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Camping is in and there is no end in sight to the boom. Especially newcomers sometimes buy used motorhomes or caravans. Very few people have an eye on the important topic of tires, which often applies to old hands as well. Tire manufacturer YOKOHAMA knows that old or worn tires pose a significant risk. Use the following tips to play it safe. With regard to the legal minimum tread depth, the same rules apply to mobile homes and caravans as to other motor vehicles and trailers. It has to be 1,6 mm, but YOKOHAMA recommends at least 4 mm so that the vehicle does not float in heavy rain: keyword aquaplaning. However, since most recreational vehicles are only driven a few weeks a year, aging rubber is a much more common problem. From a profile point of view, it may all look good, but once the plasticizers have evaporated from the mixture, the performance drops significantly. The tires not only get more and more cracks through this process, but also become hard, which means that a lot of grip is lost. In the worst case, the tread can come loose, which entails a high risk of an accident. Old tyres, summer heat and high loads often form a dangerous cocktail here. To make matters worse, the softeners are not regularly activated in vehicles that are rarely used, since this only happens when the vehicle is being driven.
change after 6 to 8 years
The tires should therefore be replaced after 6 to 8 years at the latest. In the case of trailers with a 100 km/h approval, it even has to be less than 6 years, as required by law. But how do you tell the age of a tire? The last four digits of the DOT indicated on the flank designate the date of manufacture. If it says "1020" behind it, production took place in the 10th week of 2020. In order to protect the tires as much as possible during long periods of standstill, YOKOHAMA recommends inflating them with 0,2 to 0,3 bar more pressure. Another tip from the experts: relieve the tires with a tire cradle or air cushion. This avoids the so-called standing plates. Unscrewing the support, on the other hand, does not bring any advantage here. The sun, wind and heat, and especially the gaseous ozone from the atmosphere, also affect the tyres. They should therefore be covered if possible, especially in sunny regions or when standing for longer periods.
Speed index = maximum permissible speed
However, the lettering on the side wall reveals other interesting information. The so-called speed index can also be found there, which provides information about the maximum permissible speed. In the case of trailers with a 100 km/h approval, the letter “L” should be there for 120 km/h, as the legislator requires a certain safety reserve here. And even with summer tires for mobile homes, the value must harmonize with the registered maximum speed. The two- or three-digit number in front of the speed index indicates the load capacity of the tire. The vehicle registration document provides orientation as to which loads are required when purchasing a new vehicle. On the other hand, you should only rely on the old tires to a limited extent for used caravans and mobile homes, since you cannot rule out the possibility that the previous owner made the wrong choice. If you are not absolutely sure, it is best to ask your trusted tire dealer. If you choose a load index that is too high, you are not taking any risks, but you may have to live with a somewhat harsher ride comfort due to the stiffer flanks if the towing vehicle is subjected to excessively harsh bumps on the road.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it!
tuningblog has many more news around the topic Camping and RV at the beginning. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. Our focus is especially on converted Campers & mobile homes. This means that you will find fewer reports on classic standard motorhomes here, but much more we try to present specially modified specimens that show that the topic is also Tuning is represented in the camping & RV scene. Following an excerpt of the last campers and campers:
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