Caravan Tyres: Age, Pressure, Condition and When to Replace Them
Suffolk Caravans Blog
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Near Ipswich in Suffolk.
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How to check caravan tyre age, pressure and condition, and recognise when replacement is needed.
Caravan tyres rarely cover enough miles to wear out their tread. Instead, age, sunlight, weather and long periods standing can cause them to deteriorate.
This creates an easily missed problem: a tyre can look almost new while being too old or damaged to trust.
Quick answer: Check your caravan tyres before every towing trip for the correct pressure, cracking, bulges, cuts and uneven wear. Check the inner sidewalls and spare tyre too. The Caravan and Motorhome Club recommends replacement at five years and says caravan tyres should never be used beyond seven years.
In This Article
- Why caravan tyres age
- Checking age and condition
- Pressure, specification and loading
- Tyres during storage
- Spare tyres and replacement
Why Caravan Tyres Age Before They Wear Out
Car tyres usually reveal their use through worn tread. Caravan tyres spend much of their life parked, so they are more likely to deteriorate through age.
Sunlight, air, changing temperatures and long periods of storage gradually affect the rubber. The caravan’s weight can also remain on the same parts of each tyre for weeks or months.
Think of the tread as a mileage record, not a birth certificate. It shows how much road use a tyre has experienced, but not its age or how it has been stored.
How to Check a Caravan Tyre’s Age
Look for the four-digit manufacturing date moulded into the sidewall. The first two digits show the week and the final two show the year.
For example, 1224 means the tyre was manufactured during the 12th week of 2024.
The marking may be on the inner sidewall, so check both sides. A tyre’s age begins when it was manufactured, not when it was fitted.
Check every tyre, including the spare. When checking a used caravan, remember that the tyres may not all be the same age.
Check More Than the Tread
Before towing, look for:
- Cracking in the sidewalls or tread
- Cuts, splits or embedded objects
- Bulges, blisters or distortion
- Uneven wear
- Damaged or leaking valves
- Signs of underinflation
Do not inspect only the visible outer face. The inner sidewall can hide damage that cannot be seen while standing beside the caravan.
GOV.UK’s towing safety guidance states that caravan tyres must have at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters and around the entire circumference. They must also be correctly inflated and free from dangerous cuts and bulges.
However, tread depth does not tell the whole story. Caravan tyres are often replaced because of age or deterioration while considerable tread remains.
For the other checks required before towing, read our Caravan Towing Laws: 10 Practical Checks.
Check Tyre Pressures When Cold
Incorrect pressure can cause overheating, tyre damage and poor towing stability.
Use the cold inflation pressure specified in the caravan handbook or displayed on the caravan. Do not assume it should match the tow car or that the maximum pressure printed on the tyre is automatically correct.
Check pressures before setting off. Pressure naturally rises as a tyre warms during towing, so releasing air from a warm tyre can leave it underinflated when it cools.
A tyre that repeatedly needs topping up has a fault that requires investigation. Possible causes include a puncture, damaged valve, wheel-rim fault or poor seal.
The Correct Size Is Not Enough
Two tyres can fit the same wheel but be designed to carry very different loads—just as two shelves of the same size can have different weight limits.
A replacement tyre must have the correct:
- Size
- Load index
- Speed rating
- Construction
- Wheel compatibility
Caravans may use suitable car or light-commercial tyres, depending on the manufacturer’s specification. They do not automatically require commercial “C” tyres.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s guidance recommends matching the original full specification unless there is a valid reason to change it. Obtain professional advice if the original tyre is unavailable, the caravan has been uprated or different wheels have been fitted.
Loading Also Affects the Tyres
MTPLM limits the caravan’s total laden weight, but each tyre and axle also has its own load limit. Poor distribution can overload one tyre even when the caravan remains within its MTPLM.
Distribute heavy items carefully, avoid loading one side more heavily and maintain the recommended nose weight. Uneven tyre wear can indicate incorrect pressure, overloading or an alignment problem.
Our Beginner’s Guide to Caravan Towing explains more about loading, nose weight and towing stability.
Looking After Tyres During Storage
Maintain the recommended pressures and inspect the tyres periodically during storage.
If site rules and insurance conditions permit, move the caravan occasionally so its weight does not remain on exactly the same areas. Read our practical guide to preparing and storing a caravan securely.
Keep the tyres away from oil, fuel and paint, and protect them from prolonged direct sunlight where practical.
Incorrectly adjusted caravan-mover rollers can distort or abrade tyres. Make sure they are fully disengaged before storing the caravan.
Do Not Forget the Spare Tyre
An unused spare still ages and loses pressure. Unfortunately, many owners only discover this after another tyre has failed.
Check its date, pressure, tread, sidewalls, valve and wheel condition. It must be suitable for the caravan and meet the required tyre and wheel specification.
Also make sure you have the correct tools and understand the manufacturer’s jacking instructions. If a tyre fails in a dangerous roadside position, call a recovery service.
When Should Caravan Tyres Be Replaced?
UK law does not set a general maximum age specifically for caravan tyres. However, age remains an important safety consideration.
Replace any tyre that is badly cracked, cut, bulging, distorted, unsuitable or below the legal tread limit.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club recommends replacing caravan tyres at five years old and never using them beyond seven years.
Tyres requiring pressures of 50psi or more should be inspected particularly carefully from three years old and should not be used after five years. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions if they specify earlier replacement.
After a Wheel Has Been Replaced
After a wheel has been removed and refitted, follow the caravan or chassis manufacturer’s instructions.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club recommends checking the wheel-fixing torque again after approximately 20–30 miles or 20–30 minutes of towing, following wheel removal and refitting.
Quick Caravan Tyre Checklist
Before setting off, check:
- Cold tyre pressures
- Manufacturing dates
- At least 1.6mm of tread
- Outer and inner sidewalls
- Cuts, cracks, bulges and uneven wear
- Valves and valve caps
- Correct tyre specification
- Caravan loading
- Disengaged mover rollers
- Spare-wheel condition and pressure
- Wheel nuts or bolts correctly tightened
For the remaining equipment and safety checks, use our complete caravanning checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are caravan tyres safe if they have plenty of tread?
Not necessarily. Tread shows wear but does not reveal the tyre’s age, storage history or complete condition.
How old is too old for a caravan tyre?
The Caravan and Motorhome Club recommends replacement at five years and says caravan tyres should never be used beyond seven years. Count from the manufacturing date, not the fitting date.
Do caravans always need commercial tyres?
No. They may use suitable car or light-commercial tyres. The correct choice depends on size, load index, speed rating and manufacturer requirements.
Does an unused spare tyre deteriorate?
Yes. It continues to age without covering any miles, so check it alongside the fitted tyres.
Safe Tyres, Safer Towing
Caravan tyres are easy to overlook because they often have plenty of tread and may have covered relatively few miles. However, age, pressure, condition and suitability are just as important as visible wear.
Make tyre checks part of the preparation for every towing trip, including the inner sidewalls and spare. If anything looks unusual or the tyre’s age, pressure or specification is uncertain, have it checked before travelling. A few minutes spent beforehand could prevent a ruined journey, a dangerous roadside failure and considerable damage to the caravan.
About Suffolk Caravans
Suffolk Caravans is a family-run business providing secure caravan and motorhome storage, container storage, caravan hire and caravan and motorhome sales and purchases. Customers can also contact independent servicing and repair businesses based on-site for servicing, habitation checks, repairs and valeting.
Suffolk Caravans
Sheepdrift Farm
Waldringfield Road
Brightwell
Ipswich, Suffolk
IP10 0BJ
Telephone: 01473 622 917
Email:
info@suffolkcaravans.com
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