Caravan & motorhome tyres

This last week has seen the start of the caravan preparation season, I have been very busy this week with 5 caravans and one Motorhome all needing new tyres. Some were fitted with Tyron bands which needed to be removed, then re-fitted with the new tyres.

The tyres that are on your caravan when it is bought new, are generally the right tyres and the sizes should not be changed. There are size options, but these have been decided before the caravan is built, at which point they make sure there is enough space in the wheel well and the correct size hubs are fitted.

I have had a customer who changed to larger sized tyres, then found that the tyre was rubbing against the caravan wall, eventually wearing a hole through the side. Our sales team when they talk to a customer always ask, have you taken the tyre size from the original tyre that is already on the caravan. This is to ensure that problems like this do not happen.

I was called out to a storage area to fit tyres to an Abbey caravan yesterday. The owner of a caravan had not checked the actual tyre size that was on his caravan, but had just checked the manual and saw there were 2 options, so he chose one at random. In this case he chose the wrong size, so the job had to be put back a day, while we sourced another set of tyres and went back out to fit them today.

Once back at the storage area I made sure the handbrake was on and the corner stays were raised. I then put a jack under the main axle and raised one side of the caravan, removed the wheel bolts and took off the wheel. The valve stem is removed allowing the air to be released; the tyre seal can then be broken using the bead breaker in my van. Once broken, the tyre can then be removed from the rim. The old valve is then removed and a new valve inserted. It is then a case of replacing the new tyre on the rim and inflating it to the correct pressure (in this case it was 55 psi) . I then put the wheel on the balancing machine and give it a spin, this points out any weight differences, that can be corrected by adding stick on weights at the opposite point within the wheel rim. Once balanced the wheel is now ready to be put back on the caravan. The bolts are replaced and tightened to the correct torque settings, before lowering the caravan and moving to the opposite side to do the other wheel.

Once completed the caravan corner steadies and put back down, the invoice is completed and a payment is taken using a debit card reader.

For advice on you caravan or motorhome tyres give us a call at Hometyre, we are happy to help.