Just replaced my 7 year old o/e tyres with Michelin Agilis Camper [£540 from Black Circle tyres]. The pressures suggested on my van [Autocruise Starseeker] are 60 front and 65 rear. Thought I'd email Michelin to get their take on it. they asked for actual axle weights, so I took it to the weighbridge, paid my £11 and found they were 1830 kg front and rear [fully loaded, long wheelbase, not a lot in the overhang]. Michelin's response was as below:
"I can confirm that Michelin's suggested tyre pressures for your motorhome fitted with 225/70 R15 CP Agilis Camping tyres are as follows:
Front 1830kg - 56psi
Rear 1830kg - 80psi
The suggested tyre pressure for the rear of a motorhome running on the Agilis Camping is 80psi. This is due to the construction of the tyre with 2 casing plies enabling the use of higher pressures. Its construction and the use of higher pressures is designed to cope with continual heavy loads sometimes found on Motorhomes and can help with wear pattern issues if lower pressures are used particularly on the rear axle.
The front pressures however are adjusted according to accurately weighed axle loads for a more comfortable ride and optimum performance."
To my ears, this sounds as though whatever the rear axle weight they will recommend 80 psi. In which case getting the precise axle weights seems pointless! And I'm also not happy with their reasoning - just because you can [run at max pressure] don't mean you should! Any thoughts?
"I can confirm that Michelin's suggested tyre pressures for your motorhome fitted with 225/70 R15 CP Agilis Camping tyres are as follows:
Front 1830kg - 56psi
Rear 1830kg - 80psi
The suggested tyre pressure for the rear of a motorhome running on the Agilis Camping is 80psi. This is due to the construction of the tyre with 2 casing plies enabling the use of higher pressures. Its construction and the use of higher pressures is designed to cope with continual heavy loads sometimes found on Motorhomes and can help with wear pattern issues if lower pressures are used particularly on the rear axle.
The front pressures however are adjusted according to accurately weighed axle loads for a more comfortable ride and optimum performance."
To my ears, this sounds as though whatever the rear axle weight they will recommend 80 psi. In which case getting the precise axle weights seems pointless! And I'm also not happy with their reasoning - just because you can [run at max pressure] don't mean you should! Any thoughts?