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We replaced both our tyres last year, after a blowout in France - and kept the undamaged tyre as a spare.  Since then we've only done about 2,500 miles on a French trip, and more locally.  Our dealer has just serviced the van and says that the tyres are worn on the inner sides, and that there is cracking between the treads, so he would suggest replacing them.  Given that they were only replaced in June last year what would everyone suggest? 

Why should they be worn on the inner edges, and why should there be cracking between treads?  OH is meticulous about checking the correct inflation (part of his pre-journey checks, even between campsites) and the van is not overloaded.  I know the recommendation is replace every four or five years - but is this related to age, or to mileage covered - and is 2,500 miles reasonable before replacement?

Sorry, forgot to add that they are not cheap tyres, but proper strengthened caravan tyres, and the manufacture date is 2007 - so they're not years old from being in storage.

Thanks everyone. 

Val

It does seem strange that they have deteriorated so quickly. Have they been left standing for a long period in one place? That could be the reason for the craking between treads. A lot of damage to caravan tyres is caused by hitting kerbs but strange that it is on the inside. If might be worth discussing it with the company where you purchased them as the tyres may have some sort of warranty. I replaced mine last year on my Sterling but I went for a direct replacement for the original equipment.

David

Thanks David,

That's what I thought - will have to look into the warranty issue.  

The caravan has been standing over the winter - from the end of October to February half term, but David moves it around a bit on pitch - backwards and forwards whenever we go up there to pick things up or take things back, so that the same place on the tyre is not on the ground all winter.  We're going to have a good look at the tyres ourselves, when we pick the van up on Saturday, and will then decide what to do for the best.  Unfortunately, having had one blow-out whilst on holiday, we're really cautious now about the quality of the tyres.

No - but years ago, when we first bought the van, it had to go back to Alko as there was some problem.  I'm not sure of the technical terms, but basically inside the axle is an arrangement of triangular rubber sections, which fit together and form some kind of shock absorber - and these had been wrongly installed.  They had twisted inside the axle, somehow, and caused a problem which we had noticed, with one wheel having much less of a gap between tyre and bodywork than it should have had.  It was subject to a recall by Alko and transported back, by them, to somewhere in the Midlands, where the whole axle assembly was replaced.  There was a whole batch of axles which had been similarly affected.  We regularly check the caravan now (paranoia) by measuring the gap between wheel and van - just in case, and everything is normal at the moment.  Our Swift is not a British model, but based on the Dutch Toscane, which has proper shock absorbers as well - but I would imagine our dealer would have checked on that.  I'll get David to ring him and ask.

As we had a blowout, which damaged the caravan, last summer we need to get to the bottom of this.  David had just checked the visible parts of the tyres, and tested the tyre pressures before we set off, and within 15 miles the tyre on the driver's side blew and shredded (dramatically).  Fortunately we were able to pull over immediately into a very convenient layby and change the wheel.

Scrubbing of the tread could be down to wheel alignment which inturn may be something to do with your previous problem.

What I cannot understand is cracking in between the tread? this in my experience is only due to old age...very old age!!

I might add though, I once had to buy a rear tyre for the car in an emergency, with little money I bought what I could afford. It laster less than 200 miles before it scrubbed the edge of the tread near bold???

Could excessive heat cause the problem - it was 38 to 40 degrees when we were in France

Val

I don't think its so much the heat but exposure to sunlight that has a greater effect. Its always good policy to cover tyres in extreme sunlight to protect them.

David

Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 11/4/2008

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 yet both tyres are less than 10 months old!!!  

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But are they? 10 months since fitted but how long since manufactured?

All tyres are date stamped, it will be worth checking just when they were made. Normally this date is stamped just after the letters 'DOT' on the tyres side wall close to the rim, sometimes though, on their own just passed the DOT markings.

See Here for tyre dating info ( near bottom of page ) .

atb

Wizard

>>> As we had a blowout, which damaged the caravan, last summer  <<<

Despite what your dealer says, tyres scrubbed on the inside is a sure sign of the wheels being out of alignment. This could also cause the treads to split.

We've taken it up with the tyre dealer - who has had a look at one tyre which we took off and he agreed that there was a problem.  The tyre has been taken away to some tecchie somewhere who is going to report back. 

If the problem is the wheels being out of alignment, what is the corrective solution for this?  

In the meantime we've bought another tyre and fitted the brand new (last year) spare - so we've now got two tyres with no mileage, both manufactured in 2007, both Dunlop, reinforced, fitted with Tyron bands, and the correct size and rating for the caravan.  I'll report back if said tecchie comes up with anything of interest.