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I've invested a lot of money in our caravan to be able to have the holidays we both enjoy. We've both now retired and look forward to as many years good health as possible and time to enjoy it. I would like to think I now have an outfit that not only suits our needs but is safe for both us and other road users.

It came, therefore, as a bit of a shock to discover that my caravan handbook was wrong, and I had been using a tyre pressure 10psi higher than the maximum rating of the tyre. Furthermore, on reading up on the subject, together with some expert help on this website (thanks Gary and Simon), I discovered that the tyre loading is very very close to the limit, and below that recommended by the UK Tyre Industry. See their website for useful guides for caravans and motorhomes: http://www.tyresafe.org/tyre-safety/ 

Their document states: "The extra demands placed on tyres fitted to caravans mean that, in the interests of safety, it is prudent to avoid continuous operation at or approaching the tyres maximum load capacity. Accordingly, the national UK tyre industry strongly recommends that the maximum vehicle load should not exceed 90% of the combined tyre load capacity as indicated by the load index"

My tyres were running at 95% max capacity, legal but probably not as safe as they could be. I rang the CC technical help this morning and they admitted that  British caravan manufacturers do fit tyres above the 90% load recommendation. It makes a bit of a nonsense to paying all that extra for ATC fitted when such basic safety measures are ignored.

There are so many posts about overturned caravans or snaking caravans, and have we looked closely enough at the tyres fitted. Certainly anyone out there with a reasonably new Trigano Silver caravan needs to reduce their tyre pressure, as the handbook is plainly wrong, and their tyres possibly now unsafe because of this. How many more of us are thinking our new and not so new caravans are quite safe when we have tyres close to their load limits and above recommended margins.

3 new tyres are going to cost me over £200 for quality tyres with a higher load rating, which am none too pleased about, but what price safety, and peace of mind?

I think you have missed the bigger issue here. There have been many posts about caravans overturning or snaking, and yet manufacturers, not just Trigano but some of the British ones too, are fitting tyres to new caravans that are very close to their maximum load, and over the advisory safe limit.

How many of us are towing caravans thinking we have our units as safe as possible but without realising that the manufacturers have skimped over such basic safety standards? 

My Fleurette (similar Van) was delivered with standard 3 ply tyre which had a max load of 375kg . Which as the max load is 750Kg , meant that the tyres were well overworked. I replaced them with trailer tyres that I bought over the internet. But I must admit that I did use them for a few years.

I managed to get 3 brand new tyres free from Coachman after I experienced 2 blowouts when the 'van was less than 3 years old.  I had been running the caravan tyres at the pressure per the handbook which differed from the tech-spec book.

They admitted liability (sort of) - typo caused by rushing out the handbook and replaced all 3 as I had run all 3.

I also had a letter from the tyre manufacturer (Hankook) stating that underinflating would cause damage - so I reckon I had all the amunition I needed.  Can give details if you need them.

Quote: Originally posted by misterg on 30/7/2009

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Is the cheaper answer to fit Tyron Bands rather than buy expensive tyres all round? Would this then make the van safe to be towed on the "near limit " tyres with the Bands as a fail safe?

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Tyron bands will not stop the tyre failing they will only stop them coming off the rims after it has failed.

Incidentally, the dealer's response was outstanding when I told him the handbook was wrong. He asked if I could put all the details in an email for him to go back to the company. He immediately offered to pay for a new set of tyres, though I had not raised this with him.

Just taken the spare out as I am getting them changed today and found that it has a higher load rating and runs at a higher pressure, although it is still not the tyre specified in the handbook.

For me, its just not worth skimping on tyres. It could be a ruined holiday and lengthy repairs, or it could be my car overturned on the hard shoulder with bits of caravan stretching back along the motorway.