How to date tyres with no visible DOT code?

LukeB_92

One caravan-specific point to keep in mind while you are looking for the code.

Caravan tyres usually age out long before they wear out. A caravan spends most of its life standing in one position, often outdoors, so deterioration from age, sunlight and standing under load can be internal and not obvious from tread depth or a quick look for splits. For that reason, caravan guidance commonly works on replacement at around five years old, and certainly not stretching much beyond seven, regardless of how good the tread looks.

That matters here because, as mentioned above, that tyre range dates from 2017 onwards - so depending on the code you find on the inner wall, they may already be at or past the age where replacement is due anyway. If you cannot establish a date at all after checking the inner wall, treating the age as unknown is itself a reason for caution rather than assuming they are fine because they look fine.

If you do take a wheel off to check, make sure the caravan is properly supported for wheel removal and not relied on just a jack or the corner steadies.

knightstyle

Well I managed to get a wheel off, why do they do the wheel nuts up so tight! Anyway there is still no DOT number anywhere. But there is a CBB 0418. stamped on the inside and the tyres look good, no cracks so I think Turkey stamp CBB instead of DOT and the tyres are April 2018.

Yes, I used a good jack and some blocks to get it up off the ground.

Has anyone seen CBB instead of DOT on tyres?

eskbanker

But there is a CBB 0418. stamped on the inside and the tyres look good, no cracks so I think Turkey stamp CBB instead of DOT and the tyres are April 2018

Can't help on the significance of CBB but with DOT codes, 0418 means week 4 of 2018, not month, i.e. January rather than April…

Goudy

The only CBB term related to tyres I know are "Counteract Balancing Beads".

They are common on things like trailers and caravans, there is usually a tag or mark on the valve cap and have different valves as well to let anyone removing the tyre know and stop the beads blocking up the valve core.

These are small beads or a bag of beads that are put inside tyres that when spun at speed, they get held against the opposite side of the tyres to the heaviest spot to help balance it out (so the beads get flung to opposite the valve as that is often the heaviest point).

I would suspect 0418 is the manufacture date and as already mentioned, week 4 of 2018.

knightstyle

Thanks, now edited, I am sure this is the date as it is pressed into the tyre and other markings are raised.

daveyjp

A pair of new tyres are cheaper than a blow out which causes the whole unit to snake and flip over.

Rodders53

At that 2018 age they need replacing… NOW. 5 and 7 are common limits on life from the Caravanning Clubs from date of manufacture. Check the spare wheel as well!!

See https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/advice-and-training/taking-care-of-your-outfit/caravan-tyres-and-wheels/

Get assurances from any tyre supplier that the 'new' ones will have a 2026 manufacture year… I had one hell of a job with my last van and the tyre people (who really couldn't understand the lifetime limit: hence a recently made date that I wanted).

Also get a torque wrench to ensure you have refitted the wheel nuts properly —- they are often a pretty high torque number and may be indicated on the wheel arch and/or the caravan manuals.

Note that 'standards' have changed over the years and tyre load ratings might need uprating a bit for added safety. Ditto the torque/wheel nuts have been upgraded over the years (after some wheel detachment issues). Check with caravan makers and/or a reputable Caravan Service technician.