Tyre experts

[DonB]

I know this has been covered before and I thought I understood till I phoned a dealer for new tyres. I have Continental Vanco 8s 215/75R 16C 113/111R fitted since new. I wanted the same tyres fitted as two are worn down. Am OK as regards age and walls on the other tyres. I have been asked do I want Vanco or Vanco 2 or Vanco Camping. I do not know what I have got. Does anyone know? Thanks.

[Derek Uzzell]

DonB - 2010-12-03 3:42 PM

 

I know this has been covered before and I thought I understood till I phoned a dealer for new tyres. I have Continental Vanco 8s 215/75R 16C 113/111R fitted since new. I wanted the same tyres fitted as two are worn down. Am OK as regards age and walls on the other tyres. I have been asked do I want Vanco or Vanco 2 or Vanco Camping. I do not know what I have got. Does anyone know? Thanks.

 

I'm in much the same position as you, as my motorhome has tyres identical to yours and I would also prefer to replace two of them with another pair of Vanco-8s.

 

What has happened is that Continental has followed Michelin's lead and stopped branding Vanco 8-ply-rated and 10-ply-rated tyres separately. So the "Vanco-8" and Vanco-10" brand-names have been dropped and the latest "Vanco 2" range covers both 8PR and 10PR tyres. You can see this from the following webpage:

 

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/automobile/themes/van-tires/summer-tires/vanco-2/vanco-2,tabNr=2.html

 

You'll note that the "Vanco 2" 215/75 R16C size is available as 8PR 113/111R (equivalent load-index/speed-rating to your Vanco-8s) or 10PR 116/114R (equivalent to the old Vanco-10). However, Vanco 2's tread-pattern is not the same as the pattern that was used for Vanco-8 or Vanco-10.

 

Continental's website also refers to the "Vanco" brand-name and it seems to be possible to obtain a 215/75 R16C (10PR) 116/114R size. The website picture of the Vanco tread-pattern strongly suggests that this tyre would be a clone of the old Vanco-10 that had a tread pattern similar to that of Vanco-8.

 

"VancoCamper" is aimed at the motorhome market and is also available in 215/75 R16C (10PR) 116/114R size.

 

So you've got a fair amount of choice (as have I) if you choose to stick with Continental. If you want something with the same 113/111 load-index as your present Vanco-8s, then opt for the 8PR Vanco 2. If you'd prefer a higher load-index, then you could go for Vanco 2, Vanco or Vanco Camper.

 

You may find the "Vanco" version less widely available in the UK than "Vanco 2" or VancoCamper". You may also still be able to find Vanco-8s if you really look for them. (If you do locate some, make sure they haven't been kicking around for ages.) Also compare prices carefully.

 

If it helps, I shall probably go for the Vanco 2 215/75 R16C (8PR) 113/111R.

[Brian Kirby]

According to Conti's website, Vanco 2 is really a tyre for car derived vans and is not made in 215/75 R16C 113/111R, so you can count that one out.

As your van originally had Standard Vanco 8's fitted, Vanco 8's will be perfectly adequate replacements, unless you have been dissatisfied with their performance.

You could fit the Campers, but they may be more difficult to source, and more expensive, and are unlikely to last any longer.  They also seem to have very high recommended tyre pressures compared to the Vanco 8's, which may cause problems with choice of valves, bolt in metal valves seeming essential.  Conti's website says 5.25 Bar front, and 6 Bar rear, which should shake your stoppings out quite nicely!  :-)

[Derek Uzzell]

Brian Kirby - 2010-12-03 4:58 PM

According to Conti's website, Vanco 2 is really a tyre for car derived vans and is not made in 215/75 R16C 113/111R...

Brian,I think you've been looking at "VancoContact 2".

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Derek.  I agree the size limitations I quoted look like the Contact 2, but I'm sure it was Vanco 2 when I looked.  Oddly, I can't now get back to the web page I was quoting from, but I was on the UK and Ireland site, whereas you seem to have used the Global site.  The info on the Campers was also from the UK and Ireland site, which was still showing Vanco 8, and I can't now get to either of those pages either.  It was very "sticky" as well, compared to the Global site.

Using the Global site, I get the same as you, so I think the UK and Ireland site has/had some of its links in a mess at present, or is/was being altered.

It seems clear the Global site is the one to go for, but I wonder if the range available in UK will reflect what the Global site says.  Very odd having different information from the same company about the same products on its different sites!

Whatever, with apologies, please disregard my post above, Don, and check availability with a tyre dealer, based on Derek's information.

[Derek Uzzell]

Brian Kirby - 2010-12-04 12:32 AM

Hi Derek.  I agree the size limitations I quoted look like the Contact 2, but I'm sure it was Vanco 2 when I looked.  Oddly, I can't now get back to the web page I was quoting from, but I was on the UK and Ireland site, whereas you seem to have used the Global site.  The info on the Campers was also from the UK and Ireland site, which was still showing Vanco 8, and I can't now get to either of those pages either.  It was very "sticky" as well, compared to the Global site.

Using the Global site, I get the same as you, so I think the UK and Ireland site has/had some of its links in a mess at present, or is/was being altered.

It seems clear the Global site is the one to go for, but I wonder if the range available in UK will reflect what the Global site says.  Very odd having different information from the same company about the same products on its different sites!

Whatever, with apologies, please disregard my post above, Don, and check availability with a tyre dealer, based on Derek's information.

Continentals's UK & Ireland website works fine for me at present, but I tend not use it unless I have to as it's lighter than the main website on the type of detail I'm usually interested in.As far as I can establish via GOOGLE, it's currently relatively straightforward in the UK to obtain Continental 215/75 R16C 'summer' tyres as "Vanco-2" (load index 113/111 or 116/114) or VancoCamper (load index 116/114).It also seems possible to obtain "Vanco Four Seasons" in that size (load index 116). See:http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m27b0s521p0(I don't know where they get those tyres from, as they seem to be marketed nowadays in the USA but not in European countries. I recall that Four Seasons did pretty well in a ProMobil test some years ago and (in principle at least) should be better suited to motorhomes than the other Vanco patterns.)Additionally, the new "Vanco Eco" pattern is produced in 215/75 R16C (load index 113/111), but I couldn't find anyone offering it in that size in the UK.

[DonB]

Thank you very much, gentlemen. I now understand what Continental were saying when I phoned them on Friday. Derek, I will probably go for the same as you, Vanco 2 215/75 R16C (8PR) 113/111R. But I will run my still new spare on the other side. I will let you know if I have any problems. Thanks again, Don

[Tomo3090]

I know sod all about tyres, and hope I never have to because down our way we have people who know lots about tyres, so much so they have shops where you can just ask, "Can I have some tyres like those please". Pointing at the van at this point. The nice man says " Of course mate, you sit down and we'll fit them for you" And they do! They might offer a cheaper one or they might offer a dearer one. But you can have the final say based on your wallet and advice given. Then you give them some money, or your card, they put it in a machine and you put in a number and then drive off complete with new tyres.

 

There are lots of these places all over the country! ;-)

 

I'm being flippant of course, but why make things more complex than they are?

[Brian Kirby]

Tomo3090 - 2010-12-06 6:52 PM ............... I'm being flippant of course, but why make things more complex than they are?

I think Stephen, because things really are that complicated if one wants to know precisely what one is buying.  Otherwise, one does as you say, and just trusts the advice one is given, especially if one has complete confidence in the supplier. 

One could buy one's next van that way too, though one might want to reconsider doing so if one reads the posts on here from those who did, and then found the advice had been somewhat lacking!  They had confidence in their suppliers, but it seems it was misplaced.

As ever, yer pays yer money.  :-)

[Tomo3090]

Fair comment Brian, and as I said I was being a bit flippant but in reality would any of us REALLY know or be able to tell the difference in ride quality between different makes of tyres?

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Tomo3090 - 2010-12-07 8:53 PM

 

Fair comment Brian, and as I said I was being a bit flippant but in reality would any of us REALLY know or be able to tell the difference in ride quality between different makes of tyres?

 

Not sure what relevance being "able to tell the difference in ride quality between different makes of tyres" has to this thread, but you should certainly be able to notice a difference if you ran, say, Michelin Agilis Camper tyres at 80psi, as opposed to Continental Vanco-2 tyres at 60psi.

 

DonB wanted to replace a pair of his motorhome's original Continental Vanco-8 tyres on a like-for-like basis. Presumably, like me, he found that the Vanco-8 pattern was no longer being marketed in the UK and, on seeking advice from Continental, was offered the choice of Vanco, Vanco-2 or VancoCamper.

 

As I explained, none of those tyres are an exact match for DonB's Vanco-8 tyres: they all have tread patterns that differ from Vanco-8 and, in 2 of the 3 cases, a higher load index. Where same-size tyres have different load indexes, it's probable that the inflation-pressure-to-load data will also be different. So, if you start mixing, say, 10PR tyres with 8PR tyres on a motorhome, you'll need to consider inflation-pressures more carefully than if you have tyres with the same Ply-Rating all-round.

 

Of course Don could have visited a local tyre supplier and, of course, they could have offered him various different tyres in 215/75 R16C size at various different prices. Truth to tell, if you put a different tyre on each corner of your motorhome, provided those tyres had an appropriate specification and were all suitably inflated, you would be unlikely to notice anything odd when driving on dry roads. It would be difficult to predict what might happen in extremis in the wet, but that's another matter.

 

My own experience (and, if I remember correctly, DonB's too) is that tyre-fitting firms are often far from clued up where motorhome tyres are concerned. Some will be competent, but some won't. If you want to have blind faith in every tyre-fitter's knowledge and competency then that's fine, but I certainly wouldn't be prepared to do that.

[DonB]

Well said, Derek. We do travel in bad conditions from time to time ( on our way to good ones!), and we do some long distances, and I like to know that my boots are ok. I also tried several tyre dealers. All said they had the equivalent tyre but could not verify it was the same as what I had, and the price varied by up to £45 per tyre. I suspect some were quoting Vanco 2 and some were quoting Vanco Camping but with the information gleaned from you I managed to tie one dealer down to exactly what I wanted so that the pressures will stay the same as they were before, and lo and behold it was the cheapest price! Time will tell how the tyre will run in but according to Continental it should be ok.

[Guest Tracker]

If you need to replace a damaged tyre at any time - maybe abroad - matching a standard commercial van tyre will probably be a lot easier to source on a cold wet sunday night than a specialised camping rated tyre - and probably costs less too?

[Derek Uzzell]

Tracker - 2010-12-08 4:45 PM

 

If you need to replace a damaged tyre at any time - maybe abroad - matching a standard commercial van tyre will probably be a lot easier to source on a cold wet sunday night than a specialised camping rated tyre - and probably costs less too?

 

That's a given and, if you want a tyre to replace the damaged one (camping-car type or standard LCV) on an exact like-for-like basis rather than just an equivalent, you may also be out of luck. In France there's absolutely no need to worry about sourcing a replacement tyre on a cold wet Sunday night, as tyre-fitting centres normally close from midday Saturday until Monday morning!

[Guest Tracker]

Derek Uzzell - 2010-12-08 5:03 PM

 

Tracker - 2010-12-08 4:45 PM

 

If you need to replace a damaged tyre at any time - maybe abroad - matching a standard commercial van tyre will probably be a lot easier to source on a cold wet sunday night than a specialised camping rated tyre - and probably costs less too?

 

That's a given and, if you want a tyre to replace the damaged one (camping-car type or standard LCV) on an exact like-for-like basis rather than just an equivalent, you may also be out of luck. In France there's absolutely no need to worry about sourcing a replacement tyre on a cold wet Sunday night, as tyre-fitting centres normally close from midday Saturday until Monday morning!

 

Probably be cheaper to buy two new matching commercial tyres than to wait for one camping tyre to be sourced - then you will also have a spare spare tyre - as long as you have somewhere to store it!