another tyre question

[Mickey taker]

the o/s tyre on my folding camper has started showing wires right between where the sidewall joins the tread, any ideas what could cause this, didnt see them when I last pumped the tyres up 150 miles ago,it dosen't look like the tyres rubbing anywhere but the tyre may have been running about 6/8 psi low on the way here due to my owners book stating different psi to the website

[KevR]

If it's confined to one area, then probably due to damage (pothole, kerb etc), but if it's round a significant part of the circumference it's probably the internal structure of the tyre breaking down due to old age - next step is a big blow-out. Get them changed!

[Mickey taker]

Oh I am going to no worries but I just wondered what could have caused it in a short time

[KevR]

I'm guessing it doesn't get used very often - looked fine when you left home as the rubber kept the damaged steel fibres in place, but the damage was already done and a few miles bouncing around allowed the wires to work their way out.

[electrokid]

Most likely poorly moulded tyre - steel braid moved during moulding. Last time I saw that it was on Dunlops that had been fitted new to my Metro as supplied - in places the steel was poking out of tread that was deeper than legal -fitting a set of Michelins produced a completely different car - that whole set of Dunlops were obviously rubbish.

If both tyres were bought / fitted at the same time then the other one could be suspect as well. Sounds to me as if it's about to delaminate. If the tyre is an odd caravan or trailer size I would try to find a large tyre supplier where there's a lot of throughput - perhaps less chance of getting supplied with an old tyre.

[Gibbo2286]

Underinflation by that much is sure to cause damage, if your camping trailer is typical the wheels are smaller that those on the towing vehicle and rotate at near double the speed and that needs to be taken into consideration also.

[Brian]

Other precautions:-
If the caravan is stored out side.
1. cover the wheels/tyres to shield from the sun.
2. Jack up, so the self load is off the tyres.

[bx petrol auto saloon]

Dear Mick.
One thing I was thinking, but I am not a caravanning person Mick, do the tyres on your
camper have to be 6 ply tyres
Vince.

[Mickey taker]

im not surw Vince,
I have just realized the one that went was most likely the origional spare so would be 11 years old now, I put it on after a blow out this time last year, when I bought a replacement for the punctured tyre I made it very clear it was for a folding camper with max weight of a thousand kg