Old tyres fitted to new caravan?

bobmansell
bobmansell Forum Participant Posts: 12
edited April 2016 in Caravans #1

I purchased a Swift Fairway 530 (2010 model) in June 2011,  It had one previous owner. Following its 2016 service I have now discovered that the tyres fitted to the caravan  were manufactured in 2007. Considering that you should change the tyres after 7
years this means that almost half the tyre use has been lost. Has anyone else had the same issue with a caravan?

 

Comments

  • chrisn7
    chrisn7 Forum Participant Posts: 72
    edited April 2016 #2

    As there has been one previous owner, there is no certainty that these wheels/tyres have been on the van since new.

    Unfortunately some dealers will swap equipment from one van to another, to fulfil an order - perhaps another customer who spotted that the tyres on his proposed purchase were old?

    Its another of those things to watch for when buying-the week number/year 4-digit code on the sidewalls.

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited April 2016 #3

    ...Considering that you should change the tyres after 7 years this means that almost half the tyre use has been lost....

    The tyres are 9 years old and have exceeded their life expectancy by 2 years already in fact.  I'd change them immediately!

  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
    100 Comments
    edited April 2016 #4

    My van tyres are close to a point where theoretically they should be replaced for age (as opposed to condition and wear) reasons. However a proper thorough inspection by a tyre specialist advises that they are perfectly servicable and very good condition
    for their age. I expect to get another season (perhaps two) out of them i.e. about 50,000 miles.

    So age is not the whole story but just make sure that any inspection is done my a competent expert. 

  • bobmansell
    bobmansell Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited April 2016 #5

    I agree crisn7 ,these may have been changed by the original owner, however considering how long they had the caravan, a matter on months this is unlikely. I think the issue is either at manufacture, and its the stock control, or the dealership. 

     

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited April 2016 #6

    I'm curious about what a 'tyre specialist' can see that anyone else couldn't?  I'm sure the tyre isn't perished, no bulges, foreign objects stuck in the tread area and even wear, pleanty of tread etc but without x-raying the tyre (as Michelin do their lorry
    tyre carcasses before they'll retread them, for example) the internal structure could be degrading or damaged without leaving any visible effect.  Caravan tyres don't do what tyres are designed for, they sit in one position, heavily loaded for weeks or months
    at a time, often in all weathers and this isn't good for them.  Replacing a pair of tyres costs around £140 quid, over 7 years that's £20 a year, considering the consequences of a tyre failure, money well spent for me, but each to their own of course.

  • Mitsi Fendt
    Mitsi Fendt Forum Participant Posts: 484
    100 Comments
    edited April 2016 #7

    I'm curious about what a 'tyre specialist' can see that anyone else couldn't?  I'm sure the tyre isn't perished, no bulges, foreign objects stuck in the tread area and even wear, pleanty of tread etc but without x-raying the tyre (as Michelin do their lorry
    tyre carcasses before they'll retread them, for example) the internal structure could be degrading or damaged without leaving any visible effect.  Caravan tyres don't do what tyres are designed for, they sit in one position, heavily loaded for weeks or months
    at a time, often in all weathers and this isn't good for them.  Replacing a pair of tyres costs around £140 quid, over 7 years that's £20 a year, considering the consequences of a tyre failure, money well spent for me, but each to their own of course.

    Could not agree more. Let's just hope that we are not near to one of the each to thier own's when it goes wrong..

  • bobmansell
    bobmansell Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited April 2016 #8

    thanks for all the replies, what concerns me is that tyres that are 3 years have been put onto a caravan manufactured in 2010, so the life is reduced by 3 years