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Hi All on my fiat sundance i have the michelin camping tyres fitted, size

215/70r15c, these seem to be the highist priced to replace, where for

instance a same spec bradstone can be up to £20.00 cheaper as any of

you used different makes of tyres.

Thanks hobby

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Try standard commercial tyres, much cheaper, and as long as you ensure load and speed ratings are correct, the only thing you may lose is a little traction on wet grass, due to different tread pattern.

I have fitted Continental Vanco2, size similar to yours, and I am pleased with performance. They run softer, confirmed by Continental Technical Department, making the ride softer. My insurance company quite happy, but make sure you tell them.

If you search back for previous threads you will find lots of comments

 

Ken

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I would recommend Avon AV9 (around £70 each) or if you can go to 225x70x15 Avon Vanmaster M&S, these are absolutely superb mud and snow tyres at an affordable price that exceed the camping tyres in spec and load rating.

 

See http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/van

 

Unlike some M&S tyres they are quiet on the road and have great grip in all weathers IMO they work better in mud than Michelin Camping Tyres (having tried both in similar conditions).

Prior to using these I would have said Goodyear Cargo G26 as they served me well but not as good in the mud.

 

Bas

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Brian Kirby - 2011-01-21 11:29 AM

 

See also answers to the poster's other post with the same title under "Hints and Tips".  Confusing, or what?

 

One sweet day - possibly when the sun rises in the West - someone in the Warners team that has oversght of this forum will engage the logical side of his/her brain and revise the descriptions of the relative purposes of the "Motorhome Matters" and "Hints and Tips" forums so that hapless new forum-members have a sporting chance of posting to the most appropriate of those two motorhome forums.

 

'Double posting' has being going on for years. It's unproductive for the people making inquiries and for the people trying to help. It's not the fault of the posters and is particularly exasperating as it would be so simple to obviate.

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Derek Uzzell - 2011-01-22 7:58 AM

 

malc d - 2011-01-21 7:15 PM

 

I understand that Tesco are going in to the tyre business.

 

Will be interesting to see their prices.

 

:-|

 

See the following link:

 

http://www.which.co.uk/news/2011/01/tesco-to-sell-best-priced-tyres-242449/

 

As far as I can see, asking-prices are not phenomenally cheap, but you do get Clubcard points!

 

Just had a look checked price for my car they were 35% dearer than my local independent tyre distributor.

 

 

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When I replaced the tyres on both my camper and my car I checked the prices on the internet then phoned up the local main dealers (VW and Mercedes). Both were surprisingly competitive, and much cheaper than the national tyre chains.

 

I was looking for particular brands, which may have made a difference. I didn't want an "unknown" brand - I tried that once before on another car and the tyres I got were much noisier and gave a coarser ride.

 

I have Continental Vanco 2's on the camper and they seem very good with regards to noise, ride and wear.

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lennyhb - 2011-01-22 12:42 PM

 

A good alternative to the Michelin is Continental Vanco2 CP (Camping) and 40 -50 quid cheaper.

 

 

Continental "Vanco-2" tyres are not 'camping-car' type and are not "CP"-marked. Vanco-2 is a range of common-or-garden light-commercial-vehicle 'summer' tyres and Michelin's equivalent range is "Agilis".

 

Continental's 'camping-car' range is "VancoCamper" (most of which are "CP"-marked), competing directly with Michelin's "Agilis Camping" (also "CP"-marked).

 

On a size-for-size basis, a VancoCamper tyre usually has a lower asking-price than an Agilis Camping, but a generalised £40-£50 difference is overly optimistic. A 205/70 R15C VancoCamper tyre might be available at £20-£30 less than a same-size Agilis Camping, but not much less than that.

 

If Vanco-2 prices are compared with Agilis Camping prices, the difference may well be £40-50, but the comparison is not like-for-like. Similarly, if one compared the cheapest VancoCamper price one could find with the dearest Agilis Camping asking-price, the difference might also be £40-£50. But that would be one's own fault for poor bargain-hunting.

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Why would anyone want to ponce about saving £20 (or whatever) on a potentially inferior brand tyre?

 

How much value do some folk place upon their lives? Not much I guess.

 

Just imagine, there you are, it's pouring with rain, late for the ferry crossing, you're on the hard shoulder of the M25, having just piled into the back of an articulated lorry, (which happens to be delivering Michelin Camping tyres) 'cos you've skidded whilst dreaming of that £80 saving on your tyres.

 

Remember, the tyre is the last connection with the road. Think hard...

 

Martyn 8-)

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LordThornber - 2011-01-22 4:35 PM Why would anyone want to ponce about saving £20 (or whatever) on a potentially inferior brand tyre? How much value do some folk place upon their lives? Not much I guess. Just imagine, there you are, it's pouring with rain, late for the ferry crossing, you're on the hard shoulder of the M25, having just piled into the back of an articulated lorry, (which happens to be delivering Michelin Camping tyres) 'cos you've skidded whilst dreaming of that £80 saving on your tyres. Remember, the tyre is the last connection with the road. Think hard... Martyn 8-)

...OTOH, where do you draw the line on paying over the odds for marketting-led expense?

If someone released an even more expensive "super-camper" tyre which they advertised as being "even safer", would you buy it?

A bit tongue-in-cheek, but still a valid part of a useful debate. (BTW, AFAIR the Michelin Camping tyre didn't do well in stopping distance tests versus others, so maybe your scenario is not a good one to pick).

My current 'van is the first coachbuilt I've had without "camping" tyres (It has standard Vancos that Ford consider OK for a camping base). It also has realistic pressures recommended, and the ride, road-holding and handling are all as good as I've experienced. If I have to replace them over time, I'll certainly use similar spec tyres.

Mind you, if the tyres don't get me, my refusal to worry about reverse polarity probably will.  :-D  

  

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LordThornber - 2011-01-22 4:58 PM
Robinhood - 2011-01-22 4:53 PM (It has standard Vancos that Ford consider OK for a camping base).
Priceless. Martyn

...not sure what that comment is intended to convey.

Nonetheless, the base vehicle is specifically designed to be converted to a motorhome, the tyres are not those supplied with the standard van (they are a profile and load rating specifically fitted to the platform-cab, motorhome base - they just aren't CP-rated).

All the specifics of the motorhome base and its tyres are on the ford.de site.

When I bought my (Ford) car, I didn't expect to go out and uprate the tyres from day one. Given that the motorhome base was specifically designed for its use, I don't intend to uprate the tyres on that either! 

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Hi Robin, I was just being silly really, I mean who are Ford to decide about what tyres to choose for their vehicles...

 

But they're not their vehicles of course. Only a third of it is made by them.

 

I'll stick with what came on my van in a like for like replacment thankyou. I sleep better knowing I've done my best for my Wife and myself.

 

Rather than saving £X

 

Martyn

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Robinhood - 2011-01-22 5:14 PM

 

...the tyres are not those supplied with the standard van (they are a profile and load rating specifically fitted to the platform-cab, motorhome base - they just aren't CP-rated...

 

Ford was late in providing motorhome manfacturers with Transit FWD chassis suitable for coachbuilt designs. A prototype FWD Transit Mk 6 with an Al-Ko chassis had been exhibited at a couple of Continental shows but that was it until early/mid-2004 when coachbuilt motorhomes from Challenger/Chausson, Eura Mobil, Hobby and Hymer began to be marketed, built on Transit Mk 6 platform-cab chassis.

 

A cursory look underneath revealed that these chassis were essentially 'scalped' Transit 350 MWB or LWB panel-vans, sharing identical wheelbase dimensions. Some relatively minor modifications were made to the rear suspension (revised springs and dampers), but nothing startling.

 

Because these chassis were based heavily on Transit FWD 350 (3500kg MAM) panel-vans, they shared those panel-vans' standard wheel/tyre specification - 5.5" x 16" wheels with 215/75 R16C 8PR tyres. Up to early 2005, Transit FWD motorhomes wore Michelin XC Camping tyres (the only 'camping-car' tyre then available) but, by the time I acquired my Hobby in mid-2005, ordinary Continental Vanco-8 'van' tyres were usually being factory-fitted instead.

 

As far as I'm aware this policy has continued to the present day, with Transit Mk 7 platform-cab 'motorhome' chassis normally having exactly the same specification wheels and 'van' tyres as their 3500kg MAM panel-van close-cousins. It may be the case that some motorhome manufacturers (Hymer perhaps?) have deliberately opted for 'camping car' tyres, but I can't say I've noticed.

 

Frankly, I don't think Ford gives a toss about the 'motorhome' suitability of the tyres that are fitted to the chassis they provide to motorcaravan manufacturers. Ford will supply a chassis with maximum axle-loadings specified on the chassis's VIN-plate and the tyres Ford will have fitted will have a specification well able to handle those loadings. If Chausson, Hobby, Hymer, etc. then plonk on that chassis a hulking coachbuilt body with a design that encourages the motorhome owner to exceed the tyres' design load-carrying limit, it's hardly going to be Ford's fault if the tyres explode.

 

 

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Derek Uzzell - 2011-01-23 4:55 PM 

Because these chassis were based heavily on Transit FWD 350 (3500kg MAM) panel-vans, they shared those panel-vans' standard wheel/tyre specification - 5.5" x 16" wheels with 215/75 R16C 8PR tyres. 

In retrospect, I think you're correct here. I've been misled by the Ford 'flagging' of the particular tyres in their motorhome bumf, and the fact that in cross-checking, I read the Ford brochure as showing these Continental tyres as a non-standard option. (whilst omitting to notice the appended words "all weather"  :-( )

Frankly, I don't think Ford gives a toss about the 'motorhome' suitability of the tyres that are fitted to the chassis they provide to motorcaravan manufacturers. Ford will supply a chassis with maximum axle-loadings specified on the chassis's VIN-plate and the tyres Ford will have fitted will have a specification well able to handle those loadings. If Chausson, Hobby, Hymer, etc. then plonk on that chassis a hulking coachbuilt body with a design that encourages the motorhome owner to exceed the tyres' design load-carrying limit, it's hardly going to be Ford's fault if the tyres explode.

I wasn't trying to labour the point, other than the fact that they know the base is being supplied for motorcaravan conversion, make a point of the tyre specification in their motorhome related bumf, and thus must consider the spec (non-camping tyres) appropriate (for responsible use). If problems were to occur under such responsible use, and the tyres were found to be wrongly specified, (and again, I'm saying just the opposite) then I suspect that Ford might be found at fault.

The point you make about potential overloading is one that is relevant for any vehicle and tyre combination, and vindicates the good practice of checking fully loaded weights on a weighbridge before use, there being legal as well as safety implications.

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Well, I hestate to reveal this, but I've seen Transit Mk 7 based coachbuilts, including at least one Hobby Van, on Vanco Camping tyres, as well as on Vanco 2 tyres (like ours).  I have merely assumed Conti can't/couldn't produce enough Campers to meet demand.  That, or Ford's QA on assembly isn't what it should be!  Not that I habitually crawl around campsites spying on peoples' tyres, you understand!  :-)
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