A lesson In Tyres

Good afternoon, I would like to share a recent experience with you on the interesting subject of Motorhome Tyres. I am fully aware that there are two schools of thought and within those two schools two preferences of tyre manufacturer, that aside let me begin.

We had booked a long weekend at the Club site at Freshwater East arriving on Friday evening. We had had a difficult journey along the M4 towards its end near Carmarthen because there had been a serious accident which delayed our arrival on the site by some hours. The Warden had indeed phoned us to check we were actually on our way. We pressed on after leaving the motorway towards Pembroke, and for anyone who has been to this site the access for the last say four miles is mainly single track with passing places, until you descend down to the site.

Just after the village as you leave the main road I thought we had a puncture in one of the rear tyres and stopped by the houses to check. I could not see anything odd, both rear tyres appeared inflated and in the few minutes it took to inspect a small line of cars had built up behind the motorhome. 

I pressed on to Freshwater village and turned right down the hill when the noise became much louder as we were not far from the site and with the line of cars still following I descended the hill and turned into the site. Still we could not see anything until my wife walked behind and spotted an "Egg" in the tyre wall on the inside the size of a large tennis ball. I proceeded to the site entrance because a caravan had pulled in behind and was sticking out into the road stopping finally by the Barrier. 

Good evening, sorry we are so late and we have a puncture was not the best start but the wardens were very pleasant and both came to help me one armed with an hydraulic jack and the other a bag of spanners.

We soon had the spare on but having laid the faulty tyre down the egg continued to expand until in some fear of a large bang I let out most of the air.

Once pitched we began the task of finding a replacement tyre and entered into the online debate on Motorhome tyres. My tyres were not true motorhome tyres but Transporter Tyres with the correct loading and rating. They were fitted by the dealer when I bought the Motorhome 3 years ago and have done approx 12000 miles.

I read on line many comments for both schools of thought and I had some input from concerned fellow members on the site who had offered to help when seeing our predicament. When you right in the main entrance to the site and in trouble it is amazing how many offers of help you get, which speaks volumes of the community we all share.

Having had a number of tyre choices present to me by various suppliers, most of whom had no stock available anyway, and the largest array of prices I have ever seen, I opted to change all four tyres to correct motorhome tyres.

I had to wait four days for the replacement tyres to arrive at our local depot having returned home on the spare which I later found out was 12 years old! 

The NTS technician was in no doubt why they had failed showing me in the workshop the complete failure of the tyre wall and subsequent result, and then scarily the other rear tyre was well on the way to failing also, however the two front tyres showed no problems on the inside of the tyre wall  on the one we inspected upon removal.

In Conclusion

Fantastic long weekend on a great site

I feel very lucky that the tyre did not burst on the motorway and we did make it to the safe haven of the site.

I am truly grateful to the Wardens for there help and support.

And I believe a lesson was truly learned on the tyre front.

Technical details

Rig:  Adria Izola on a Renault Base Max laden weight 3.5 tonne.

Tyres: Old. Rotalla Transporter 225/65R 16C 112/110R

Tyres: New Continental  225/65R16 Vanco Camper