Van Tyres...

[monkey spanners]

What tyres are you running on your van? And what sort of mileage do you get out of them?

I used to always fit Michelins, but have had a couple of sets go out of shape long before they wore out. Used to get about 40k out of the fronts on a fwd van and about 50k out of the back ones.

Got a set of Continentals on the new van, will see how well they do.

I must admit the main deciding factor for me in tyre choice is if the tread looks nice, not really bothered with the price within reason

Jon

[Andy AC]

I put some continentals on my van - iveco daily swb, very nearly 3 years and 30,000 miles ago. Should just about last out to the full 3 year mark. Good tyre, takes pleny of abuse on the Island roads - our roads are proper ****e, excellent in wet, but crap in snow/ice, not helped with being rwd.
I would have them again, but they are expensive - about £30 each dearer than they were 3 years ago. Cheapest I can get them is £400 all in, however can do a set of kumho's for £330 all in, might be worth a go, anybody tried them before?

Andy

[mikeref]

Tyres are something i have a lot of respect for as they have saved my bacon on many occasions. I don't care what they cost or how far they take me. Had a bad experience with a cheap brand that would have cost me alot more than my vehicle and contents. Over here, there are some overpriced, low profile, high performance tyres that i steer clear of, but most 8 ply, 205 width, kept at 310 Kpa when hot do the trick. With 230 horses available, i get around 30,000 Kms, per pair. Our roads are definately not smooth.

[djbe]

Michelins are the best as far as my experience goes, 40k out of the fronts and the rears seem to last forever! = about 60k.

Am severely pissed off with the garage that last serviced the van, they rang the office when I was on holiday an said it needed front tyres. The OK was given in my absence.

Came back to Firestones on the front and they are crap. Any sign of wet weather leaves you sat spinning at the junctions.

Mind you tyre wear does seem to depend on the van you run.

[james10]

Goodyear Cargo G26, on mine (renault traffic) at the moment which i like, i get around 30k on the front and 40/45k on the back, we dont get a choice on the brand as the lease company says which tyres to fit, unless the garage doesn't have that brand in stock then they fit whatever they have in stock

[paul_h]

You guys get passenger car tyres or get commercial type tyres rated to the weight load?
Most of my experience is related to passenger car tyres, but I've got a work vehicle rated to 1 tonne (probably never need it), but part of the suspension upgrade, towing upgrade etc is in part due to tyres needed.
Don't know whether to bother with commercial/truck/van tyres or just get passenger rated tyres myself right now.

[monkey spanners]

You guys get passenger car tyres or get commercial type tyres rated to the weight load?
Most of my experience is related to passenger car tyres, but I've got a work vehicle rated to 1 tonne (probably never need it), but part of the suspension upgrade, towing upgrade etc is in part due to tyres needed.
Don't know whether to bother with commercial/truck/van tyres or just get passenger rated tyres myself right now.

I've always had van tyres, been told by tyre fitters that car tyres won't last long on a van. Commercial tyres tend to have more reinforcing and the compounds are harder wearing, So less grip, last longer, and better at going over curbs.

Suspect my new van might have car tyres as it has 17" wheels Time will tell how long they last....

Jon

[charlie patt]

always have van rated tyres usually michi but on my last new van they did not do that size, originally came on dunlops but put on pirrelli tyres they gripped very well but 10k they where shot and yes i am a hard driver and van is loaded to hell have now had a set of dunlops put on the fuel economy is back up and currentley on 15 k with 3mm left

[mikeref]

Don't know whether to bother with commercial/truck/van tyres or just get passenger rated tyres myself right now. Quoted.. Paul h, since you are a commercial business, you have to have at least light commercial tyres, or insurance will dump you. Thats how it is in Queensland, so i was told.

[paul_h]

I only asked because I don't have a van, I have a falcon ute, which is basically a 2 door passenger car with a tray. The only reason why commercial tyres are on it is because it's fitted with the one tonne option springs and tyres at the moment (was a flat bed tray back originally), but now because it's got the full body rear panelling and a canopy over it, (which is only 900mm high), can't fit anything big and heavy inside it so don't really need the '1 tonne' rating that requires commercial/van/truck tyres. But I'll probably get them anyway, after I find some with some grip. Rather not have hard slippy tyres, I have a ute that needs traction with a rear wheel drive 4L straight 6.

edit: I drive something like this, though with roof racks for ladders and conduit carrying 4" PVC tubing on the roof.

[lawrence1]

paul_h,
Yeh can't get 8 ply 18'' low profile commercial tyres for utes.

[mikeref]

Paul h, was going to say, how do you keep it so clean? I have the holden 2007 VZ-S-V6 style side, with high canopy and lift up doors. Tossed the mags and had steel rims with dunlop 205/65R15's fitted. 670kg rated. . Mike.

[Karl Hofmann]

I'm still running on my Winter snow tyres, my Summer set were bald when I changed from Summer to Winter tyres and I haven't had time to go and get a new set fitted to my spare rims.. Prob fit Vredestein or Continentals when I get round to it...

[lawrence1]

mikeref,,,,
it's so clean cause it's a ford.
paul_h would have it in for repairs almost every week.?

[paul_h]

Gearbox, drivers window regulator.
Don't make them as good as they used to. EL falcon sedan I've owned for ages, only a dizzy, coil, radiator and fuel pump needed in all it's 13 years, and all those repairs done only in the last 3-4 years.
That's the main reason why I bought the ford falcon ute after my old ute got written off with hailstorm damage. (That was a ford too, courier/ranger 4x4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffm-ZnbR_dU
Kind of miss that because I could take it offroad fishing and camping, but couldn't afford or find another ranger 4x4 quickly so had to settle on a falcon ute).

The 'new' ute needed a gearbox after only 5 years, so I drove this one for 4 months before a major breakdown

Nearly every refrig company here drives the falcon utes, it's mainly only a/c companies that use vans (to fit split systems, flexi duct etc in them). While solely refrig companies just need refrigerant and tools etc. They'll fit in a ute, if not, use a trailer for the big jobs.

[MikeHolm]

Brought over a 94 VWLT doka from Germany. It had the silly little 185/14" tyres. I wanted to put bigger tyres and rims but there are none available with a 180mm pattern so i made wheel adapters to 140mm and found some Nokian winter snows and rims at a scrapper for $100....brand new, really pricey tyres too. Man do they grip.

I used to get 80-90,000km on my contis when I ran the VW T4s. Truck was loaded a lot too.

[mikeref]

mikeref,,,,
it's so clean cause it's a ford.
paul_h would have it in for repairs almost every week.?

Hey Lawrie, i used to be a ford man but holden got the better of me. 6 on the floor really works out my left leg though.

[Andy AC]

Had some kumho 857's on the van for a week and a half now, so far, well pleased, has nice deep, manly tread pattern. Seem a bit stiffer than the continentals, grip in dry is excellent, haven't used them in the wet much.
Don't rely on your tyre fitters to pump your tyres up to the right pressures for the amount of load in your van, make sure you check and adjust. They over inflated the fronts on mine, the handling was absolutely awful.

Andy