Slow Punctures on Caravans | Hometyre Mobile Tyre Fitting

Punctures can happen to us all, whether it be on a bike, car or caravan. But, the most annoying type of puncture is that of a slow one. With a normal quick puncture, you can hear and feel the pressure coming from a certain spot. But for those slow punctures, they tend to hide themselves deep in the tread blocks or slowly leak from the bead of the tyre. Often when you're heading out on a long journey and at the worst possible time do they present themselves.

There are a few different types of slow punctures with thorns, nails and sharp objects being the most common. But, for caravans, age related factors effecting the tyre are normally the biggest issue. When rubber ages, it starts to crack. This is compounded by UV rays from the sun hitting the tyre causing the silicone compounds in the tyre to evaporate. Therefore, storing the tyres in a dark area is the best at help prolonging the life of the tyres. This cracking not only effects the tyre but also the valve. The valve can start to split releasing small amounts of air. As a precaution, during the tyre installation we always replace the rubber valves.

Another factor that particularly affects caravans is air leaking from the bead of the wheel. The bead of the wheel is where the edge of the tyre sits. If this becomes slightly corroded, air starts to escape gradually causing the tyre to come down. To correct this, we remove the tyre and wire brush the corrosion back to create a flat surface. From here, a thick bead sealing compound is applied.

In general, tyres do deflate over a lengthily period as the tyre shifts and moves in the wheel due to bumps in the road and accelerating quickly. However, if your tyres are going down at an unnatural pace, why not give us a call and book an appointment for a slow puncture repair?