Tyres and tyre pressures ? (1 Viewer)

[headlight]

Experienced people on here can you school me on tyres and pressures please.
MH is a Swift Suntor, 5.9m long on a 2.3 litre mwb Ducato.
V5 says 3,400kgs.
I'm unsure of the overall weight or axle weights as I've not been able to find a weighbridge.
Front tyres are Continental Matador Maxilla, 215/70 R15c.
Tyres state max 65psi and are at 55psi.
Rears are Rotalla Transporter 215/70 R15c again stating max 65psi and are at 65psi.
Not carrying much onboard and no fresh water or waste water.
The back of the van is pretty wobbly, side to side.
Any thoughts other than air assist to stop the rear swaying side to side so much?

 

[funflair]

The important number off your tyres is the load rating, in should follow the size I think.

 

[Reallyretired]

As most motorhomes are pretty close to their MGW it's probably reasonable to use the max axle weights from the rating plate if you can't get an actual weight. The tyre manufacturers can then provide you with the correct pressures.

 

[Spriddler]

As said, get the front and rear 'axles' weight on a weighbridge then use the tyre pressure guide on the tyre maker's website. The Continental website has them.
Scrap/recycling yards, builders merchants and local authority tips have weighbridges. If not, Google for weighbridges in your area. There are certain to be some.

 

[headlight]

As said, get the front and rear 'axles' weight on a weighbridge then use the tyre pressure guide on the tyre maker's website. The Continental website has them.
Scrap/recycling yards, builders merchants and local authority tips have weighbridges. If not, Google for weighbridges in your area. There are certain to be some.

There is a council weighbridge but it can't do axle weights.
The local DVSA has stopped allowing the public to get vehicles weighed.

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[Reallyretired]

There is a council weighbridge but it can't do axle weights.
The local DVSA has stopped allowing the public to get vehicles weighed.

Is this so they can then prosecute them for being overweight?

 

[headlight]

The important number off your tyres is the load rating, in should follow the size I think.

Tyre load rating says max load 1030kgs

 

[Badknee]

There is a council weighbridge but it can't do axle weights.
The local DVSA has stopped allowing the public to get vehicles weighed.

Can’t or won’t? Three weighs, front wheels on, both wheels on, rear wheels on. Front axle weight, total weight, rear axle weight.

 

[headlight]

Tyre load rating says max load 1030kgs

Also says max inflation 75 psi although elsewhere on the tyre in big letters it says max 65 psi.

 

[headlight]

Can’t or won’t? Three weighs, front wheels on, both wheels on, rear wheels on. Front axle weight, total weight, rear axle weight.

I rang them and was told that they can't do individual axle weights only overall vehicle weight.

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[stevewagner]

You only need two weighs, total weight then one of the axles. Subtract one from the other and you get the other axle

 

[headlight]

I've found paperwork from June 2020 from Germany which states presented weight 2948kgs, DGW 3500kgs and front axle weight 1361kgs, rear axle weight 1587kgs.

 

[headlight]

You only need two weighs, total weight then one of the axles. Subtract one from the other and you get the other axle

Yes but the local council weighbridge says they can't give either axle weights.

 

[Just smiffy]

The max pressure is for the American market…. I’d say your pressure’s are about right for a comfortable ride, as for the swaying check suspension and think about air ride bags…

 

[cmcardle75]

I've found paperwork from June 2020 from Germany which states presented weight 2948kgs, DGW 3500kgs and front axle weight 1361kgs, rear axle weight 1587kgs.

Those are actual weights when it left the factory empty. I'd pressure according to max axle weights, or weights measured "as used".

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[headlight]

Those are actual weights when it left the factory empty. I'd pressure according to max axle weights, or weights measured "as used".

In June 2020 it was nearly 14 years old so not empty weights from the factory.
The paperwork is attached to the back of the June 2020 MOT.
It's from Sun, Snapon Equipment, GmbH, Konrad-Zuse-Strasse 1, Unterneukirchen ??

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

The leaf springs will also be tired I'd have thought, which allows the van to then sit down on bump stops at even minor road imperfections and when cornering.
There's probably a test for the leaf springs. Air ride will help, but if the leaf springs are cream crackered you need to fix that first, then look at some air ride bags which are an excellent investment as they improve the ride no end, they replace the old and tired solid bump stops.
Mike.

 

[cmcardle75]

In June 2020 it was nearly 14 years old so not empty weights from the factory.
The paperwork is attached to the back of the June 2020 MOT.
It's from Sun, Snapon Equipment, GmbH, Konrad-Zuse-Strasse 1, Unterneukirchen ??

Ah. OK, they're actual weights, but at the time of the certificate, so containing whatever it had at the time!

 

[OldCodger]

I found this site very usefull

Motorhome Tyre Pressure Calculator | TyreSafe

Our motorhome tyre pressure calculator gives you the correct pressures for your motorhome. Check your tyres regularly for your safety.

www.tyresafe.org

 

[Otter Spotter]

Contact Continental tyres on administrator.technical@Conti.de, give them the tyre size numbers include the tyre loading probably 109/107R give the each axle weight. Get that weight with the van loaded and they will give you the correct pressures for front and rear axles.

I have continental tyres and my van has been lightened so I got it weighed again and they came up with front 54.5 and rear 42.5 as my rear axle weight is much lighter than the front.

Do yourself a favour and find a weighbridge. Mine is at a agricultural feeds supplier, they weight the seed and grain coining in on wagons before payment. There are very few Public weighbridge snow and scrap yards will probably want to charge you something daft.

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[cmcardle75]

Contact Continental tyres on administrator.technical@Conti.de, give them the tyre size numbers include the tyre loading probably 109/107R give the each axle weight. Get that weight with the van loaded and they will give you the correct pressures for front and rear axles.

I have continental tyres and my van has been lightened so I got it weighed again and they came up with front 54.5 and rear 42.5 as my rear axle weight is much lighter than the front.

Do yourself a favour and find a weighbridge. Mine is at a agricultural feeds supplier, they weight the seed and grain coining in on wagons before payment. There are very few Public weighbridge snow and scrap yards will probably want to charge you something daft.

If you've got an old radiator, take it along with the van to a scrappie. They'll then pay *you* to get the van weighed.

 

[OldCodger]

To find a weighbridge start here

Find a weighbridge

Find your nearest weighbridge if you need to weigh your van, lorry, trailer, tractor or other vehicle

www.gov.uk

 

[Jev88]

Good start once you have axle weights.....

www.tyresafe.org

 

[headlight]

The leaf springs will also be tired I'd have thought, which allows the van to then sit down on bump stops at even minor road imperfections and when cornering.
There's probably a test for the leaf springs. Air ride will help, but if the leaf springs are cream crackered you need to fix that first, then look at some air ride bags which are an excellent investment as they improve the ride no end, they replace the old and tired solid bump stops.
Mike.

Leaf springs were replaced 3 years ago so I would imagine that they're ok.

 

[headlight]

To find a weighbridge start here

Find a weighbridge

Find your nearest weighbridge if you need to weigh your van, lorry, trailer, tractor or other vehicle

www.gov.uk

That just brings up the council weighbridge who have told me that they can only give a total weight.
I think I might go there and explain in person what I want.

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[OldCodger]

That just brings up the council weighbridge who have told me that they can only give a total weight.
I think I might go there and explain in person what I want.

Ah. For my area I got a couple of local farmers as well. I got mine done at a local grain merchants. They did the Front Axle/Both/Back Axle thing that Badknee mentioned.

 

[headlight]

Just got off the phone to them.
Managed to get them to understand what I want as the first time I spoke to them they told me I would have to take the axles off the vehicle.
They informed me it was £24 per individual weight so would be £72.

 

[OldCodger]

Just got off the phone to them.
Managed to get them to understand what I want as the first time I spoke to them they told me I would have to take the axles off the vehicle.
They informed me it was £24 per individual weight so would be £72.

Eeek. It £7 an axle for me. Cash Only guvnor’.

 

[headlight]

Eeek. It £7 an axle for me. Cash Only guvnor’.

They reckon that it's one weight per ticket.
A ticket is £24 so 3 £24 tickets = £72.

 

[Spriddler]

Eeek. It £7 an axle for me. Cash Only guvnor’.

Yep, mine too - cash

Last time I pulled up to the weighbridge kiosk at the local scrapyard in my 27 yr old Compass m/h he leaned out of the window and shouted for all to hear: "Sorry mate we don't take vehicles".

How we all laughed.............