Club 80-90 Forums

Anyone fill me in here please?

jed

Can only guess ita a grip thing. Maybe need a certain amount of weight in tyre for it to make good contact?

Best guess i'm affraid!

It refers to the weight of vehicle. This is why big vans and campers have commercial tyres rather than ones off an escort. That said, I don't have commercial tyres at all but I've stripped most of the interior and only fitted very lightweight stuff in its place. I'm into lightening everything to keep the response and handling the way I like it. If I fitted a roof or chipboard cupboards for instance, I'd immediately switch to commercials, no question about it. I sit just on the limit but few do.

Ok then let me put it another way, is Load Index: 98 good enough for a van?

jed

Should be fine. This might help: http://www.vanagon.com/info/tires/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Useful chart here: http://www.raceandroad.com/acatalog/Spe ... tings.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ta, thanks for that very usefull

jed

Mine are actually 95 load rating (under recommended) but as I say I'm running light and all tyres have to be able to sustain more than the quoted rating for safety margin anyway. Commercials are hard wearing of course although a little hard for my liking. Minimum load rating should be 97 but if you have a camper with all the trimmings, a higher rating would be advisable. Elevating roof, chipboard cabinets, and you'll have a lot of weight. Get it weighed at local weighbridge (about a tenner on average) if you're not sure.

The fully laden weight for a poptop westie is around 24800kg so in theory a load index rating of 92 would be right on the money.
Index rating 92 = 630kg times that by four and you have 2520kg....
However, the reality is you should never rate to 100%! there should always be a margin of safety as CovKid has indicated, a load rating of 95 (690kg per tyre 2760kg) is considered to be the minimum rated tyre for a T25.
Another consideration here are the wheels themselves, with many owners choosing to use light vehicle road wheels, car wheels (these also have a maximum load rating) both must exceed the fully laden weight of the van if your insurance company isn't going to shout foul if you were to have an accident.
The original VW 185 R14C's are 99/101 whilst the optional original tyres 205/70 R14's were rated at 97 (both were commercially rated with additional plies as in; more reinforcing layers)
Martin

mine are "extra load van 96" rated at 720kg so total 2880kg,, very nice soft radials that absorb the bumps better than the c rated tyres. i've also found they give miles better grip on wet grass, mud etc. as they spread better giving a larger contact patch. they're the same as fitted to vauxhall vivaro vans i think jed

Hi Guys,

I have just ordered a set of XL Toyo reinforced tyres which are load rated to 94 each. I am running these on a Caravelle 7 seater microbus. Technically they seem ok for the weight and use of the vehicle.

I occasionally tow my motorbike on a trailer with the bus.

Should I get some higher rated jobbies? I am slightly confused.



UPdate...

found this great page http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyreload.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

shows the load rating of 94 = 670 per tyre... 2680kg, which seems reasonable.

Dyno wrote:Hi Guys,

I have just ordered a set of XL Toyo reinforced tyres which are load rated to 94 each. I am running these on a Caravelle 7 seater microbus. Technically they seem ok for the weight and use of the vehicle.

I occasionally tow my motorbike on a trailer with the bus.

Should I get some higher rated jobbies? I am slightly confused.



UPdate...

found this great page http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyreload.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

shows the load rating of 94 = 670 per tyre... 2680kg, which seems reasonable.

No you don't divide the weight of the van by four. The tyres are rated for which axle carries the maximum load, which on a most T25's is the rear axle at 1400 kg which dived by two needs a minimum 96 load index tyre.