Why is my caravan tyre cracking when the tread still looks fine?

This is one of the most common and most misunderstood tyre problems we see on the coast, and it is worth taking seriously. Caravan tyres usually fail from age rather than wear, because a caravan spends far more time parked up than being driven. Sitting still, exposed to sunlight, cold and the salt air you get near the Suffolk coast, the rubber slowly dries out and perishes, which shows up as fine cracks in the sidewall even though the tread looks barely used. Those cracks weaken the tyre and are a genuine blowout risk once you are loaded up and back on the road. As a rule of thumb, caravan tyres are often due for replacement around five to seven years old regardless of tread depth. Bring the caravan or the wheels into our Leiston branch, and we will carry out a tyre safety check and advise honestly on whether your caravan tyres are still safe or due for changing before your next trip.