There are some great advantages to going away on holiday using your own car, especially when compared to travelling by air – The lack of a luggage allowance is disadvantageous on planes but driving your own car means that you can take almost everything and anything away with you (so long as it fits of course). If you’ve got a tiny boot but a heap load of stuff then you should consider getting a trailer!
Trailers offer a perfect option for those times when you need a little more room for more of your belongings or when you need to move big or heavy goods from A to B. Yet the very function of the trailers means that they’re only used occasionally. They appear to be left on the drive or stored in the garage for the rest of the year. Trailer tyres, much like normal car tyres, don’t age well, especially when they’re left unused for a long period of time. Here’s a few things you can find out about trailer tyres and wheels before getting it back on the road after it’s hibernation period.
Check Your Trailer Tyre Pressure
All tyres lose pressure over time, whether they are in use or not, so it is necessary to test the tyre pressure on your trailer tyres before you take it out for the first time in a while. Flat or low-pressure tyres on the trailer are not readily apparent if the trailer is unloaded, because the tyres can still have enough air to support their own weight, so test the tyre pressure any time the trailer is unloaded. Also, if your trailer is used on a regular basis, you can test your tyre pressure every few weeks and correct it when appropriate. Under-inflated trailer tyres, they can wear much faster and unevenly if not addressed, particularly if you are transporting heavy loads.
Inspect Trailer Tyres For Damage & Ageing
Another result of tyres being kept for a long time is that they are susceptible to cracking. Tyres are made of wax in the veneer, which serves as a kind of moisturiser that helps to keep the tyre supple. If the tyre is not in daily use, the wax will slowly seep to the bottom of the tyre, which may lead to cracking as the tyre dries out. When, if the trailer is left outside in the heat, the sun’s UV light will gradually oxidise the rubber that’s in the tyres, which can, in turn, contribute to premature tyre ageing.
Give your trailer tyres a detailed visual check when you’re out of the car. To verify the date of manufacture on the sidewall of the tyre, because the trailer tyres, due to their sporadic use, are more likely to remain unchanged after many years.
The UK Law Regarding Tyres
A lot of trailers came to our attention while out on the roads, there were some trailers where the tyres were so worn that the cord was visible. You shouldn’t let your car tyres get into this kind of state, and yet many drivers seem to believe that there are no limits on the condition of tyres when attached to a vehicle. In fact, the same laws apply to trailer tyres as to standard car tyres. Cars and light vehicles weighing up to 3,500 kg must have a minimum treadmill depth of 1,6 mm around the middle of the three-quarters of the tyre and across the whole circumference. Your tyres should be free of cuts and bulges, and the mudguards should be installed and secured. Imagine the police were to pull you over and consider the tyres to be below standard, you could face the same penalty as the car tyres, i.e. three penalty points and a maximum fine of £ 2500.
Maintaining Your Motorhome Tyres
Check the depth of your tyre tread! – by Law, the tread depth for a tyre in the UK is 1.6 mm over 3/4 of the tyre ‘s surface. However, you should be mindful that the less rubber you have, the less traction you will have, and that will affect your stopping distance and ability to control the motorhome.
Check for signs of ageing – if you’re only using your motor home a few times a year, it’s doubtful that you’ll need to change your tyres because of wear. However, even a tyre with a lot of tread can still deteriorate, cracks forming in the sidewalls, causing the rubber to dry out. Some signs of ageing mean that the tyre should be replaced as any weak spot leaves the tyre vulnerable to blowing. If you have purchased a second-hand motorhome, you can test the age of the tyres by using this guide (see point 8).
Check the pressure – Tyre pressures should be tested periodically – preferably every week if the car is used often – and also when the tyres are cold. Warm tyres are not going to provide an accurate reading. Ensure that the pressures on your front and rear tyres comply with the recommendations of your vehicle manufacturer because under or over-inflated tyres may cause problems with your steering and even braking.
Consider pressure monitoring systems – fitted to your motorhome. These monitoring systems will alert you to any loss of pressure in your tyres as you drive. Equipped with this knowledge, you ‘re in a position to find a safe place to pull over and fix any issues. It will alleviate the stress on longer journeys, too.
Most motorhome owners may only use their motorhome for holidays a few times a year, so it’s easy to believe the tyres never need to be repaired or tested. However, much like a car you use on a regular basis, tyres can be weakened and degraded. So, to avoid making the statistics on motorhome claims next year, take the time to test your tyres before each ride.
Spare Tyres & Wheels For Trailers & Motorhomes
With a Road Hero space saver wheel kit, you can ensure you are prepared for punctures and blows outs while travelling between your destinations. Vehicles manufactured post 2012 are no longer required to have spare wheels which is why you probably don’t have one. Having a space saver / spare wheel ensures you can get home swiftly, safely and without having to pay for recovery or expensive mobile wheel fitters. We also have cover kits to protect your wheel if you’re attaching it to the outside of your motorhome, camper van or trailer.
About Us
With Road Hero space savers you can still tow your trailer or caravan to the garage to have a new tyre fitted, space savers could also be used on your trailer. Stop wasting time and money on puncture repair kits, inflation kits and expensive call-outs and invest in a road hero tyre today. If you are still unsure about getting a space saver or need compatibility advice then get in touch by going to our contact us page or find your car in our shop: https://sparewheelsroadhero.com You won’t realise how invaluable they are and how much you need one until you are at the side of the road trying to figure things out!
