TyreSafe reveals new motorhome tyre pressure checker

Tyre charity, TyreSafe, has announced new tyre guidance and a pressure calculator. It has also moved to explain when tyres should be replaced

At its website, there is an automatic motorhome tyre pressure calculator. All you need to input is the number of axles and the maximum or fully laden loads for the front and rear axles of your vehicle, then select tyre size and type from a drop-down menu. You will then get suggested pressures.

TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson says: “Maintaining motorhome tyres is crucial to minimising risks of an incident while out on the road. Motorhomes are typically driven close to their maximum weight on every trip, so ensuring the right tyres are fitted, are roadworthy and inflated to the correct pressure for the load is essential. Also, understanding the difference between the tyres now available can be confusing for drivers but they will find TyreSafe’s guidance both informative and easy to understand.”

Regarding when a motorhome’s tyres should be replaced, TyreSafe spokesman Jason Timms tells MMM magazine, which is Britain's best-selling motorhome magazine: “There is no legislation governing how old a tyre in use might can be. Legally, just the condition of a tyre defines its roadworthiness (tread, repairs and so on). Age itself is not technically the problem, it’s deterioration which can be accelerated by exposure to UV, significant temperature variation and other factors including a continual hardening of the rubber, which reduces their grip.

“In fact, a tyre regularly used will often harden more slowly than one parked up as the compound contains additives which inhibit this hardening process and are ‘squeezed’ through the tyre when the vehicle is in use. While you may find a tyre is a year or two old when bought ‘new’, it should have been stored correctly, mitigating the ageing process.”

He adds: “Motorhomes typically don’t wear out the tread due to relatively low usage but they are under considerable strain due to load and higher pressures. There is no legal guide for when they should be replaced, and manufacturers may have their own guidelines on when to replace them but the larger camping and motorhome associations typically say they should be replaced once they have been in use for between five and seven years. The best advice is to have them thoroughly inspected by a professional in addition to the usual owners routine checks if there are any doubts on the tyre’s condition and certainly after five years.”