What makes a good touring tyre for a grey nomad?

Full-time and long-term touring is a different job again from a weekend away. You cover big distances on hot sealed highways, drop onto gravel and outback tracks, and do it all with a heavily loaded 4WD or wagon pulling a van or camper. The tyre that survives that is chosen for load capacity, carcass strength and endurance — not grip or sportiness. As Australia’s touring guides put it, light-truck (LT) tyres with “a stronger carcass” are the sensible default for both the tow vehicle and the van.

The mistake to avoid is treating the tow vehicle and the van as separate problems. They are one system that has to carry a combined load safely for weeks at a time, so the tyres are best chosen together.

How do I get the load rating right on both vehicle and van?

This is the number that keeps you legal and safe. The rule from Club 4X4’s touring guide is unambiguous: a tyre’s “load rating must meet or exceed the Gross Vehicle Mass of the vehicle or Gross Trailer Mass of the van.” In other words, work out the loaded weight, divide across the tyres, and choose a load index above that per tyre.

The worked example touring authorities use: a tandem-axle van with a Gross Trailer Mass of 2000 kg spreads across four tyres, so each needs a load index of at least 90 — about 600 kg per tyre. Do the same sum for your tow vehicle at its loaded GVM. Our tyre load index chart for Australian vehicles converts the codes, and the towing-specific rules are in tyre rules for towing: load ratings, GVM and GCM explained. Because a touring rig is always heavy, buy with margin above the minimum.

Ply rating and construction

For the corrugations and stone damage of outback tracks, touring guides recommend eight- or ten-ply ratings (load range D or E) for protection against staking and sidewall damage. The reasoning behind LT construction is set out in LT vs P-metric tyres: the difference that matters in Australia. Do not drop to a lighter passenger-construction tyre to save money or weight — it is the most common and most expensive touring tyre mistake.

Should the tow vehicle and van run matching tyres?

Where practical, yes. Touring guides note that “when touring in remote areas, it is useful to have a vehicle and van fitted with matching wheels and tyres” — the same stud pattern, offset and a tyre with the same rolling radius. The payoff is that a single spare can serve both the vehicle and the van, which is a real advantage a thousand kilometres from a tyre shop. That interchangeability feeds directly into how many spares you carry, covered in do you need two spares for the Simpson Desert or Cape York?

What pressures should a touring rig run?

On sealed highways, run the laden pressures suited to your loaded weight and check them cold. On dirt and gravel, touring guidance is to drop pressures to around 25 psi to absorb corrugations and reduce puncture risk — but you “shouldn’t tow at more than 80 km/h on dirt” because lower pressures build heat, and you must re-inflate to road pressures before returning to sealed roads. The detail is in tyre pressures for towing a caravan and tyre pressures for corrugated dirt roads. This is exactly why a decent 12 V compressor is standard touring kit.

When should touring tyres be replaced?

By age, not just tread — and this matters more for tourers than anyone. Touring authorities note that “tyres only have a useful life of between five and six years before the rubber deteriorates,” regardless of how much tread remains. A van that sits for months between trips can have plenty of tread but perished, cracking rubber. Check the date code, inspect for cracking and UV damage, and don’t set off across the country on aged rubber. See do tyres expire: shelf life vs road life in Australia, and note that a spare that has never touched the road still ages the same way.

Highway-terrain or all-terrain for the tow vehicle?

It depends on how far off the bitumen you roam. A rig that sticks mostly to sealed highways with occasional gravel is best on a highway-terrain (H/T) tyre for the quietest, longest-wearing, most economical tow. One that regularly tackles dirt tracks and remote routes wants a quality all-terrain (A/T) for its tougher casing, accepting the noise and wear penalty. The trade-offs are laid out in best towing tyres for a dual-cab ute and, for the big open crossings, best tyres for towing a caravan across the Nullarbor. For the roughest tracks, see best tyres for outback corrugations.

Bottom line: Think of your rig as one system. Fit LT tyres with a load rating that clears your loaded GVM and van mass, match sizes so a single spare covers both where you can, run laden pressures on bitumen and lowered pressures under 80 km/h on dirt, carry a proper spare, and replace by age at five to six years. Endurance, not grip, is what gets a grey nomad home.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need LT tyres for touring, or will passenger tyres do?

For a loaded touring rig, LT construction is the sensible default on both tow vehicle and van — the stronger carcass resists staking and sidewall damage on corrugated tracks. Passenger-construction tyres are the common and costly mistake.

What load rating do my touring tyres need?

Enough that each tyre’s load index meets or exceeds its share of the loaded GVM (vehicle) or Gross Trailer Mass (van). For a 2000 kg tandem van that is about a load index of 90, or 600 kg per tyre. Buy with margin.

Should my caravan and 4WD have the same tyres?

Where practical, matching stud pattern, offset and rolling radius means one spare can serve both vehicle and van — a big advantage in remote areas.

What tyre pressure should I use on dirt roads?

Around 25 psi as a guide, towing no faster than 80 km/h because lower pressures build heat, then reinflate to road pressures before returning to sealed roads.

How old is too old for a touring tyre?

Around five to six years, regardless of tread, because the rubber deteriorates with age and UV exposure. That includes an unused spare.

Sources: Club 4X4 — Essential guide to tyres for your 4×4, caravan or camper trailer; RV Daily — Essential guide to caravan and 4×4 tyres. Loads, pressures and sizes vary by rig — confirm against your vehicle and van placards and with your tyre retailer.