Tyron Bands – The Pre-emptive Band-Aid for Your Caravan

A blow out could have catastrophic consequences for your caravan but the risk to you, your passengers and other road users is of course most troubling, particularly when a blowout occurs on busy roads and motorways.

Even if you are able to keep the caravan under control in the event of a major blow out, the shredding tyre rotating around the wheel rim can cause significant damage to the caravan wheel arch and floor, resulting in a large caravan insurance claim and in certain cases the caravan may even be written off completely!

Our workshops are still seeing an increase of tyre related caravan insurance claims caused by blow outs, the average caravan repair cost can be as high as £2,500.

What does a Blow Out Look Like from a Tyres Perspective?

When a tyre deflates, air pressure can no longer hold it in its correct place on the wheel, which leaves it free to move about and the tyre's beads can slip over and into the 'well' of the wheel. This allows the tyre to flail, or dangerously flap about to a degree that steering control is reduced or lost altogether and the flapping tyre can cause serious damage to the vehicle such as, damage to brake pipes, suspension and bodywork.

Unfortunately, a wheel has to be made with a 'well' in it, without a well it simply wouldn't be possible to fit a tyre.

Okay, so what are Tyron Bands?

TYRON® wheel safety bands are a simple yet effective solution to the danger and inconvenience punctures, blow-outs and under inflation. With TYRON® fitted, you have the piece of mind knowing that you can remain in control and mobile, should your tyre deflate - at any speed - on any surface.

TYRON® is simply attached over the wheel's well after the tyre has been fitted and so will support a deflated tyre, through preventing it from slipping into the well. Stability is significantly increased and therefore steering, braking and cornering control.

Tyron Band Advantageous

CONTROL With the tyre kept in place by the TYRON® safety band, steering, braking and cornering control can be maintained at any speed after a simple puncture or an instantaneous blow-out.

SAFETY greatly reduces the risk of accident and fatality through loss of control after tyre deflation.

MOBILITY provides traction plus a short run-flat or get-out capability. The driver can continue to a safe place to change the wheel.

An additional risk to blowouts occurring, is caused during the long periods a caravan can be put into storage. It's pretty common for caravans that are kept in storage to remain in exactly the same position, unused and unmoved. Over time the weight of the caravan resting on the tyres can cause distortion. This damage can be difficult to see by the untrained eye but can lead to a blow out, UV sunlight can also cause damage over time and weaken the tyre walls.

If you intend on putting your caravan into storage for several months at a time that you move your caravan regularly. Alternatively you can jack up your caravan and rotate the wheels, to ensure that a different part of the tyre takes the weight of the caravan.

The tread on caravan tyres rarely wares away but the age of the tyre is important to be aware of, as old tyres are more prone to blow out. As a consequence it is advised to change tyres between every 5 to 7 years but depending upon circumstances it maybe necessary to change tyres sooner. It is important during this time to keep a close eye on the condition as if any damage or distortion occurs they must be changed immediately and underlines the importance of maintaining annual caravan servicing.

You can check the year of manufacturer of your tyres by looking for something often referred to as the `Dot Number`. This code can usually be found on a caravan tyre such as `DOT A87C DEF 0204` the last four digits signify that the tyre was manufactured in the second week of 2004. Not all tyres have the DOT code but you should be able to find a separate group of digits such as `3807` which signifies the tyre was manufactured in the 38th week of 2007.

If you can not find a number or at all unsure of the age of your tyres you should check with your caravan dealer or tyre supplier.

Statistics recently published by the Department of Transport reveal that in 2012 194 drivers were either killed or seriously injured on UK roads because of dangerous illegal, over or under-inflated tyres.

The Importance of Maintaining Correct tyre Pressures

So why is ensuring your caravan tyres are inflated to the correct pressure so important?

It's easy to become complacent but if the tyres on your caravan have a lower than recommended pressure level, they will be under-inflated and this will lead to tyres becoming overheated, which eventually can result in a dangerous blowout. Under-inflated tyres will also increase rolling resistance of the caravan, causing the towing car to work harder, which inevitably leads to an increase in fuel consumption and travel costs.

Conversely, tyres on a caravan that have been inflated to a higher pressure than recommended will provide reduced grip on the road. A decrease in the amount of surface area making physical contact with the road will also eventually overheat and create a blowout in a similar fashion to under-inflated tyres.

Refer to your caravan handbook for correct tyre pressures but always remember that tyre pressures provided by the caravan manufacturer are specified for cold tyres. Tyres warm up when driving and the heat transfer creates additional air pressure inside the tyre that can increase cold tyre pressures by as much as 15%. For this reason it is vitally important that caravan tyres are always checked when cold.

So what do we need to do to ensure safe caravan tyres?

Do check tyre pressures regularly, check the age, examine for side-wall cracks, cuts, impact damage or embedded material.

As an extra safety measure we would also suggest that you fit Tyron Safety Bands. This procedure can be competently carried out at Homestead Caravans experienced Service Centre by qualified technicians.

Call 01255-830-229 for latest prices and further information.

Homestead Caravans Top Tips for Safe Caravan Tyres

1. Regularly check tyre pressures even while the caravan is storage and isn’t in use
2. Rotate your caravan wheels while in storage
3. Examine for damage, cracks ,cuts ,impact damage or embedded material
4. Check the age of your tyres
5. Check tyre pressures when the tyres are cold
6. Consider the fitting of Tyron Safety bands