It may not be the most exciting of purchases to make, but there is no avoiding the importance of a good set of caravan tyres. They play a crucial part in ensuring we arrive comfortably and safely at our campsite. But how often do caravan tyres need changing? If that’s a quandary you find yourself facing, I’m on hand to help.
Of course, there are various steps we can take to keep our van’s rubber in tiptop condition, as I’ve outlined before when explaining what caravan tyre care can be done. But when should you be thinking of replacing your tyres?
As caravan tyres often do relatively low mileages, they tend to suffer from age degradation before they actually wear out. This can be tricky to spot when your tyre still has excellent tread depth, and it does seem a shame to replace what looks like a perfectly serviceable tyre. However, tyre rubber is adversely affected by the UV radiation in sunlight, which breaks down the rubber compounds.
This can lead to some obvious symptoms like fine cracks in the side walls and a general appearance of being very dried out and dull in colour. It’s worth noting that it’s not just your tyres that UV rays can dull, either – it could happen to your tourer’s paintwork, if you don’t use the best caravan polish to protect it from oxidation.
So, when do I need to replace my caravan tyres?
Let’s say, for example, you’ve recently bought an eight-year-old caravan and the tyres on it are original. They may look ok, but does that mean they don’t need changing? Eight hot summers and cold winters can degrade tyre rubber, as can the pressure of a heavy caravan sitting, unmoved, on its tyres throughout the off-season if you’re storing your caravan. All of these factors, plus the wear and tear of regular towing, mean that an eight-year-old tyre is well past its best.
There’s an unwritten rule that you should change your caravan tyres every five years – though in recent years, with improved tyre technology – many believe this should now be seven years.
To determine the age of your tyre, simply look for the small lozenge embossed on the tyre wall with two numbers in it. For example, 12 20 denotes the tyre was manufactured in the 12th week of 2020. If this was on your caravan today (Spring 2026), you would be wise to replace it in the next 12 months, whatever its external appearance.
However new or old your tyres are, examine them for signs of wear or damage before any long tow, and regularly check the pressure in them (see what I had to say about “what PSI should caravan tyres be?”). Oh, and don’t forget to assess your spare, too!
Don’t miss what I picked out as the 12 accessories and upgrades that I think make caravanning easier, too.
Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Caravan, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances and skill level. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. You should check that any van warranty will not be affected before proceeding with DIY projects.
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