Regular checks on your car, caravan, trailer tent and motorhome tyres will help your holiday journeys run smoothly.
Checking your tyres is an important part of these regular vehicle health checks but is often overlooked. These checks are more important than ever as we come into winter.
As October is Tyre safety month – an initiative run by tyre safety charity TyreSafe – it's a great time to make sure your tyres are in perfect running order. The Club offers a wealth of advice on tyre safety, including a data sheet.
Tyre checks you should make
- Overall condition of tyres
- Tyre tread depth
- Tyre pressures
- Signs of irregular wear
- Spare tyre
The Club Data Sheet #15 Tyres and Tyre Care
Choosing and maintaining your tyres
The only contact your vehicle has with the road is through its tyres. The total tyre contact area for an ordinary car is often little more than the size of an A4 sheet of paper. It is therefore essential you have the correct tyres fitted and they are inflated to the correct pressure. They must also be roadworthy and regularly inspected for damage and wear as it is through the tyres that you are able to accelerate, brake, corner and steer safely.
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You'll also find further information on tyres in our Q&A section of the online magazine, including...
Q. Where do I find the correct tyre pressure for my caravan?
A. If you cannot find it in your handbook, or for whatever reason the tyres fitted are not the same as the original specification, then the best place to go is TyreSafe’s caravan pressure calculator.
You’ll need to know the tyre’s exact specification as marked on its sidewall, the number of caravan axles and the MTPLM (maximum technically permissible laden mass) of the caravan.
Q. The tyre size and pressure plate on my motorhome doesn’t match the details on the tyre sidewalls. Is this OK?
A. This can happen when the tyres have been changed from the original van specification during conversion or by a previous owner. When the size or load index changes then you may need to keep the tyres at a different inflation pressure from that given on the plate. The two most important points are that the tyres can carry the maximum axle weight with capacity to spare and they’re not under inflated.
Tyresafe has created a pressure calculator for motorhomes but you must know your axle weight to get the best from it.
For more FAQs on tyres, go to the Advice & Expertise section of the online magazine and search on Tyres.
Test your tyre safey knowledge and you could win prizes courtesy of the TyreSafe Test. Check out our News story for details.