Club 80-90 Forums

I have found a local supplier of caravan wheels and tyres, (alloy wheels, steel wheels and tyres), tempted by a set of alloys. All the main parameters match T25 requirements; 14 inch, 5x112 pcd, 5.5J, >66mm centre bore, ET 30, 14mm stud size, tyre size 185R14C, wheels and tyres extra load rated 900kg.
Still need to check stud seats (taper or radius) and wheel thickness/stud length but as i have never seen any discussion on the use of caravan wheels on a VW T25 i thought i would post here to see if there is anything i am missing?
I do not want to get involved in changing rear wheel studs having read the Brickwerks guidance on needing to press new extended studs in place, what are the chances of needing extended studs to rear wheels when fitting alloy wheels, almost certain or most alloys are ok?

I wouldn't have thought caravan wheels would be load rated for a commercial vehicle.

mrhutch wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 10:11 I wouldn't have thought caravan wheels would be load rated for a commercial vehicle.

^^^ This. You need to ensure that the wheels as well as the tyres have sufficient load rating - 900kg each should I believe be the minimum, but you may want to consider the wheels having a margin of safety above that.

The Mefro wheels that big vendors sell around the world are trailer wheels. Or at least they have the only certificate to be used on trailers.
Not sure what is the difference in the certification tests but probably car/van wheels need to take more load on dynamic tests.
They may be OK if the load rates are matched to the needs. Not sure if these cretificaters are MOT checked or not.

I am curious to where the oft quoted 900kg comes from? Mefro rims are quoted as such because they are designed as trailer wheels and most trailer stuff is rated so. Does it come from there?

One trailer equipment supplier I spoke to mentioned all the stuff they sell was rated to 900kg.

Is there a VW stated requirement for wheel load rating? Do stock wheels have it stamped on them?

Is it based on experience of users with these vans?

These are questions from the curious rather than challenges to anyone.

There are numerous steel wheel manufacturers out there creating rims for car manufacturers and trailer manufacturers.

Matt

Caravan wheels take much greater loads than csr wheels, thete are only two of them not four and the basic suspension on a caravan means the wheel gets greater dynamic loading than a car. The wheels i have found have tapered seats not radiused and are obviously much thicker, fronts would not be a problem just buy longer studs with tapered seats, rears would need new studs pressing into the hub i think. I took a picture of one of my front studs in the wheel (attached) thecrear studs are slightly longer but even if the tapered nut sits in the tapered seat slightly deeper still not sure there would be enough thread engaged to be safe. What di you guys think?

Wheel styes attached here

Wheel styes attached here

thats not enough sticking out you need more and i would say the tyres are to small really, are you just trying to find cheaper alternative wheels? 

Phil D wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 16:02 Caravan wheels take much greater loads than csr wheels, thete are only two of them not four and the basic suspension on a caravan means the wheel gets greater dynamic loading than a car. 

Have you got a source for this? Not saying you are wrong but it does seem to be a little counter-intuitive

mrhutch wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 18:21

Phil D wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 16:02 Caravan wheels take much greater loads than csr wheels, thete are only two of them not four and the basic suspension on a caravan means the wheel gets greater dynamic loading than a car. 

Have you got a source for this? Not saying you are wrong but it does seem to be a little counter-intuitive

most load carrying equipment has higher load etc capabilities as there's generally i higher chance of them being abused over loaded etc, i expect most folks get the numbers  for vans buy interpreting the tyre load information and the mas load of the vehicle divided by the number or wheels 
 

SyncroMatt wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 13:04 I am curious to where the oft quoted 900kg comes from? Mefro rims are quoted as such because they are designed as trailer wheels and most trailer stuff is rated so. Does it come from there?

I suspect it most likely does derive from the load ratings of some of the alternative wheels that were found to be suitable over the years, like the 15"/16" Mefros, and also the 16" alloys that Derek Drew was marketing in the US way back in the day. In any case the minimum load rating that VW originally set for the tyres was 97 = 730kg, so I guess you'd anticipate that the wheels would have a slightly higher load rating than that... say around 900kg each.

mrhutch wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 18:21

Phil D wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 16:02 Caravan wheels take much greater loads than csr wheels, thete are only two of them not four and the basic suspension on a caravan means the wheel gets greater dynamic loading than a car. 

Have you got a source for this? Not saying you are wrong but it does seem to be a little counter-intuitive

Got that statement from a Caravan Club article quoted on a discussion thread on uk campsites forum. It was part of a 2015 technical article which i downloaded as a pdf cannot find a way of attaching it for info.
In any event a search of the Motorhome and Caravan club site has the same article but it has now remived the bit about dynamic loading and simple suspension systems. I guess times move on.

davidoft1 wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 18:05 thats not enough sticking out you need more and i would say the tyres are to small really, are you just trying to find cheaper alternative wheels? 

I agree on the threads and i do not want to get involved in pressing out rear studs and pressing in new ones as per Brickwerks guidance it would make a good deal on these new wheels and tyres more expensive as i do not have the equipment to do it myself.
There are two tyres sizes on caravans twin axles use a lower profile tyre, single axles use the same tyre as on my van 185R14C. Just showed the various wheels available in case anyone was interested, he bought the stock from Lunar caravans in Preston when they went bust, the wheels and tyres are new and he wants £50 each which if they had fitted would be a good deal!

Phil D wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 20:17

davidoft1 wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 18:05 thats not enough sticking out you need more and i would say the tyres are to small really, are you just trying to find cheaper alternative wheels? 

I agree on the threads and i do not want to get involved in pressing out rear studs and pressing in new ones as per Brickwerks guidance it would make a good deal on these new wheels and tyres more expensive as i do not have the equipment to do it myself.
There are two tyres sizes on caravans twin axles use a lower profile tyre, single axles use the same tyre as on my van 185R14C. Just showed the various wheels available in case anyone was interested, he bought the stock from Lunar caravans in Preston when they went bust, the wheels and tyres are new and he wants £50 each which if they had fitted would be a good deal!

It’s still very cheap if the tyres are nee , changing the rear studs doesn’t need any special equipment, if you want to fit most alloys you’ll need to do the mod, not many fit straight on, stock carats do but would need different nuts and front bolts and £500 for some wheels, if the wheels and tyres are brand new they’re a bargain really