# Camping tyres or Commercial tyres



## Euramobilly

I'm going to replace the tyres on my van because they are perishing from age. Although I'm selling it I want to be sure it's safe, plus we may still do one more trip to France in it if it isn't sold first.

I've been looking at the Toyo H08/H09's recommended on many threads here but according to everything I can find out they are a standard commercial tyre not a 'camping' tyre.

The guy at Nationwide tyres who fit them on behalf of tyreshopper says camper tyres are rated for higher pressure (80psi) in my case. 

There is quite a difference in price too. I can get Toyo H08's for £96.50 fitted whereas the Continental Vanco camping tyres are £150 ish. Neither tyreshopper or etyres can supply camping tyres in my size.

My original tyres are Michelin 215/70 R15C Camping tyres. Has anyone found a decent price for camping tyres recently?


----------



## bubble63

hi
lots of previous advice says toyo h09 are good for campers

I have fitted them and operate at 3500 kg 62/55 psi happy with the tyre

recommended

Neil


----------



## teemyob

You do not need camper tyres.

If you need higher pressures, you obviously need tyres that are rated for this. But then you will need tyre valves to cope with the same.

Do you need higher pressures?

Sometime, size dependent, You can get 10 ply or higher LI (load Index) rated tyres to cope with your weight needs.

TM


----------



## listerdiesel

Motorhomes run at near full weight all of the time, so tyres have to be able to cope.

Look at van tyre ranges from people like Continental, they have 'C' after the tyre code: 215/65R16C Load rating is 109 on our Renault Trafics. We use Continental Vanco2 tyres.

Prices are very much down to where you are, £150 or so sounds a bit pricey.

Peter


----------



## Euramobilly

Thanks chaps. I'm happy with the 109 load rating (same as the camping tyres) so I'll probably go with the H08's or H09's. Although I have seen Hankook's new Vantra tyres on the black circles website that score well on grip, fuel ecconomy and noise. I've found Hankooks very good over the years but has anyone got these on their MH?

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalog...S/109/f?returnurl=/order/tyres?&tyre=31671958


----------



## Annsman

A mate of mine who has a tyre shop says that the van will run quite happily and legally on commercial tyres, but the manufacturer of the van, and tyre manufacturers reccomend camper tyres. if it failed, (the tyre), and caused a crash it's possible that if this was recorded as a cause of the crash your insurance might deem this as not keeping the van roadworthy.

He wasn't saying this was fact, just it was possible they might have a get out clause.


----------



## cabby

Anyone heard of these tyres, they come from Australia.

KENDA - KR06 215/70R15R 8 ply 109 rating. priced at £79.10 including fitting balance and new valve disposal of old tyre.
PLUS £25 discount for 4 tyres.

cabby


----------



## cabby

I don't see how the insurance could argue about tyres, the ones I have mentioned are the correct size,215-70-15 R & 8 ply and conform with the correct loading rating of 109.
At the price I think it is a steal.

cabby


----------



## lgbzone

Hi

Try having a look at asdatyres < Link Here > i've just got tyres for mine and found them to be cheaper than the likes of blackcircles etc.

HTH


----------



## listerdiesel

Our insurers were contacted over tyre ratings last year, their response was that as long as the wheels were the originals, and the tyres fitted the wheels and were within the ratings supplied originally, there was no problem.

Peter


----------



## bubble63

lgbzone said:


> Hi
> 
> Try having a look at asdatyres < Link Here > i've just got tyres for mine and found them to be cheaper than the likes of blackcircles etc.
> 
> HTH


my local tyre shop was the same price as black circle

nice guys, need the work, so happy to 'keep it local'

Neil


----------



## teemyob

*facts*



Annsman said:


> A mate of mine who has a tyre shop says that the van will run quite happily and legally on commercial tyres, but the manufacturer of the van, and tyre manufacturers reccomend camper tyres. if it failed, (the tyre), and caused a crash it's possible that if this was recorded as a cause of the crash your insurance might deem this as not keeping the van roadworthy.
> 
> He wasn't saying this was fact, just it was possible they might have a get out clause.


Manufacturers do not make "Camper" or "Camping" Tyres in all sizes. So therefore, no insurer could have such a clause.


----------



## listerdiesel

Euramobilly said:


> I've found Hankooks very good over the years but has anyone got these on their MH?


Not on a motorhome per se, but both our trailers have Hankook van tyres fitted, the larger trailer being 3.5tonne gross weight, and never less than 2.2tonnes as its empty weight.

Never had an issue with therm over 15 years.

Peter


----------



## listerdiesel

One other point to make:

Going up a size on your existing tyres can take you into a better place in terms of tyre ratings and wear.

Our Discovery has a range of sizes listed in the handbook from 215/75R16 107T up to 255/55R18 109H, all on the same vehicle. The lowest load rating listed is in fact 105.

The query I mentioned in another post related to the fact that Nexen Roadian tyres of 255/65R16 106 rating were lower rating than the Pirelli Scorpion 255/65R16 109 rating, but the insurers were happy with them being used.

The trailer wheels take 1555R13 tyres, but we run with 175R13C van tyres on the same rims, which gives us a much bigger safety margin.

So, check that you could go up a size in width, and see if that gives a better load rating.

Peter


----------



## Levvo001

Really useful discussion folks thanks, for the input.

Similar dilemma here...quite happy to use commercial tyres rather than CP, but which ones?

Event tyres have:

215/70R15 109Q MAXXIS UE168N at £86.52 (would be a direct replacement for Q speed rated existing tyres)
215/70R15 109/107S HANKOOK RA18 VANTRA at £88.88

all fully inclusive and they'll come to me, but struggling to see why I wouldn't have 

215/70R15 109/107S GT RADIAL MAXMILER EX SS at £73.80 inc?

Van maxes out at 3400kg, never has more than the 2 of us aboard, rarely has a full water tank, we don't tow or carry anything heavy. I have experience of MAxxis on rental vans and had no issues either with wear or grip, but although I don't need the higher speed rating of S I might as well for no extra cost!

The only drawback I can see of the GT is that it has a fairly rounded shoulder, which might mean a bit more lean in corners. 

Anyone experience of these tyres?


----------



## Mrplodd

Shape of the tyre is not going to alter the amount of lean when cornering !!! Its the SUSPENSION that allows the vehicle to roll (yes I know the tyres are part of the suspension but a very small part)

I would be more interested in the noise level as thats whats going to have the biggest impact on your "driving experience". 

Wet grip is important BUT you are going to be driving a fairly large vehicle at a pretty sedate pace (and have an excellent view) so thats not (in my view of course) as important as the racket they are going to generate for the next umpty thousand miles!!! So look at the noise level figures. wear is seldom an issue with MH tyres as they dont usually do mega mileage either !!


----------



## Euramobilly

You can look up the noise levels according to Euro rating. The Hankooks come up as 70db. Quite a few others are 74db or worse. Don't know what it will translate to on the road but about to find out as I went for the Hankooks from a local tyre place at £88 each all in.

The db scale is logarithmic so the difference between 70db and 74db is bigger than it looks. We'll see....


----------



## Pard

Euramobilly

Don't know where you are in Cornwall, but it so happens I've just replaced 4 tyres on my van for age reasons - 225/70 x 15 Conti Vanco2 (for Merc van) @ £103.20 each incl VAT from Taylors Tyres Ltd in Redruth. Rather better price than quoted in this thread.

Terry


----------



## The-Cookies

Got khumo tyres on our van these are commercial , speed and. Weight ratings are better than the michelins that were on before, I am perfectly happy with that and the performance, oh and the £ 250 cash I saved

John


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS

Euramobilly said:


> Thanks chaps. I'm happy with the 109 load rating (same as the camping tyres) so I'll probably go with the H08's or H09's. Although I have seen Hankook's new Vantra tyres on the black circles website that score well on grip, fuel ecconomy and noise. I've found Hankooks very good over the years but has anyone got these on their MH?
> 
> http://www.blackcircles.com/catalog...S/109/f?returnurl=/order/tyres?&tyre=31671958


I have Hankooks. Run at 65psi max. They are quieter and stop in a shorter distance than previous Michelins.
So my son in law tells me. Had no trouble on soggy fields either.
Dave p


----------



## Tezza

I had the same dilemma back in March, the rear Vanco campers were starting to crack, and after asking on here, decided to replace them with the Avon Avenza A9 commercial tyres, pleased so far, no difference noted when driving.

T


----------



## nicholsong

If you need to go to areas/times where winter tyres are compulsory for set periods or in set conditions then there is no option, as far as I know, to have 'Winter' and 'Camping' tyres.

In that case it is 'Commercial'

I am running on 'Winter' all year. I am ignoring the difference in braking distance in different temperatures as I rarely go over 100kph and drive conservatively.

Anyway I am unlikely to be near home at winter/summer changeover and do not intend to carry the 'spare' set of 4 tyres in the garage.

Geoff


----------



## Levvo001

Went for the Hankook Vantras in the end. They're a new model, so hopefully will have benefitted from development over previous ones.

Obviously it'll be ages before we know how they wear, but so far all good news. Running at 60psi initially, although I may try 65, but the ride is way better than the old Michelins, and quieter too. Not experienced them in the wet yet.

Fitted by Event Tyres mobile, who were excellent, as well as cheaper than Asda, and they came to me. Highly recommended.


----------

