Beware caravan tyres on realtively new van

[Heethers]

A caravaner where l store my unit was telling me he had lucky escape when one of his twin wheeler tyres blew, luckily he was travelling at access speed.

When he took the tyre to be replaced the company told him they would have to check all is tyres due to the fact it was a car tyre not the six ply, on checking he found all the tyre were car tyres not six ply.

What upset him he had just bought the van from a dealer, it was an 07 Argente or 08.

I would have thought the dealer would be held responsible to ensure the caravan meets UK law, is this the case, he has had to spend money on replacing all 4 tyres, not counting being on the wrong side of the law for towing plus a lucky escape.

What are his options, does he challenge the dealer or report him for selling an un road worthy unit.

NigelH

 

[VIP640]

Both...

 

[jacky3]

hi,

i think you'll find that caravan tyres are now 8 ply commercial tyres

 

[Lutz]

There is no law requiring six or eight ply tyres on caravans, just that the load index is sufficient to take the weight.

 

[otherclive]

I have been looking for replacment tyres as mine are now 5 years old. For a van with max weight of 1400kg I was offered tyres with a load rating of less than the van's weight, and by a major van dealership. I need 96 load rating which gives a max tyre load of 1420kg, but with the inbuilt factors that is adequate, but something that I was never totally comfortable with.(195/70/14 96N).

After searching around on the internet I found that GT Radial produce tyres specifically for trailers in the Kargomax series. For around

 

[jacky3]

There is no law requiring six or eight ply tyres on caravans, just that the load index is sufficient to take the weight.

didnt say it was law lutz.......but the majority of manufacturers do use 8 ply tyres

 

[Lutz]

You shouldn't say that you need a 96 load rating for your caravan, but that you would prefer a load index of more than that. Assuming that your noseweight is 75kg, then the minimum that you could get by with would be a 94 load index.

 

[forestgump]

jiust got new 8 ply told by insurance that they would not pay up if they had a insurance claim and found 6 ply on van.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Dean,

Let assume that a caravan manufacture only fitt's 6ply as standard. If an insurance company then says it will only cover 8ply, they must have that as part of their clauses in the policy documentation.

They cannot impose such a limitation without it being written as part of the policy.

 

[Lutz]

For an insurance company to decline coverage if a caravan has 6 ply rated tyres is absurd and would demonstrate a lack of understanding if it really were the case.

So long as the load carrying capacity is sufficient, that is all that should interest the insurance company. A higher ply rating only gives the tyre better protection against physical damage, such as when hitting a kerb.

If an insurance company were to insist on 8 ply then they should do so for cars as well as caravans, or else it doesn't make sense.

 

[Dustydog]

St Gump

I'd love to know which Insurer said that.

They need to explain themselves.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Heethers]

The guy that had the problem on my original post was told by the tyre company that the incorrect tyres were fitted, if it had caused an accident l would feel sure going by today's insurer's they would have done anything to get out of paying out.

Wrong type of tyres fitted would be classic for them, so it was six ply its now 8 ply is.

When was 8 ply introduced and his this retrospective for early vans.

NigelH

 

[otherclive]

Nowhere in my 2005 Bailey handbook does it state the number of plys. It gives tyre size, speed rating and load rating along with wheel size. I have used C&CC, Saga and Carvan guard and have never been asked anything to do with the tyres. Unless an insurer makes it a condition of the policy they would be in breech of contract if they were not to pay out. Howver they could refuse if the tyres were worn (unlikely on a van) or over the recommended life.

 

[Lutz]

Apart from the better protection against physical damage there is no reason to fit 8 ply rated tyres. There is no reason to fit 8 ply specifically to a caravan.

 

[forestgump]

after a much long winded atempt to get the right tyre type my local caravan dealer in milton keynes no names stated it had to be a 8ply as fitted by swift .When it was mentioned about insurance i rang them and asked they replied that if it is what the manufactures states as there requierments that is what must be the least standard of tyre on the van.Even tyre dealers could not agree on tyre ply and so oppted for 8 ply as this must cover all opptions.

 

[Lutz]

Perhaps those that claim 8 ply is necessary would care to say why.

 

[Heethers]

As l said my tyre dealer would only fit 8 ply to caravans, they are not high street but maintain tyres to the haulage companies, l think l will take their advice.

NigelH

 

[ProfJohnL]

As l said my tyre dealer would only fit 8 ply to caravans, they are not high street but maintain tyres to the haulage companies, l think l will take their advice.

NigelH

If your tyre fitters are commercial only, then they are less likely to have lower rated tyres available, so it might be a case of we have these 8ply, and cant be bothered to get 6ply.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Dean (st gump)

Your posting "jiust got new 8 ply told by insurance that they would not pay up if they had a insurance claim and found 6 ply on van." was rather misleading. It implies that your insurer will only insure caravans with 8ply tyres. Not True.

Your later reply is what you should have written in the first place.

 

[Lutz]

As l said my tyre dealer would only fit 8 ply to caravans, they are not high street but maintain tyres to the haulage companies, l think l will take their advice.

NigelH

But why are they advising fitment of 8 ply?

 

[otherclive]

Well my new GT Radial Kargomax ST6000 has arrived from Holland only three days after ordering it. It is a trailer specific commercial tyre with a load rating of 102/104 and 'N' speed rating. It has 5 ply on the tread and 2 on the sidewalls!!

My van only requires a 96N tyre but for the small extra cost I chose the ST 6000 as opposed to the ST 4000. At least I can now be confident that I have a tyre made speciccaly for trailer use that meets in full the recomendations of the caravan maker.

 

[Guest]

Just bought a car, a seat Alhambra. It was fitted with tyres with a index load of 91! that's 615kg each. The seat handbook states it can carry 2470kg !plus 85 on the tow ball.

I though right that's easy to sort out, the last proper owner who sold it to the trader I bought it from had the car MOT'd at a place that also fits tyres, i have the receipts.

So i phone the mot/tyre place up,can I name them? tyre express [hove] ltd.

He stated that "it was my responsibility not to overload the tyres,and the MOT was totally legal and if I had any concerns to replace them,or get in touch with Vosa if I felt the need, but the set up is legal"!

Trading standards said "I should get in touch with the trader who sold me the car! if I had concerns over the safety of the car!and ask for my money back if need be"

When I asked "I just want to know the legal stand point"he had no idea!

As yet not been able to get through to VOSA for thier opinion,I will update when i get an answer

 

[Guest]

Right i bet this is the quickest update, should have checked my emails!

Right my tyres are perfectly legal! index loading only applies to class7 commercial vehicles,and indeed insurance companies know this but do try to wiggle out...but cannot do so...

 

[Lutz]

Are you sure that your Alhambra may weight 2470kg PLUS 80kg on the towball. That would be the first car that I've come across where the towball load is not already included in the GVW.

 

[Guest]

OK word for word, the seat handbook says. MAX AUTH WEIGHT 2470kg,with a small 2 inserted above the end figure.

2. means the weight of 85kg may be exceeded when towing a trailer, which might have confused me somewhat, as no where on that page does it mention the max nose weight

indeed in the towing chapter, it makes reference to" where possible make use of the max permissible draw-bar weight,but do not exceed it. see technical data"

Given that it tells you not to exceed the 85kg max, i assume in the technical data section that the insert [2] must mean the max auth weight.