Wednesday, June 16 2010
It has been one of the sunniest starts to the year on record, people who own caravans need to pay special attention to the tyres on their caravans before they take off on holiday. As caravans sit idle in the winter time, the tyres on the caravans can develop cracks that can render the tyres unsafe to ride upon. Tyres that are exposed to the suns UV rays can develop these cracks, which can pose a safety risk for caravan owners. In order to help caravan owners to recognize such problems, TyreSafe, the leading tyre safety organization in the United Kingdom, has added a new section to their online presence that is devoted to caravan tyre safety.
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The chairman of TyreSafe, Stuart Jackson, remarked that there had been around 20% more sunshine this year than normal, which is good news to those who have a desire to explore the great outdoors, but it is not so good for caravan tyres. Jackson explained that if caravan tyres are left unprotected from the sunlight in the off-season, it can lead to the tyres cracking that can cause a number of serious safety issues. He went on to point out that it was vitally important to take time out to thoroughly inspect caravan tyres to ensure that they are in good condition and are capable of getting caravan owners safely to their holiday location.
The anti-ageing chemicals that are found in tyre rubber compounds work the best when the tyres are used on a regular basis. The repetitive stretching of the rubber compound helps the tyre to resist cracking and makes sure that the tyre stays flexible and elastic. If tyres are staic or are exposed to the sunlight for a prolonged amount of time, the protective chemicals in the compound begin to breakdown and are ruined. In addition to damage caused by the sun’s UV rays, salt from coastal regions or salt used to melt snow and ice on winter roads can be detrimental to tyres.
Caravans that have been exposed to these conditions should be inspected before heading out on the road. Additionally, any caravan that has been parked for a while should have their tyres checked; tyres on parked caravans can suffer from carcass deformation.