause of sidewall cracking, and tyre covers are inexpensive and effective. It also helps to move the caravan every few weeks so it does not stand on the same part of the tyre for months, which causes flat spots.
Can I get caravan tyres fitted at home?
Yes. We fit tyres to caravans and motorhomes at your home, on site or at the roadside across North Wales, which avoids towing on a tyre you already know is out of date. Give us the size and date code when you call and we will bring the correct tyre.