Caravan tyres

[ProfJohnL]

Very good advice. At present it is suggested that caravan tyres are replaced every 5 - 8 years regardless of condition. This is understandable as most new caravans seem to be fitted with the cheapest budget tyre. Would the same guidelines on age apply if you had premium tyres fitted?

Like OC, the headline answer is yes.

But the advice is a bit confusing, becasue it gives a range (i.e 5 to 8years).

With the exception of tracking misalignment or faulty brakes or damage, Very few if anyone claims to have actually worn the tread of caravan down and out, so the vast majority of caravan tyres are not worn out by usage when they are changed.

So what is the criteria that makes one tyre need to be changed at 5y and another at 8y - regardless of condition? Surely if it needs changing regardless of condition there should be a fixed age at which all tyres are changed!

The problem is the advice is incomplete. There are plenty of articles about car tyres where the advice seems to be that subject to the tread depth being greater than the legal minimum a car tyre should be checked at least annually for damage or other contraindications, but always changed if it reaches 10 years old.

I do not know why the caravan industry yet again has chosen to suggest a non standard approach when arguably car's are treated far more harshly than caravans. Yet another caravanning tradition that defies logic.

 

[Lutz]

The primary reason for changing caravan tyres, regardless of whether after 5, 6, 7, or 8 years is ageing of the rubber due to environmental influences, either through ozone or UV attack. Cracking of the sidewalls is a visual indicator of an ageing process, so any sign of cracks should give immediate warning of the need for new tyres, whatever the age.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The primary reason for changing caravan tyres, regardless of whether after 5, 6, 7, or 8 years is ageing of the rubber due to environmental influences, either through ozone or UV attack. Cracking of the sidewalls is a visual indicator of an ageing process, so any sign of cracks should give immediate warning of the need for new tyres, whatever the age.

That's quite right, but the evidence of such damage should be spotted at an inspection and that should trigger the replacement at any age. Inspections should be a routine practice at all ages.

There are two aspects of the caravan industry advice which simply doesn't make logical sense. The advice as Quoted by Buckman is:-
"it is suggested that caravan tyres are replaced every 5 - 8 years regardless of condition."

If the criteria is to change "regardless of condition". then there is no point in suggesting a range i.e 5 to 8, becasue if a tyre should be changed at 5 years regardless of condition, then it will never reach 8 years.

The second issue is the car industry does offer a more practical protocol suggesting tyres should be changed at 10 years.

Unless there is some significant difference in the material used for car and caravan tyres, then why should caravan tyres be swapped at only 8 years when cars which have a much harder life are deemed to be use tyres that are up to 10 years?

Tyres on both cars and caravan should be inspected regularly and changed when a faul, damage or wear require it.

 

[RogerL]

That's quite right, but the evidence of such damage should be spotted at an inspection and that should trigger the replacement at any age. Inspections should be a routine practice at all ages.

There are two aspects of the caravan industry advice which simply doesn't make logical sense. The advice as Quoted by Buckman is:-
"it is suggested that caravan tyres are replaced every 5 - 8 years regardless of condition."

If the criteria is to change "regardless of condition". then there is no point in suggesting a range i.e 5 to 8, becasue if a tyre should be changed at 5 years regardless of condition, then it will never reach 8 years.

The second issue is the car industry does offer a more practical protocol suggesting tyres should be changed at 10 years.

Unless there is some significant difference in the material used for car and caravan tyres, then why should caravan tyres be swapped at only 8 years when cars which have a much harder life are deemed to be use tyres that are up to 10 years?

Tyres on both cars and caravan should be inspected regularly and changed when a faul, damage or wear require it.

AFAIK the original advice on replacing tyres was after 5 years in service or 7 years from manufacture date, whichever occurs first - this allows for typical supply chain lead times.

 

[otherclive]

That's quite right, but the evidence of such damage should be spotted at an inspection and that should trigger the replacement at any age. Inspections should be a routine practice at all ages.

There are two aspects of the caravan industry advice which simply doesn't make logical sense. The advice as Quoted by Buckman is:-
"it is suggested that caravan tyres are replaced every 5 - 8 years regardless of condition."

If the criteria is to change "regardless of condition". then there is no point in suggesting a range i.e 5 to 8, becasue if a tyre should be changed at 5 years regardless of condition, then it will never reach 8 years.

The second issue is the car industry does offer a more practical protocol suggesting tyres should be changed at 10 years.

Unless there is some significant difference in the material used for car and caravan tyres, then why should caravan tyres be swapped at only 8 years when cars which have a much harder life are deemed to be use tyres that are up to 10 years?

Tyres on both cars and caravan should be inspected regularly and changed when a faul, damage or wear require it.

I’m not sure that the car tyres have a harder life. They tend to be at far lower pressure, rotated much more frequently, not static fir long periods exposed to UV in one direction, with plys becoming slightly set until moved again. . The car suspension is more compliant and loading on Caravan tyre is higher. Albeit they are designed for the loads. I’m not sure that such a comparison is valid but I do agree that industry advice spans too wide a timeline. I tend to keep my spare longer than 5 years but it’s always away from uv and has no load. However if I’d have to use it then if it were over 5 years it would then be replaced.

 

[Stevejj]

Have you ever had Tyron bands fitted? We have had them on a previous caravan and they go around the inner hub of the wheel. I think that perhaps using the term "lock" can be interpreted in different ways by different people. The Tyron band prevents the tyre from leaving the wheel, but probably does not prevent the wheel coming in contact with the ground. Luckily we never had to test it. Using a Tyron band is very similar to using run flat tyres. Here is a video that is self explanatory.
Best safety measure is run flat tyres and a TPMS fitted.

Hiya, The tyron band sits in the well in the middle or one side of the wheel, it is there to stop the bead of the tyre from entering the wheel well and assisting the bead from working its way off the wheel when there is a deflation or puncture. This allows the caravan to remain more stable and the tyre to remain central on the wheel while the car and caravan are brought to a safe stop. One other point in favour of Tyron bands is the damage to the wheel arch, trim and underside of the caravan if you are unfortunate to have a blow out or puncture (see youtube video's)

 

[Lutz]

Hiya, The tyron band sits in the well in the middle or one side of the wheel, it is there to stop the bead of the tyre from entering the wheel well and assisting the bead from working its way off the wheel when there is a deflation or puncture. This allows the caravan to remain more stable and the tyre to remain central on the wheel while the car and caravan are brought to a safe stop. One other point in favour of Tyron bands is the damage to the wheel arch, trim and underside of the caravan if you are unfortunate to have a blow out or puncture (see youtube video's)

There have never been any confirmed comparative results with and without Tyron bands under otherwise identical conditions. For that reason it is impossible to prove that they are of any value.
Once the air has gone out of the tyre it is unable to provide any more lateral stability whether Tyron bands are fitted or not. Besides, Tyron bands can't prevent the tyre from disintegrating. They can stop the bead from leaving the wheel but they can't stop the tread from parting company from the bead. The parted tread can still do significant damage to the wheel arch.

 

[Hutch]

If you have Tyron Band and want to repair or replace the tyre, you either have to have tyre fitters that have the correct equipment and tools.
It took me over a year to obtain the portable kit which I carry in the car, the instructions are also in several languages for travelling in Europe, but I think I would convince the tyre fitter to let me do it, for several Euros.
Although having them , I would not buy them again, I rather have Tyrepal monitoring system .

Tyron Portable Fitting Machine TR3040

If you have Tyron Bands fitted to your Caravan, Motorhome or any other vehicle then this Tyron Portable Fitting Machine enable you to have your Tyron Bands fitted and removed easily by tyre fitters anywhere in the world.

www.gaslowdirect.com

 

[ProfJohnL]

Tyre bands can only have any effect after the tyre has deflated, it's far better safer and cheaper to have a tyre pressure monitor that warns you when a tyre is loosing pressure.

If tyre bands were as good as the manufacturer claims, why have they not become a piece of compulsory kit, and why aren't there more manufacturers producing them. The manufacturer uses the fear of a blowout to dupe gullible people into purchasing something that is basically irrelevant., becasue most wheel rims already have a bead retaining ridge.

 

[Beachball]

We had Tyron bands on our last caravan but we never got a puncture if we did i would have got a tyre fitter out to change it

 

[Buckman]

There have never been any confirmed comparative results with and without Tyron bands under otherwise identical conditions. For that reason it is impossible to prove that they are of any value.
Once the air has gone out of the tyre it is unable to provide any more lateral stability whether Tyron bands are fitted or not. Besides, Tyron bands can't prevent the tyre from disintegrating. They can stop the bead from leaving the wheel but they can't stop the tread from parting company from the bead. The parted tread can still do significant damage to the wheel arch.

It was extensively tested by the South African military many years ago and they fitted Tyron bands to many military vehicles. It was for that reason we had Tyrons fitted to our first single axle caravan.

As we have a twin axle now we have not bothered with fitting them plus we have TPMS. It may be different fitting them to a vehicle as the shredded tyre should not damage the arch.

 

[RogerL]

It was extensively tested by the South African military many years ago and they fitted Tyron bands to many military vehicles. It was for that reason we had Tyrons fitted to our first single axle caravan.

As we have a twin axle now we have not bothered with fitting them plus we have TPMS. It may be different fitting them to a vehicle as the shredded tyre should not damage the arch.

You'd need to know whether safety ledges were standard or not - if no safety ledges then Tyrons are useful but if safety ledges are specified, as they are on all modern cars and caravans then Tyrons are wasteful duplication.

 

[Lutz]

It was extensively tested by the South African military many years ago and they fitted Tyron bands to many military vehicles. It was for that reason we had Tyrons fitted to our first single axle caravan.

Unless we know the conditions under which they were tested such a statement is meaningless.
I've had a blowout at motorway speeds without them and apart from hearing a big bang and seeing bits of rubber flying through the air in the rear view mirror I wouldn't have known that anything untoward had happened, and that despite the fact that I had to negotiate a bend in a slip road before I was able to come to a halt. By that time the remains of the tyre were already smouldering and the wheel rim was badly damaged.

 

[Buckman]

Unless we know the conditions under which they were tested such a statement is meaningless.
I've had a blowout at motorway speeds without them and apart from hearing a big bang and seeing bits of rubber flying through the air in the rear view mirror I wouldn't have known that anything untoward had happened, and that despite the fact that I had to negotiate a bend in a slip road before I was able to come to a halt. By that time the remains of the tyre were already smouldering and the wheel rim was badly damaged.

You don't need much of an imagination to guess the sort of conditions that existed in South Africa which would have ranged from Artic type to desert conditions. This would include highway, gravel and off road conditions.

The testing standards were very high and probably equivalent or better than most countries including Germany.

 

[otherclive]

Unless we know the conditions under which they were tested such a statement is meaningless.
I've had a blowout at motorway speeds without them and apart from hearing a big bang and seeing bits of rubber flying through the air in the rear view mirror I wouldn't have known that anything untoward had happened, and that despite the fact that I had to negotiate a bend in a slip road before I was able to come to a halt. By that time the remains of the tyre were already smouldering and the wheel rim was badly damaged.

I had similar to Lutz on my first caravan. When I bought it I checked the tyres and they had plenty of tread depth. But I was so new that I hadn’t appreciated that age was a tyre killer, as was just standing in store. The event happened on a downhill stretch of the dual carriageway between Monmouth and Newport at 60 mph. First indication was a rumble akin to being buzzed by a 747 then in my rear view mirror I saw the parts of the nearside tyre fly away. The van remained stable and came to a smooth halt.

After that I became very “ tyre aware” and always had quality tyres, changed at 5 years, and rotated whilst in storage. Scrapped the Alko carrier and kept the spare in the van a if there wasn’t a front locker stowage. Fortunately I never had another caravan puncture.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Tyre bands may have a benefit in some specialised circumstances, especially where a tyre may be exposed to abnormal means of damage, such as being penetrated by firearms, or explosives where the tyre is locally ruptured but is other wise in good condition. And of course where the rim has no retaining ridge.

Blow outs caused by wear and tear, or poorly maintained tyres. Tyre bands do not prevent blow outs.

Tyre bands will damage your wallet.

 

[Buckman]

Tyre bands will damage your wallet.

So will fueling your vehicle and many other related vehicle and caravan things.

 

[Lutz]

You don't need much of an imagination to guess the sort of conditions that existed in South Africa which would have ranged from Artic type to desert conditions. This would include highway, gravel and off road conditions.

The testing standards were very high and probably equivalent or better than most countries including Germany.

That’s not what I mean. I meant one would have to know at what speed they were tested, whether in a straight line or at what rates of lateral acceleration, the polar moments of inertia of vehicles used for the test, etc., etc., and what were the equivalent results under the same conditions but without Tyron bands. Certainly in the UK the manufacturer never provided any comparative results that would allow one to assess whether they are of any value. The videos on their website only showed how the vehicles performed with Tyron bands, never without. It is entirely possible that without them the results would have been exactly the same.

 

[Buckman]

[QUOTE="Lutz, post: 571020, member: 206"
That’s not what I mean. I meant one would have to know at what speed they were tested, whether in a straight line or at what rates of lateral acceleration, the polar moments of inertia of vehicles used for the test, etc., etc., and what were the equivalent results under the same conditions but without Tyron bands. Certainly in the UK the manufacturer never provided any comparative results that would allow one to assess whether they are of any value. The videos on their website only showed how the vehicles performed with Tyron bands, never without. It is entirely possible that without them the results would have been exactly the same.
[/QUOTE]

I was not there so cannot comment on what tests they did, but I know it would have been very comprehensive and I would think they would have tested on a wide range of vehicles from normal cars to heavy duty trucks like the air cooled Magirus-Deutz which would have been used for troops and also moving tanks around.

Not sure why you are so against Tyron bands as they are a safety feature and considering they are still in business after 40 years, they must be doing something right.

 

[Lutz]

I was not there so cannot comment on what tests they did, but I know it would have been very comprehensive and I would think they would have tested on a wide range of vehicles from normal cars to heavy duty trucks like the air cooled Magirus-Deutz which would have been used for troops and also moving tanks around.

Not sure why you are so against Tyron bands as they are a safety feature and considering they are still in business after 40 years, they must be doing something right.

We know little or nothing about the design of wheels and tyres of military vehicles so it would be wrong to draw any conclusions regarding the performance of Tyron bands for other applications such as on a caravan on the basis of findings under totally different conditions.
I wouldn’t be against Tyron bands if someone could produce evidence that one would be worse off without them. Until that happens I can only conclude that they are a waste of money. No manufacturer in the automobile or leisure vehicle industry has ever been convinced enough of their benefit that they have offered them, not even as an option. I think that says enough.

 

[Buckman]

We know little or nothing about the design of wheels and tyres of military vehicles so it would be wrong to draw any conclusions regarding the performance of Tyron bands for other applications such as on a caravan on the basis of findings under totally different conditions.
I wouldn’t be against Tyron bands if someone could produce evidence that one would be worse off without them. Until that happens I can only conclude that they are a waste of money. No manufacturer in the automobile or leisure vehicle industry has ever been convinced enough of their benefit that they have offered them, not even as an option. I think that says enough.

Military vehicle could include vehicles like Chev, Opels, Ford car etc. Can you provide evidence that you would be worse off using the Tyron bands and that they are a waste of money? If they are useless how come the company is still in business 40 years later?

 

[Jaydug]

Tyron Bands were a good idea forty years ago, but wheel rim design has moved on. If you have stood in a tyre fitting bay as the fitter has inflated your new tyres, you will have heard a loud bang during the process. The bang is caused by the tyre bead being forced over the safety ridge - a ridge moulded into the rim to keep the tyre bead from colapsing into the wheel wheel in the event of a blowout. Wheel rims of years gone by didn't have the safety ridges, hence the usefulness of Tyron Bands. However, if they give a driver added confidence by using them, then by all means use them.

 

[Lutz]

Military vehicle could include vehicles like Chev, Opels, Ford car etc. Can you provide evidence that you would be worse off using the Tyron bands and that they are a waste of money? If they are useless how come the company is still in business 40 years later?

I don't know of any car manufacturer that has taken Tyron bands seriously enough to warrant allocating any development resources to look into their possible benefits.
I didn't say that one would be any worse off with them although one could argue that they increase unsprung mass and moment of inertia of the wheel, thus subjecting the brakes to greater load and thereby possibly increasing braking distance. In addition, one will of course have spent money on something of, at best, dubious benefit. What I did say, however, is that no-one has ever come up with any evidence that one is better off with them. Consequently there is nothing to justify their expense.
There are plenty of companies making good money with products of no quantifiable benefit. It says something for their marketing, not for the product.

 

[Paullus1959]

I have Tyron bands fitted, simply because Coachman fitted them as standard in the factory. Also, they attract a nice discount from my caravan insurance company so, they must have some faith in their effectiveness. However, they are a real pain when tyre replacement is required because some tyre firms won't touch them or charge extra for the hassle. Despite having them fitted I immediately purchased a TyrePal TPMS which alerts one to any increase in tyre temperature and a decrease in tyre pressure. In my early life, I was involved in the tyre trade and was trained by Michelin. So, I'll quickly explain how a tyre blowout occurs. In the olden days when tyres had tubes fitted; if a tyre picked up a nail, the tube was punctured and the tyre deflated quickly due to the air being able to escape around the base of the valve where it goes through the wheel rim. With tubeless tyres however, a puncture can have different characteristics. If a tubeless tyre is punctured with a large object that doesn't remain in the tyre or the tyre is cut through somehow the tyre will deflate quickly and this will be felt in the vehicle. The tyre will then very quickly be destroyed by being crushed between the metal wheel rim and the road surface. This is why a deflated tyre that has been driven on, even for a short distance, must not be reinflated and forgotten about. It must be removed and examined for internal sidewall damage.
The bigger problem lies with driving with underinflated tyres or with slight leaks, caused by a leaking valve or a small nail. These things can lead to a blowout. A blowout can occur on any tyre regardless of age and, or condition. The process leading to a blowout is simple. You start your journey with an underinflated tyre or a correctly inflated tyre but, you fail to notice that the valve is leaking slightly after using an airline (I always wipe a little bit of spit on the tip of my finger across the top of the valve to make sure it is sealed and not bubbling). Alternatively, you set off with a correctly inflated tyre and pick up a small nail which actually punctures the tyre but only allows a small amount of air to escape. You are not aware of this because the leak is very small and you definitely wouldn't notice it in a caravan tyre. However, as you continue driving the tyre deflates slightly and allows the tyre to flex and bounce up and down more and more under the weight of the vehicle, This flexing and bouncing in turn generates friction. The friction causes the air inside the tyre to heat up and expand which maintains the tyre pressure for a while. As more air escapes the friction increases and the tyre gets hotter and hotter, maybe as hot as 200º C until it loses its structural integrity and bursts or 'blows out'.
Speed is also a crucial factor. If you are driving around slowly over short distances the tyre will simply go flat without blowing out. Higher sustained speeds provide the catalyst for a blowout.
If you've ever followed a vehicle on a motorway that suffers a blowout you will see the tyre smoking in the seconds before it blows out.
This is why properly inflated tyres are crucial and the significance of seriously raised temperatures displayed by a TPMS such as TyrePal should not be ignored.
Would I have Tyron Bands fitted if they weren't a standard fitment on my caravan, no. The insurance discount doesn't offset the cost of the bands significantly. I would not however, tow my caravan without a reliable TPMS fitted. A TPMS gives you adequate warnings before a major problem occurs. Tyron Bands are an attempt at mitigating a major problem after it has happened.

 

[Buckman]

All three blow outs that I have had previous to TPMS have been side wall blow outs. In one case the tyre had been pressure checked a few hours previously. Tyre pressures were checked regularly.
Now with built in TPMS I must admit I never check them relying on the TPMS in the car which is checked every time I use the vehicle, however I do check the Corolla regularly as it does not have TPMS, but is never used on long distance travel.