Tyre recommendations - the big, expensive black things on the wheels.. (1 Viewer)

[rolandrat]

That's a good question, I think that all coach built motorhomes do have the "Camper" spec tyres but not the van conversions, why, I don't know. One thing I do know is that tyres that don't have the camper spec have a tendency to show sidewall cracking for some reason or other. I used to own a Merc Hymer which suffered with sidewall cracking although the treads were like new, I ended up having to replace all of them. That hasn't been the case with the Camper spec ones, they seem to be well made. Another observation was that the standard tyres were run at lower pressures to the Camper tyres.
I haven't seen or heard of any Camper tyres that have suffered with sidewall cracking and I have been running on them for some considerable time.

 

[rolandrat]

I would imagine that there probably is some ex Michelin or Goodyear tyre makers that own motorhomes who could give some sound advice about tyres and their life span. There are many transport organisations that run on remould tyres, as long as the carcase is sound then new treads can be put on. Just take a close look at some petrol tankers, if remoulds weren't suitable they would be banned from use.

 

[SomeoneElse]

A question then. Do brand new motorhomes, straight from the factory come with camper tyres ?

My Bailey 625 was new in June and came with Michelin 215/70 R15 CP tyres. The front ones have a 0113 date code, one of the rear ones has a 4112 code. I can't find a code on the other rear, and its not for looking, maybe its only on the inner side.

I assume the fronts were fitter by Peugeot and the rears on the Alko chassis by Bailey

Gordon

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[petrol tin glyn]

if you put camper tyres on or budget tyres on you can still get punchers ? and camper tyres are prone to cracking i have replaced to sets of mitchellin with good tread on ,if your only doing about 5,000mls a year and most of the time parked up why not use budget tyres with the right loading and spec and you can change more often and your tyre dealer should advise you (we/us) are not speeders are we???:thumb:

 

[Spenders]

It's a personal choice...

if you put camper tyres on or budget tyres on you can still get punchers ? and camper tyres are prone to cracking i have replaced to sets of mitchellin with good tread on ,if your only doing about 5,000mls a year and most of the time parked up why not use budget tyres with the right loading and spec and you can change more often and your tyre dealer should advise you (we/us) are not speeders are we???:thumb:

That's alright if the puncture is a very straightforward one, where the tyre goes down very slowly and predictably, maybe whilst the vehicle is stood overnight.

What I worried about was the incident where the tyre literally goes bang, with big lumps of rubber flying off, maybe ripping away the delicate but expensive body panels of my coachbuilt, leading to immediate handling problems which could lead to a crash or turning over.... no we're not speeders in the stereotypical sense, but at 60mph on a motorway the results could be disastrous. Never mind the monetary cost and inconvenience, I don't want my family to be exposed to that scenario if possible.

I know that there are no absolute guarantees in this life, and it could still happen, even with camping tyres, but the relatively small extra cost (measured against the cost of a vehicle well into the multi-thousands of pounds) it's a cost I am willing to pay for the peace of mind I get from knowing that I've tried my best to be as safe as possible.

Simon

 

[vwalan]

puncture is a puncture . no matter what tyre you have .get a bolt go into the tyre at 60mph on a motorway .unless you have run flats or something else the tyre will be knacked by the time you get to a place to change the wheel.
most blow outs are caused by damaged tyres . bad side walls etc . or hitting a stone or kerb earlier in its life .
there as over the years been tyres that had problems in manufacturing . some the cases broke down prematurely . some ,wore out very quickly . these usually get sorted hastily .
or they disappear for good .
i would go as far as say some like the uniroyal max t2 were so long lasting and grippy that they discontinued them . always denying it was because sales came down .
they were possibly the best van /camper tyre i have ever come across and looked nice as well.
keep a regular check on tyres ,side walls and tread . plus always change the valves when changing tyres . certainly the rubber ones . they do perish . had to change one on my bongo only the other day it broke while washing the wheel . luckily i carry spares and could soon change it .mind i was at home .

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[Sandancers]

That's alright if the puncture is a very straightforward one, where the tyre goes down very slowly and predictably, maybe whilst the vehicle is stood overnight.

What I worried about was the incident where the tyre literally goes bang, with big lumps of rubber flying off, maybe ripping away the delicate but expensive body panels of my coachbuilt, leading to immediate handling problems which could lead to a crash or turning over.... no we're not speeders in the stereotypical sense, but at 60mph on a motorway the results could be disastrous. Never mind the monetary cost and inconvenience, I don't want my family to be exposed to that scenario if possible.

I know that there are no absolute guarantees in this life, and it could still happen, even with camping tyres, but the relatively small extra cost (measured against the cost of a vehicle well into the multi-thousands of pounds) it's a cost I am willing to pay for the peace of mind I get from knowing that I've tried my best to be as safe as possible.

Simon

This was the basis for my question. If you bought a MH brand new and it did NOT have camper tyres on it, would you rush out and replace the four / five brand new unused tyres ?

 

[cmcardle75]

That's a good question, I think that all coach built motorhomes do have the "Camper" spec tyres but not the van conversions, why, I don't know. One thing I do know is that tyres that don't have the camper spec have a tendency to show sidewall cracking for some reason or other.

If you're worried about sidewall cracking, save the cash, buy normal tyres and spend some of the difference on wheel covers that will absorb the UV. A standard commercial tyre can last 15 or 20 years looked after properly.

 

[petrol tin glyn]

i think you will find that there could be an insurance issue if tyres are over a certain age? There is a date stamped on the side wall and a load rating so be careful

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[Techno]

No there is not an insurance issue
tyres are judged on their condition not their manufacture date.

 

[vwalan]

the load ratting must be high enough . i certainly dont know or have ever come across any problem with age . i did insurance accident work . many old vehicles go out of the way to have period tyres on . cetainly in concourse its important to be period .

 

[petrol tin glyn]

i think that there is a shelf life on a tyre and i was led to believe a tyre could not be fitted after the expiry date runs out oh: my Mitchs were cracked to death and only 8 years old sent them back to Mitchelin nothing could be done because of age limit

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[vwalan]

you may think that.

 

[vwalan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tire_companies
just saw this on another forum thought some might find it interesting .
i did.

 

[Jaws]

Had to replace all mine last year as they had started to crack..

Could not get the Mich's at the time and opted for the Hancook equivalent..

Boy am I glad that is how it worked out..

We never realised how noisy the Mich's were.. nor how awful grip wise they were until the change..

arned Hancooks have never once got us stuck ( even in deep quagmire like conditions ) and we can now talk in normal voices rather than shouting at each other !! ( the van is plated at 4.1t and we are always REALLY close to that too ! )

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[John745]

blow out control

One of the main elements of this post is of course safety, so for those who would like some help in case of emergency which everyone hopes never happens.
Have a look at this it may help.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkwOE1yKY5c"]How to Handle a Tire Blowout in Your RV - YouTube[/ame].

Happy motoring

 

[Trikeman]

Hi All,
thanks for the information, opinions and preferences - makes for an interesting debate for sure.:thumb:

An observation, interpretation or a question I guess???

If a motorhome manufacturer builds a motorhome and fits it with a 'specific' type of tyre (ie a camper specific - I believe the chassis would either come with van tyres or be specified with camper specific tyres) which is a lot more expensive, why would they do that? Couldn't they make more profit (or cheaper vans) if they were 'cheaper' non-camper specific tyres fitted - no?

I have been asked every time I insure a motorhome "has the van been modified in any way from supply by the manufacturers" - answer is usually no, unless I have a bike rack or satellite. You get your insurance price, and off you go happy as Larry - Later you fit slightly cheaper, non-camper specific tyres, which perform well and give no problems and a good ride........

Heaven forbid that it happens to one of us, but what if you crashed, flipped or hit a bridge leg? A £35k motorhome insured for £400.00 suddenly becomes a slight liability to the insurance company who duly sends around their friendly Loss Adjuster. Now, whether the cheaper, non-camper specific tyres were the causation factor for the crash or not, what would we 'assume' the Loss Adjuster may formulate.
In front of him he has a crashed, bloody expensive vehicle with tyres that are of a different type (not manufacturer) of tyres fitted to the ones originally fitted (specified) by the motorhome manufacturer, a cheaper 'alternative'.

Does anyone think the Loss Adjusters' report would be favourable? After all, the vehicle has different tyres fitted and who's manufacturer would no doubt state 'are not recommended' for motorhome use...............

This is not my picture of life - it's a question and one which could start a debate around the important area of insurance v 'changes to manufacturers supply'.

Apologies for the long windedness of the thread but one I believe may get us to think.

Regards,

Trikeman.

 

[vwalan]

using commercials as a guide on the ministry plate there is size ie, 215.75 x16 and usually the load rating to be used . when going for mot if thats not right you fail .
german friends have a similar system written on their log book document . but again tyre size, and load rating but no mention of camper spec .
are you just imagining these senarious ?. i think you are . ring a local independant assessor and ask them , i,m sure a local car body shop can give you their number . at least then you can get proper advice by them .
i still say commercial tyres will be ok . but try it and let us know .

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[vwalan]

just rang our local loss adjuster but he wasnt answering his phone .when he gets back to me i shall let you know . but do try your area . be an interesting one to see how thoughts go.

 

[TheBig1]

for those of you doubting about the safety issue of old tyres on a heavy vehicle. spare a moment for the 3 people who died because a coach company fitted an old tyre to save money
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...olving-coach-operated-Merseypride-Travel.html

when you consider only a few square inches touch the road on each tyre, making sure they are in good condition and appropriate for load and conditions is more important.

I was looking at a display tyre cut in half at my local company some years ago, and the owner who has spent decades in the trade explained the parts to me. when static, the sidewalls take the weight, so need to be thicker than the tread area. on reinforced tyres, such as on campers and heavy load applications, the sidewall is really thick and reinforced. a normal tyre would crack under the pressure. uv degradation is only a limited part of tyres cracking and failing

people spend many thousands on buying their motorhome then object to paying an extra £200 every few years for safety. it really does not make sense to me.

 

[The Wino]

I would have thought that any loss adjuster would look for ways of reducing the insurance liability but if they are fitted by a national chain of fitters it would be their responsibility to fit only tyres suitable and legal for the vehicle they are being fitted to.....they would also be liable if not suitable for purpose and liable for injuries etc. That is why they are so strict on puncture repairs these days (and to make more money) How about other van conversions cranes etc that have a heavy body conversion do they all have camper tyres?

If anyone is worried about insurance adjusters never do any diy always keep receipts for any work done have a cab camera a regular medical make sure the windscreen is clear etc etc in short get a static caravan (hold on a minute it might blow over!).

It probably is better to get camper tyres but I wonder if they are that different given how many miles most of us cover in a moderate climate.

David

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[Sandancers]

Hi All,
thanks for the information, opinions and preferences - makes for an interesting debate for sure.:thumb:

An observation, interpretation or a question I guess???

If a motorhome manufacturer builds a motorhome and fits it with a 'specific' type of tyre (ie a camper specific - I believe the chassis would either come with van tyres or be specified with camper specific tyres) which is a lot more expensive, why would they do that? Couldn't they make more profit (or cheaper vans) if they were 'cheaper' non-camper specific tyres fitted - no?

I have been asked every time I insure a motorhome "has the van been modified in any way from supply by the manufacturers" - answer is usually no, unless I have a bike rack or satellite. You get your insurance price, and off you go happy as Larry - Later you fit slightly cheaper, non-camper specific tyres, which perform well and give no problems and a good ride........

Heaven forbid that it happens to one of us, but what if you crashed, flipped or hit a bridge leg? A £35k motorhome insured for £400.00 suddenly becomes a slight liability to the insurance company who duly sends around their friendly Loss Adjuster. Now, whether the cheaper, non-camper specific tyres were the causation factor for the crash or not, what would we 'assume' the Loss Adjuster may formulate.
In front of him he has a crashed, bloody expensive vehicle with tyres that are of a different type (not manufacturer) of tyres fitted to the ones originally fitted (specified) by the motorhome manufacturer, a cheaper 'alternative'.

Does anyone think the Loss Adjusters' report would be favourable? After all, the vehicle has different tyres fitted and who's manufacturer would no doubt state 'are not recommended' for motorhome use...............

This is not my picture of life - it's a question and one which could start a debate around the important area of insurance v 'changes to manufacturers supply'.

Apologies for the long windedness of the thread but one I believe may get us to think.

Regards,

Trikeman.

If your MH tyres were worn out and you went to Kwik-fit or wherever and asked them to fit a set of replacements, you'd assume that Kwik-fit were competent enough to fit the correct tyres. Doubt you'd then tell the insurance Co that you'd had now tyres fitted. If you then had a crash, no blame could be attached to you if the tyres were in anyway at fault as you'd be deemed to have been advised by experts.

 

[Trikeman]

Hi All,
well after thinking long and hard I took the plunge and replaced the tyres with 215X75R16C Michelin Campers and I have to say the difference in ride is night and day compared to the originals. I had them set to the same pressures and the MH's road manners are significantly better.
The fitter showed me the insides of the originals (they were about 7 years old but still with excellent tread) and they were showing signs of cracking internally - he said the sidewalls, though a lot stronger on the camper tyres, had probably lost their 'rigidity' over the years. Now, whether that's true or not the cornering with the news tyres is TOTALLY different, more positive, predictive and more 'reassuring'.

Thankfully I had a cracking deal on them fitted and after the long thinking spell I am glad I bought the Michelins - certainly quieter too, with a smother ride. I certainly wish I had never hesitated.

Just some feedback - thanks to all who got involved in the debate.

Trikeman.

 

[petrol tin glyn]

hi to one and all just a point i would like to make there is a date stamped on the tyre and tells how old the tyre is , tyre people do not tell you this ,so you could have tyres that are 3/4 years old when fitted, just saying they are an expensive item so look at the date so you get fresh tyres fitted.:thumb::thumb::thumb:

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[Brian and Jo]

Tyres

hi to one and all just a point i would like to make there is a date stamped on the tyre and tells how old the tyre is , tyre people do not tell you this ,so you could have tyres that are 3/4 years old when fitted, just saying they are an expensive item so look at the date so you get fresh tyres fitted.:thumb::thumb::thumb:

HI there Glyn,yes it is possible,we had a local guy in a couple of weeks ago and he had a tyre fitted on his car in london while he was away and it was dated 4610.(the 46th wk of 2010)
brian