Alloy Wheels- Remis blinds

[AnnPaul]

Have a Rapido7087F (06) Was thinking about buying a new model, but after looking at loads of other vans, cannot find one that matches the one we have. So rather than trade it and lose loads of "dosh"we are thinking of up dating to make it a little smarter.

 

1 Alloy wheels look quite good and are a little lighter (so I understand) than the steel ones. Where is the best place/price to buy them?

 

2 Remis blinds, what do people who have these think of them and would we still need the exterior blinds in the winter. Again where to buy and at what price?

 

Many thanks

 

Paul & Ann

[Mel E]

My own views are:

 

1. Alloy wheels are hugely expensive and you are buying just for looks. Any weight-induced fuel saving will take years to pay back. And damage one and replacement cost is enormous.

 

2. I have Remis Blinds but have only fitted the side window ones, mainly because the front window one (a) does not fit properly to a LHD vehicle and (b) obscures the driver's view unacceptably.

 

Mel E

====

[Brian Kirby]

We are on our second van fitted with Remis blinds and, overall, I like them.  They have one disadvantage, which is that the blind casings are bulkier than the various van door/windscreen frames to which they fit.  They do somewhat restrict vision, but by how much, and whether this is a problem for you, depends in part on your build.  That is to say, the position of your eyes when driving relative to the windscreen (mainly the A pillar and the head of the screen) and the rear view mirrors (mainly the view out to the mirrors through the cab door windows).  Before buying therefore, it would be wise to sit in a similar cab to your own, that already has the blinds fitted.  You'll need to newish example, because there have been several incarnations of the Remis blinds and if you buy now, you will (should!!) get the latest.  The cab side window blinds have changed the least, the biggest change is in the windscreen blinds, the current version of which are bi-parting to meet in the centre of the windscreen, with the retracted blinds housed in slightly extended internal A pillar shrouds.  They are a DIY fit, provided you are reasonably competent with tools, although the fitting is rather fiddly.

What they are not, however, is an insulating blind.  They provide good black out and privacy, but they do not provide, and are not intended to provide, insulation against either heat losses or gains.  In practice they will, inevitably, provide a little insulation, because they are light in colour and so slightly reflective, and they impose an additional layer between internal, and external, environments.  However, such benefit is negligible and is best regarded as an incidental bonus.

They are quite fragile, but should prove adequate and reasonably durable if handled carefully.  If treated clumsily, or handled roughly, they will be damaged.  This will be obvious on inspection, since the fabric, although it is a sophisticated sandwich of synthetics and in itself surprisingly tough, is only the thickness of cartridge paper.  If you remember them, think Pleatex blinds with much improved "paper".

What they are, however, is ever present, whatever the weather, and wherever you stop.  They are immediately available to draw across the windows to keep the outside out, and the inside out of view.  Only you can decide if that is worth the cost.

I'm with Mel on the alloy wheels.  Just bling with little real benefit and a very high price tag.  Lighter than steel?  Yes, but the reduction in unsprung weight is liable to be small and, if you do what many seem to do and increase the tyre section for the new wheels, the weight of the larger tyres will eat up the theoretical advantage.  Does reducing unsprung weight improve ride comfort?  Yes, but these vehicles have rigid rear axles on cart springs and McPherson strut front ends, both designed to accommodate wide loading variations.  With more sophisticated suspension systems, on a vehicle designed for small load variation, you might detect a difference - but on a truck?  Save your money and leave well alone I say, unless you want to pay for the mere cosmetics.  Oh, and don't forget they'll add virtually zero to the re-sale value, despite their cost.

[Basil]

Don't know about the blinds as we have never had them although I looked at them when they started fitting them and decided they were not something I would want, mainly because they look 'ugly' fitted.

The wheels I think do look good and are a nice update but as the others have said are purely cosmetic. We have considered/ are still considering them and they are available at reasonable (IMO) prices from

 

http://www.tyresave.co.uk/alloyvan.html

 

for ours they start from £340 inclusive vat and delivery and are similar to the standard manufacturers wheel. I believe they improve/ update the look but only you can decide if you think they are worthwhile.

 

Bas

[Syd]

Fancy Alloy wheels just might attract someone to think that they should own them instead of you

[Abb]

Beware of cheap alloys! They may not be 'fit for the purpose' of 3.5T.

 

It's alright for a Fort Fiesta, but for a van they need to be designed for a van weighing at least 2.5T at all time.

[Basil]

Abb - 2008-08-03 8:51 PM

 

Beware of cheap alloys! They may not be 'fit for the purpose' of 3.5T.

 

It's alright for a Fort Fiesta, but for a van they need to be designed for a van weighing at least 2.5T at all time.

 

The alloys in my post i.e. from

 

http://www.tyresave.co.uk/alloyvan.html

 

are specifically for vans and all commercial vehicles.

 

Bas

[colin]

According to Adria, weight saving on set of 4 alloy's is 10kg, are there wheel trims that might look the part?

[Brian Kirby]

colin - 2008-08-03 9:13 PM According to Adria, weight saving on set of 4 alloy's is 10kg, are there wheel trims that might look the part?

1 Transit wheel + tyre weighs 25Kg, x 4 = 100Kg.  4 x alloys saves 10 Kg, so 1 saves 2.5Kg, that would bring each wheel down to 22.5Kg.  See what I mean about the weight saving not being that much?  It is a 10% reduction on the wheel, so better than nothing, but there's still all the other bits of inertia, the hubs, brakes and half the axle, all bobbing around unsprung as well, so whether you'd ever feel the difference, I rather doubt.

[BGD]

Don't touch alloys.

 

Stupidly expensive, often damaged when tyre changing, corrode like hell as soon as varnish starts to come off, easily cracked, easily nicked......basically just pouring money down the drain.

 

One option is to get your existing (I assume steel) wheels beadblasted and repainted (or even powder-coated if you want a really hardwearing finish).

Any good automotive paint shop can do this for you, and I bet the total cost would be a LOT less than a set of bling alloys.

[Guest peter]

Alloy Wheels.....Forget them.

Remis blinds.....Brilliant for privacy and the new front ones part in the middle, so don't obscure view out. You still need silver screens for insulation in the winter though.

[Derek Uzzell]

Paul & Ann:

 

I'm also no fan of alloy wheels on motorhomes (and I'd prefer not to have them on cars either given the choice, though they are a godsend on motorbikes compared to the traditional wire-spoked wheel) for all the negative reasons already given.

 

Regarding Remis-made cab blinds, I'm less prejudiced as, although they are hopeless for insulation, they are handy as quickly deployed sun-shades. It is worth pointing out that, if you are accustomed to use an exterior cab-glass insulating cover when cold-weather camping, you might hit problems attaching the cover to the cab doors once the Remis-blind door-window cassettes have been fitted. Depend how your present cover attaches to the doors.

 

I use interior insulating screens - significantly less efficient than the exterior variety in combatting condensation, but more convenient - and the original single-piece cab-door screens needed to be completely 're-engineered' to become two-piece so that they could be fitted individually behind the two-piece Remis blinds. My motorhome is Ford Transit based and I don't know off-hand what the cab side-window Remis blinds are like for a 2006 Ducato.

 

 

[rowley]

In the winter I use internal insulating screens instead of the Remis. Like Derek with his Transit, I have cut the standard Ducato insulating screen into two pieces and they fit ok within the Remis frame.

[Basil]

Derek Uzzell - 2008-08-04 9:15 AM

 

Paul & Ann:

I'm also no fan of alloy wheels on motorhomes (and I'd prefer not to have them on cars either given the choice, though they are a godsend on motorbikes compared to the traditional wire-spoked wheel) for all the negative reasons already given..................

 

Funny (and good) how we are all different! I would have alloys on any vehicle I have in preference to steel, in fact the motorhome is the only vehicle I have that does not have them. I am never convinced by wheel trims they will always look what they are, steel wheels pretending to be alloys, nothing in steel equals the cosmetic appearance of alloys.

Also I have never had one corrode, though I have had to have a kerb scuff mended (not me I might add!). I do though scruplessly clean them including removing from the vehicles and individually scrubb the insides and out and touching up any stone chips as neccessary on a twice yearly basis.

 

Bas

[panagah]

paul,

 

don't listen to them, there just getting old. :-D

 

Alloy wheels, bling? well yes they might be,

 

Attractive to thieves? of course they are.

 

crack and that? no not if you get a decent set.

 

As you can guess, I have alloy wheels, you dont need to change profile tyres as one comment has suggested. I run mine with camping car tyres from michellin.

 

They are more expensive and nearly all of what people have said on this post are correct.

except-- Us young boys love em, I love the wheels on my van and they really set it apart. They look good, they make the van look good, and many a motorhomer has commented on how nice they look.

 

Im chuffed to bits with mine and got them on a very good deal, they are correctly rated for my 3.5ton van. Its all a matter of taste, and me? I have loads of it, (lol)

 

 

[Mel B]

I've got visions of you with loads of gold chains and medallions hanging round your neck ... not sure why! :D ;-) B-)