Tyres do I really need to change them?? (1 Viewer)

[DavidG58]

I have read with interest and increasing concern the time to change tyres on my MH, is it not when the wear indicators are flush with the tread but only when they are old. Old is relative as a fairly sensitive mid 50's myself, what is old??

My MH was an ex demo, then hardly used by previous owner, bought this year with 2K miles but 4 years since registered and 6 years since built, but worse I now see has 2006 made tyres

As I can afford new tyres I think I will just get new, but one thought is, the biggest risk must be UV, my tyres have no cracks at all and have done only 7K miles in total in 4 years. The model is a Hymer with 'inset' wheels, my query is as they have barely seen the sun, do I really need change due to UV risk alone? or is the age risk really significant?

David

 

[pudseykeith]

Tyres

Hi David. When i bought our rig it had spent 13 / 14 years stored in a heated garage in Germany. It had a genuine 20000 kilometers on the clock. The tyres and the rig were like new with no sign of wear on the treads at all. But all 6 tyres had radial cracking on the walls due to age. Non had cracked down into the wall body. I took the chance that it would pass the class 4 MOT. [It passed the test also on two more yearly test. ] I asked the tester if they were ok and he said that as long as the cracks were not down into the fabric of the wall they fulfilled the requirements of the test. I decided to change all 6 after the 3rd test.
If I had your rig unless they were worn to the limits and had no wall damage or cuts I would run them, 4 years is not old for your tyres. If in dought ask RAC or such for there advice.
Pudseykeith :thumb:

 

[peter125]

tyres

Best way is to go to your local tyre shop, and get them to check/advise you as to the condition of your tyres, if they are not cracking or bulging then i would leave them alone, also check with your M O T station if tyre age is a fail, as far as i know its not, but check just in case, my brother just had to change 4 michelin tyres on his autotrail as they were very badly cracked, tyres have a shelf life and cant be sold after that time, but once there are fitted ????:thumb::thumb: hope that helps

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[SUGGY]

I had the same problem last year , my tyres were 10 years old and had only done 16k miles , no cracks or bulges , 3 local tyre dealers all said they were ok .

But because i was going to Morocco , i changed them .

When we checked the inside of the tyres there was no sign of ageing ,

If you get chance watch the film " The Last Indian " (as in motorcycles ) Bert grinds the tread off the tyres so there is less friction then fills the cracks with boot polish ....

 

[Brian and Jo]

Tyres

I have read with interest and increasing concern the time to change tyres on my MH, is it not when the wear indicators are flush with the tread but only when they are old. Old is relative as a fairly sensitive mid 50's myself, what is old??

My MH was an ex demo, then hardly used by previous owner, bought this year with 2K miles but 4 years since registered and 6 years since built, but worse I now see has 2006 made tyres

As I can afford new tyres I think I will just get new, but one thought is, the biggest risk must be UV, my tyres have no cracks at all and have done only 7K miles in total in 4 years. The model is a Hymer with 'inset' wheels, my query is as they have barely seen the sun, do I really need change due to UV risk alone? or is the age risk really significant?

David

Hi David,my advice to people (after being in the tyre industry for just over 40yrs) is that 7yrs is a maximum.yes its true that people do go way beyond that and get away with but there are many that dont .we have changed many motorhome and RV tyres here that look absolutely perfect but yet have blown out because the tyre casing gets stressed and fatiqued internally.but i will not go into lengthy detail because i have done that many times before on the forums and had it thrown back at me.i just give people advice,if they take it thats fine if they dont its their choice.
regards brian

 

[Trikeman]

I have to agree with Brian.
Not only the outside (visible sidewalls) can show signs of aging (cracks) but to my horror last week the tyre fitter showed me the inside walls of my old Michelin tyres. The inside walls were cracked to hell and worse than the outsides, a place I couldn't see, and the treads were in good condition too.

I certainly sleep better now I changed the tyres, and the old gal drives better - Lord knows what could have happened, they were seven years old, a quality make and the original fitment.

I think there are a thousand things we can buy for our MH's, wonderful accessories and dress-up items an all,,,,,,,, but if that bit of rubber between you and the road is 'iffy' it could be the quickest way to disappointing day out - to put it mildly.:Sad:

Just my t'penneth.

Trikeman.

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[DavidG58]

ask RAC


Many thanks, your own experience gives me some confidence to stick with them, as an ex demo I am guessing mine had been indoors for some time and the owner before me, who hardly used it kept in inside a warehouse.

I have been told that the RAC are suggesting tyre changes when 5 years old, (not even 5 years from fitting) I am going to contact them, the problem is so much of this seems to be subjective, I will also ask the CC and predict conflicting answers. All the tyres look 'as new', but as other replies have said you cant see inside and if it significantly reduces tyre induced accidents I guess it really does make sense to change.

These tyres will be 7 years old at the end of this month and cost me nothing, so one change in my ownership might as well be early on as nearer the end.

Thanks David

 

[DavidG58]

my advice to people (after being in the tyre industry for just over 40yrs) is that 7yrs is a maximum.

:thumb:

That will do for me, independent experts with no financial motivation are going to give as good as any tyre dealer

My tyres are all 7 years old in week 44 this year, so will be changed this month

I think I had more or less made that choice for myself, but thanks Brian

David

 

[Larrynwin]

7 years old, I would not hesitate to change them, a blowout could really cost you

Too risky :Sad:

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[haganap]

I change mine every 5 years and always have done. the thought of 4t going down the road with unfit tyres scares me. Ive researched it enough over the years to come to that conclusion.

The only comment I would make on the advice to go to a tyre dealer and ask is dont.

Or if you do go to some independent person like Brian.

Whenever I have had conversations with national delaerships I have always felt the need to correct them. They have been useless and would of seen me on at least two occasions drive off on completely unsuitable tyres and not correctly rated.

Do your internet research is the answer and write to the tyre manufactures themselves.

 

[SuperMike]

Exactly as Brian says .................... There is no other answer.

 

[DavidG58]

Tyres ordered

Ordered tyres from out own local independent, £618 for 6 new Goodyear didn't seem too bad and so much better than a blow out

The tyre place also does MOT's he has confirmed the ambiguity of tyres, he can not even fail a MOT for cracks in tyre walls until he can see the canvas showing

A change in the law needed here I think

Thanks all for very welcome support / advice

David

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[mdixon]

If you get chance watch the film " The Last Indian " (as in motorcycles ) Bert grinds the tread off the tyres so there is less friction then fills the cracks with boot polish ....

Great film:thumb:

 

[DavidG58]

Just had a thought, I had not considered changing the spare wheel tyre at the same time, but that will be the same age, I guess I need to order 7 tyres

David

 

[gibbon]

Tyres

I just found this on the other M/H forum I look at.



" we motorhomers must be the most easily conned people in the world ...has anyone ever noticed that if it is for a motorhome it costs more , often MUCH more , than a similar domestic product

having spent my working life with a major tyre manufacturer I know that camping tyres are a nice little earner as they don't cost a penny more to make as they are , in a reality , a standard commercial product ; a few misconceptions

they are reinforced compared to van tyres ...not so , same casing if the same load index

they are 8 ply ....not so ,if marked they will say 8PR , which is 8 ply rating ie equivilent to 8 plies of cotton which used to be the material used ; a typical motorhome tyre will have 2 casing plies , a car tyre one

the tyres will fail the MOT if you have sidewall [ formerly known as ozone ] cracking ...not so , they will only fail if unsafe ; the rubber on the sidewall is only a veneer , it's purpose is to keep the weather away from the casing and to carry branding and legally required information ; if the cracking is deep enough to expose the casing then the tyre WILL fail the MOT

camping tyres have special veneer on the sidewall ....although I know of 2 cases where this is NOT true I obviously cannot speak for all manufacturers , but I suspect it is standard ....after all , they would like us to buy tyres as often as possible ! the reality is that a standard veneer is all that is required for the suggested life of tyres

if the vehicle was supplied new with camping tyres , you cannot fit standard tyres ...not so , the tyres must meet the correct technical specification and there is nothing additional to that in camping tyres

some years ago I had a trailer with tyres that had heavy sidewall cracking after 13 years ; so I took the wheels into the factory and had the technical department fit new tyres and section the old ones for examination ...they found that they were still in excellent condition

to be fair to tyre manufacturers it is not normally they who propagate the myths ; however I do object to their current refusal to give correct tyre pressures ...their response to motorhomers of ...always use the maximum pressure of which the tyre is capable ...is certainly not best for the tyres OR the vehicle in my view ; surely it would be better to encourage the owners to be aware of the axle loads and to inflate the tyres accordingly ! I know the argument ...many motorhomers run overloaded because they don't check ...but getting the motorhome manufacturers to mark their vehicles with MAXIMUM permitted tyre pressures would at least lead these people in a safe , if not best , direction"​

Last edited by lebesset; 17-07-2013 at 13:22.​

Interesting IMO

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