Tyre selection

Hi,
The tyres on my camper are getting a bit iffy. Still legal but replacements are recommended.

I had a closer look and realised that one of the rears is 6PR rated, too, whereas the others are all 8PR. Not ideal.

This is a P/T 4WD Hiace, and the stock tyres are 195R15C (LT). The ones that are on it, and most replacements in this size, are marketed as 4WD tyres but I don't do much driving off-road and I think that it might be better to get something more road-orientated.

On previous (non-4WD) campervans I've been very happy with Michelin commercial vehicle tyres (eg Agilis), but these aren't available in 195R15C. Looking at equivalent sizes I believe that 215/70R15C or 225/70R15C would be close (the 215s are slightly smaller, the 225s almost the same). These are reasonably popular van tyre sizes, so prices arn't too bad- from around £100 a corner (online price for Conti Vanco 225/70s) to £130 or so for motorhome specific ones. Less for budget tyres, though that's not my preference.

I'm slightly concerned about the jump from 195 to 225 on the stock rims, which I believe are 6". This is about the limit for a 225 low-profile tyre, maybe less of an issue at these section-sizes?

Anyone using Van tyres on their 4WD Hiace? What size did you choose and is this a route you'd recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
W.

In Dec 2009 I had some Bridgestone D684 205/70/15/T/4x4 fitted and balanced at home for £310.59 the set incl vat .
Before this I had budget van tyres (195) and I wish I'd switched years ago. Made the ride much smoother and more car like. This was a budget choice at the time....I think these are the tyres below
http://www.etyres.co.uk/car-tyres-uk/detail?productId=552
If you click on the search button it will show some alternatives...I'd also recommend the firm based on my experiences with them

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the reply... Interesting.

Those look underspec to me- both in terms of size (205/70 is 50mm smaller diameter, about 3.5%) and load rating- they are listed as 96T, which is 710 Kg per tyre, My export certificate lists max GVW as 2655Kg, 665Kg a corner, which doesn't seem much of a margin...?

Can you tell what the original spec for your van was from the door jamb plate? Mine lists either 6PR or 8PR "LT" (Light Truck) tyres, suggesting that those Bridgestones are inadequate... and I know from driving old VW Transporters that they are much more stable with LT/Commercial/Reinforced tyres.

Cheers,
W.

205x70x15...95Q on the door jamb.....I know the bridgestones are not super heavy duty, but comfort had become an issue. + I'd assume there is a margin within the specified margin?...I think they are OK for mine
The selling dealer fitted the 195s van tyres....rock hard ride and no comfort.
Mine is a standard 2.8 pt 4x4...not the extra long version....

Hi again,
Right, that is interesting- those are clearly the right size and within spec for your van!

I wonder if there's any difference in the transmission and even the speedometer calibration between these models... Mine is an LH129 chassis, same 2.8 n/a engine and p/t 4wd with a three-speed autobox and overdrive. The speedo over-reads by a few percent compared to a GPS, so if I were to put 205/70s on it, that would get worse... any idea how accurate yours is?

I guess the extra size of the van- the base vehicle is a high-roof and over half a metre longer- makes a difference, though whether it actually weighs much more in normal use is moot...

The van currently has Bridgestone Light Truck tyres on it and I don't find the ride harsh but maybe I'm conditioned to that- I used to run a '78 VW camper (a good bit smaller than my Hiace) with "8-Ply Rated" Michelin Agilis van tyres on +1 sized alloys and uprated shocks/anti-roll bars- it was quite firm-riding but much more stable than the stock setup.

A different VW type-2 I had a few years ago had a single(!) 225-section tyre on a stock steel rim (5.5J, IIRC) when I bought it. It fitted OK... I think 225s would be OK on the Hiace but I'm a bit wary of spending hundreds of pounds on an experiment that I'd have to live with for a while!!

Looks like the specific model you have (d684) isn't available in an LT version that matches the spec for mine... If a highway orientated 4x4 tyre works well, though, maybe that would be a better option?
I'll do a bit more digging... Anyone else have any experiences to share?

Cheers,
W.

I would'nt worry to much over gps calibration....our stock ford focus is around 4mph off...not measured the van.
The tyre difference (195 to 205) effect on top speed is tiny...Its still just over 84mph without a tailwind.
I know most posters favour larger than 205
Have a look at this though to see the theoretical speed difference on what you choose
http://www.alloywheels.com/TyreCalc.asp

Hi,
Interim update- The online supplier tyres-pneus-online (www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk) listed Michelin Agilis in 195R15C.. This is wierd because I can't find that size anywhere on Michelin's site(s)!
I ordered a set, since the price seemed reasonable, and when the order was processed I emailed to confirm the model & size- I got a reply within an hour assuring me they had them, and it would take 4-5 working days to ship them to me. That was Thursday afternoon. I received further emails with confirmation of despatch and tracking information and they arrived Tuesday morning (3rd working day after placing the order). I checked the manufacturing date in case they were old-stock... Nope: made in the last six months... Michelin Agilis 195R15C 106R, 8-ply rated, load range-D.
Got them fitted today- initial impressions are excellent- the van feels much more stable, steering is lighter (tracking was sorted, too). Ride quality is fine, they don't seem any harder than the previous Bridgestones, and while the ride is quite firm it's not uncomfortable. Personally I prefer a firm, stable ride over a softer one, so this might just be me, or it might be they are a good match for a big, heavy HiAce.
Will update next week after we've put a few more miles on.

I'm curious as to why these aren't listed by Michelin, though! If anyone knows why this would be, please enlighten me :-)

Cheers,
W.

Total cost- 4xTyres, fitting, tracking and MOT test, just under 500 quid.

Hi,
Done a couple of longer trips, now, including a 300 mile round trip up the A9 north of Inverness with a boat trailer.

I'm very pleased with these tyres, they seem to be quieter than the previous ones and economy may have improved a little, too (Michelin say it should but I suspect much of it's down to keeping the pressures right).
The van drives much better- more stable in corners and in crosswinds. Ride quality with these seems fine to me, though I can understand that some Commercial tyres might be too hard, especially with a lighter van.

The tyres aren't M+S rated, so I expect winter/off-road grip isn't as good but don't anticipate that being an issue for me. I may look into winter tyres at some stage if it looks necessary (eg another winter like '10/'11, not '11/'12!)

At this stage I would recommend seeking them out; I'm glad I did. I'm hoping that it'll now be quite a while before I need to do so again!

Cheers,
W.