Caravan tyre pressure

If you're the proud owner of a touring caravan, you'll be looking forward to taking it on plenty of holidays and short breaks over the warmer months. It’s essential to check your tyres, including tyre pressure, before you set off to ensure there are no nasty surprises along the way.

Incorrectly inflated caravan tyres are among the most common causes of blowouts or loss of control while driving. If you're lucky, this will just be a minor problem, delaying your journey. If you're less fortunate, the result could be a serious accident.

That's why it's essential to ensure that your caravan tyre pressure is correct at all times. Remember, the tyres are the only part of your caravan in contact with the road, so it’s essential that they are kept in top condition.

Safety is paramount, of course. Protecting yourself and your loved ones is the most important reason to always drive with the correct caravan tyre pressure. But it's not the only reason.

A car and caravan are both high value assets, totalling tens of thousands of pounds. Even with insurance, you'll be severely out of pocket if they get damaged.

Now you need to factor in the weight capacity of the tyres fitted to your caravan. The maximum weight for each tyre is indicated on the tyre wall. To calculate the maximum weight the tyres can carry, multiply the maximum weight per tyre by the number of tyres on your caravan (two in most cases). The UK tyre industry strongly recommends that the maximum vehicle load should not exceed 90% of the combined tyre load capacity. In short, always carry less than the maximum weight. Above all, remember that your caravan tyres can only safely bear their maximum weight when inflated to the correct pressure.

Tyre manufacturers also recommend that caravan tyres are changed every five years, even if they haven't spent much time on the road. This is because caravans typically spend their entire lives outdoors in all weathers. Extreme temperatures and other conditions take their toll.

Driving with under or overinflated tyres on your caravan makes driving more expensive and harder work. You'll get fewer miles per litre of fuel, poorer handling, heavier steering, and less efficient braking. Your car and caravan tyres will also wear out faster. Want to know more? Read our guide on the dangers of overinflated and underinflated tyres.

Tyre pressure in the UK is generally measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). The correct PSI for your caravan's tyres is advised by the manufacturer, but how can you find out what their recommendation is?

On most caravans built in the last four or five years, this vital information is on a plate or sticker fixed to the caravan exterior. The most likely location is near the door, but it shouldn't be hard to find. You'll see other important data there too, including the approved tyre size, Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM), and Mass in Running Order (MRO).

What if your 'van is older or the plate is missing? You may need to search online for your make, model and year of manufacture. The year is critical because specifications often change. It's never safe to assume that the recommended PSI for another caravan of the same make and model is correct for yours.

Bear in mind that the tyre pressure at the start of a trip is sure to change. The miles you clock up on the road and the time you spend in the caravan will all cause the tyre pressure to fall. Always check the pressure before setting out on the next stage of a trip.

If you're new to caravanning and not sure how to check your caravan's tyre pressure, you'll find the Halfords how to check tyre pressure guide really clear and easy to follow. Then it's simply a matter of calling into a filling station, or better still the nearest Halfords branch, to inflate your caravan tyres to the correct pressure.