Should I carry a spare tyre? AND legality of tyres older than 10 years

[The Raptor]

I would just like to offer this experience with other members. When I purchased my Autotrail Motorhome 11 years ago all that was provided was a tyreweld and pair of tough gloves. Following discussions on forums I decided to buty a spare rim and tyre “Just in case”……well on the way back from Orkney I had that blowout that tyreweld would have fixed NOT…..


The spare was successfully put on and I got home with my spare.
HOWEVER my son who was a policeman in the past said I may be fined with points as my spare was over 10 years old as the tyre regulations changed in February 2021 and this could/would get a 3 point penalty and immediate prohibition order.
Here is the link about this new law and Q&A after so it may help / inform people.
UK gov.uk link
Hope this is useful and yes my front tyres are only 7 years old. (Reading link private Motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes may not be included, but it’s advice is to risk assess all vehicles)
Cheers
Dave

 

[GMJ]

That's good to know, thanks.

 

[RV2MAX]

Your son was almost right , it does not apply to motorcaravans of any weight , but I fitted two new ones on front axle of my motorcaravan even though they had only driven 4000 miles from new (ex military reserve) on the vehicle . Plus point now have 2 extra spare tyres for rear axles

Good move with getting a real spare rather than the manufacturer fob off
BTW looking at tyre it didnt have a blow out it had a slow deflation and then overheated and finally "blew out" unless you drove a long way with it flat ?

 

[wildebus]

Your son was almost right , it does not apply to motorcaravans of any weight , but I fitted two new ones on front axle of my motorcaravan even though they had only driven 4000 miles from new (ex military reserve) on the vehicle . Plus point now have 2 extra spare tyres for rear axles

Good move with getting a real spare rather than the manufacturer fob off
BTW looking at tyre it didnt have a blow out it had a slow deflation and then overheated and finally "blew out" unless you drove a long way with it flat ?

A very good reason to add a TPMS setup to a vehicle in order to get an early warning

 

[The Raptor]

BTW looking at tyre it didnt have a blow out it had a slow deflation and then overheated and finally "blew out" unless you drove a long way with it flat ?

Not being a tyre expert, we had a lunch stop and tyres all looked ok, had then driven approx 50 miles and when doing 60mph on lane 2 of motorway when there was a massive explosive bang and I then drove about 50-100m before pulling onto the hard shoulder.

 

[snapster]

When we bought our Winnebago ( avatar pic) it was almost 20 years old. The front tyres were 6 years old but the rears weren't. I had to get under the van and check the inside of the ( 4) tyres to get the date code. All but one were the original fitments!
I got them all changed that week before we went away

 

[in h]

When we bought our Winnebago ( avatar pic) it was almost 20 years old. The front tyres were 6 years old but the rears weren't. I had to get under the van and check the inside of the ( 4) tyres to get the date code. All but one were the original fitments!
I got them all changed that week before we went away

So you know that the back tyres were fine for the first 20 years. Reassuring. Did the tyre fitters examine their condition when the took them off?

I once had two tyres replaced at 13 and 14 years old respectively. The older one was fine, the younger was beginning to get cracks. However, the compound had definitely hardened on both: the new tyres gave a smoother, quieter ride.

 

[Webby]

Over the last year we have had 2 tyres delaminate. Luckily they both stayed inflated so we could slowly get to a safe place but there was no warning, of course, from the Tyrepal.............thank God we weren't on a not so smart stretch. They were both Toyo tyres, although to be fair they had been standing in Morocco for 3 months.

Anyway I realised in retrospect (don't we all) that there had been a slight vibration in the steering for at least 10min before the incident...................a warning that I ignored and put down to uneven road surface.
So just something to watch out for.

 

[in h]

Standing in Morocco for three months would be it.

Sitting in sunlight and/or direct heat is a real killer.

You can ruin a brand new tyre in six months if left in intense sun, or you can make it last decades by keeping it cool and sheltered. That's why a ten year age limit is dangerously stupid.

That's also why, when I worked at a tyre dealers, we kept our stock in a dark, cool shed.

 

[Frogman]

When I had a new set of tyres fitted to my previous van I specified metal valves. The National Tyres fitters fitted rubber ones, claiming they were metal, and I believe a blowout (on a "smart" section of the M1, in a cutting with nowhere to hide) was the result of the valve blowing out. I did have a spare wheel, fortunately.

 

[in h]

Tyre fitters try to avoid fitting metal valves because of all the problems they cause. They are profitable: they only cost a few pence more, and they charge a lot extra, but it's not worth the aggro you tend to get.

If you run very high tyre pressures (over 65psi, I think), they should fit high pressure valves, but the high pressure rubber ones are fine.

If you're inflating above 85psi, you need metal valves. Better not to have rock hard tyres in the first place.

 

[Webby]

Standing in Morocco for three months would be it.

Sitting in sunlight and/or direct heat is a real killer.

You can ruin a brand new tyre in six months if left in intense sun, or you can make it last decades by keeping it cool and sheltered. That's why a ten year age limit is dangerously stupid.

That's also why, when I worked at a tyre dealers, we kept our stock in a dark, cool shed.

We contacted Toyo in UK who told us there would probably be a "flat spot" in the tyre that would iron itself out after a while.
So as she drove,my wife said this steering is a bit jittery, there's something wrong.......I confidently told her that it was a "flat spot that would iron...... blah blah blah"
There was a bang, there was a crash,there was damage and that was only her telling me I was wrong.

 

[wildebus]

Standing in Morocco for three months would be it.

Sitting in sunlight and/or direct heat is a real killer.

You can ruin a brand new tyre in six months if left in intense sun, or you can make it last decades by keeping it cool and sheltered. That's why a ten year age limit is dangerously stupid.

That's also why, when I worked at a tyre dealers, we kept our stock in a dark, cool shed.

I noticed that in the US particularly, people tend to cover up sun-facing tyres when parked up in places like Arizona to protect them. I could see doing the same in Morocco would be a wise idea (and quite possibly even in the UK!)

 

[TeamRienza]

Even here in N. Ireland I have the tyres covered if the van is not going to be used for more than a week. UV damage is probably occurring even without the suns direct rays and heat.

I also paint my tyres every couple of months with foreverblack tyre gel which makes them look better but more importantly contains UV inhibitors.

Davy

 

[Tony Lee]

Standing in Morocco for three months would be it.

Sitting in sunlight and/or direct heat is a real killer.

You can ruin a brand new tyre in six months if left in intense sun, or you can make it last decades by keeping it cool and sheltered. That's why a ten year age limit is dangerously stupid.

That's also why, when I worked at a tyre dealers, we kept our stock in a dark, cool shed.

Just as well British tyres aren't sold in Australia then, otherwise we wouldn't be able to move for wrecked tyres littering the countryside.
Guess Asian tyres must be made of sterner stuff because they sit out in the sun for years.


One hint from Michellin that might be useful is if storing the vehicle for more than a couple of months, pump the tyres up to maximum rated sidewall pressure to reduce flat spot problems

 

[in h]

Just as well British tyres aren't sold in Australia then, otherwise we wouldn't be able to move for wrecked tyres littering the countryside.
Guess Asian tyres must be made of sterner stuff because they sit out in the sun for years.

Yes, they could well be different.

Tyres are made using different compounds for different environments, different uses.

A tyre for artic conditions will be very different from one made for tropical conditions.

In the UK, we're in between.

Australia has a completely different range of environments, so I'd hope that the tyres would be made of different compounds.

One hint from Michellin that might be useful is if storing the vehicle for more than a couple of months, pump the tyres up to maximum rated sidewall pressure to reduce flat spot problems

Flat spots are not the problem. Degrading the plasticiser in the compound is the problem. That also makes the tyres harder and so flat spots can develop.

Increasing the pressure to max may stop flat spots, but it won't stop the underlying problem. You'd just be hiding the symptoms.

 

[TJC]

I would just like to offer this experience with other members. When I purchased my Autotrail Motorhome 11 years ago all that was provided was a tyreweld and pair of tough gloves. Following discussions on forums I decided to buty a spare rim and tyre “Just in case”……well on the way back from Orkney I had that blowout that tyreweld would have fixed NOT…..
View attachment 60024
View attachment 60025
The spare was successfully put on and I got home with my spare.
HOWEVER my son who was a policeman in the past said I may be fined with points as my spare was over 10 years old as the tyre regulations changed in February 2021 and this could/would get a 3 point penalty and immediate prohibition order.
Here is the link about this new law and Q&A after so it may help / inform people.
UK gov.uk link
Hope this is useful and yes my front tyres are only 7 years old. (Reading link private Motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes may not be included, but it’s advice is to risk assess all vehicles)
Cheers
Dave

So pleased you raised this issue with a blow-out. Tyre issues/problems can easily turn into a frightening disaster. in all my many years (some 30+years) of motorhome hols, in the UK & Europe. In all those years, I'v only ever had 2x occasions of tyre problems, both in France. 1st one in 1988 in Northern France with 5 KIds in a VW T2. After sevearal miles, couldn't understand why I couldn't get it past 50mph, stopped several times, looked at everything including the tyres. Eventually go a garage to have a look, put on the hoist, immediately seen 1x rear off side with bare steel of the tyre showing, where it lost about about a 150mm welt of rubber, full width, very strange.
The last experience was much more frightening, a blow-out, in nothern France again, 2019 on A16 south of Boulogne, at 70mph, in our '06 Hymer T. I thought I had lost the rear end on the Motorhome.
The tyres were all good, They were checked in a MOT done only weeks earlier. Had to get picked up by Emergency Services, 2x new tyres had to be fitted, €400, thats the legal requirement. Wrecked my brain trying to work out why? After much reviewing of checking proceedures, the only thing I can put in the frame, is Tyre Pressure below the required 5.5bar. Result, tyre overheats, then . So...every comment here is valuable if it helps someone to check, check & check Tyres again & again.
TJC

 

[Markd]

There's no legal limit to the age of tyres on private vehicles.
I've just changed the spare on my 2004 Bessacarr - it was the original fitment and I don't suppose it had done any mileage being on a steel rim rather than alloys.
It had some circumferentual cracking so I rather suspect it wouldn't have lasted long if I'd used it.
I'll probably be criticised for doing it but I put a much newer part worn tyre on because I won't be using for any longer than getting to a dealer for a replacement on a road wheel.

With regard to whether you should carry a spare some breakdown firms won't respond if you don't have a spare.
It could be tempting to save 35kg or so payload but only if you can get help if a tyre gets shredded.

 

[TJC]

Good to know about the legalaties, but....I think it's too easy for some to use that and take chances.Tyres, wheels & brakes are all thats between us and the road. When broke down on the side of a motorway, it comes home to all of us who have had that unpleasent experience, of feeling the power of traffic gojng past at 70, can be 80 in France or Germany. And, on the issue of cracks in the tyre walls, definitely not something to be ignored. About 4-5 years ago, I was sitting with a cup of coffee outside our home where the Hymer was parked alongside, when I noticed a a small crack in one of the front tyres. I got down on my knees, specs on and close up examination revealed many more. We were due for a long trip across France, through the south west and all the way to Allicanti and back, in the heat of July & August. Immediately left the coffee and off to the tyre shop and replaced all 4. Haning seen some on that journey who were not so luck, I was happy I did

 

[in h]

Yes, you were lucky. Many people would have finished their coffee before going to get new tyres. There are people who say that too much coffee can have bad health outcomes.
But your other point is just as valid: the condition of the tyres is what matters, not their age. They should be checked from time to time, not just each mot test.