As the leaves begin to turn and the air begins to chill, you may be thinking about savouring the change in season with a trip away with a motorhome or caravan.  To help make sure that your break is not interrupted by any unexpected problems, it is always worth checking that your tyres are in tip top condition and your leisure battery is not going to let you down.

Tyres are the only part of a caravan or trailer that are in contact with the road surface, and therefore their condition will have a direct impact on how the load handles on the road. All aspects of towing, including acceleration, cornering and braking, will be carried out much more safely on tyres that are in good condition.  So here are a few points for you to consider:

• Are my tyres in good condition and meet the minimum legal tread depth of 1.6mm

All tyres must meet the minimum tread depth requirement of 1.6mm to ensure they are safe and legal. Driving on tyres with insufficient tread depth increases the risk of a flat tyre, loss of steering control and skidding. Whilst your tyres may have the legal tread, you should also monitor the age of the tyres. According to Bridgestone, after around eight years, most tyres have lost so much suppleness that small cracks become visible and the hard tyres may start to slip on a wet road.

• Are my tyres correctly inflated?

It is essential that all the tyres fitted to the towing car, caravan, trailer tent or motorhome are all correctly inflated for the applied load. Under inflated tyres are much more likely to suffer from a blowout causing sudden loss of control.  Not only is changing a tyre on the hard shoulder a notoriously dangerous task, any debris left on the carriageway will prove hazardous for other motorists.  As well as providing safety and stability to your load, correctly inflated tyres will also save you money in fuel costs and your tyres will last longer.

• Do I have a spare wheel that is safe and legal?

You should always carry a compatible spare wheel for your caravan or trailer in addition to the spare wheel for the towing vehicle, and this spare tyre should be included in the safety checks already mentioned. 

If you’re planning a trip away, and are unsure about the condition of your tyres then please pop in or give us a call and we can check them out for you.  We have a range of motorhome and caravan tyres in stock and can order most tyres for next day delivery. We can also MOT test motorhomes and have a year round stock of leisure batteries to meet all your motoring needs. 

You can find us in Scarborough, Driffield and Bridlington.

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