# Tyres a salutory lesson



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

This is for anyone who like me was dithering over whether or not to replace their tyres.
Having seen lots of advice on replacing tyres here and elswhere at a certain age regardless of tread depth, I checked mine out .The rears were just over 7 years old and showing some signs of crazing on the walls.The fronts were just 5 years old but looked ok at the moment.
However I decided to bite the bullet and have a set of 4 tyres fitted for the new season as the MH will spend a lot of time in Europe.
Bought 4 Conti Vanco Campers from Black circles at a good price and went yesterday to my local dealer to have them fitted.Imagine my surprise when after one of the 7 year old rears was removed from the rim a deep split about 4 inches long appeared in the wall.
As the fitter said it was a "blowout waiting to happen"!!!!


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

What sort of condition were the 5 year old ones?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*tyres*

Hello,

So glad you go the tyres changed. Hope you got a good price?

Did you read the comments and reviews on here regarding Vancos?

Do you venture far in Winter?

TM


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Jezport said:


> What sort of condition were the 5 year old ones?


5 year olds ( Michelin) were generally good but on very close inspection I did find a very small crack in sidewall on one tyre.Therefore thinking they could only get worse I decided to change all 4 at the same time.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: tyres*



teemyob said:


> Hello,
> 
> So glad you go the tyres changed. Hope you got a good price?
> 
> ...


I did read reviews, but to be honest I never take to much notice of them as owners reviews are very subjective ,opinionated and not really scientific.Tyre performance of any tyre can be affected by so many factors including the vehicle they are fitted to and driving styles.In any event on a number of the review sites reviewers dont rate the Michelin Aglis overall any better than the Conti Vanco and they are both supposed to be the best.
I also believe that companies such as Michelin and Continental who spend vast sums of money on research and design ,would not knowingly market an inferior tyre.After all they know more about tyre design and performance than all of us put together.

I do venture far in winter to Southern Spain but am usually there before any bad weather arrives.


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## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

BrianJP said:


> This is for anyone who like me was dithering over whether or not to replace their tyres.


Thanks, Brian,

Just had the van MOT'd this morning. It passed   

But advisories on two tyres showing cracking in the side wall. Had a new cam belt fitted for peace of mind yesterday before I set off to Portugal next week for 3 months. Will now replace at least one tyre next week.

Both cam belt and tyres I think are as fitted from new nearly nine years ago. Maybe I've been lucky!

Any recommendations as to which tyres welcome.

Jed


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Ordered 4 new tyres yesterday. Will be delivered and fitted at a local place. I bought them on the internet from Black Circle too. I am so far impressed. I bought ones we want, but the man at Black circle phoned just after I bought them to check I bought the right "load" size also he said most MHers buy Camper ones. As our MH is used most weeks of the year I bought the commercial ones intentionally. As I said impressed with the service so far. 

Our existing tyres are the originals (2005) so although they appear fine, I want one less thing to worry about safety wise.

Sue


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Suenliam said:


> Ordered 4 new tyres yesterday. Will be delivered and fitted at a local place. I bought them on the internet from Black Circle too. I am so far impressed. I bought ones we want, but the man at Black circle phoned just after I bought them to check I bought the right "load" size also he said most MHers buy Camper ones. As our MH is used most weeks of the year I bought the commercial ones intentionally. As I said impressed with the service so far.
> 
> Our existing tyres are the originals (2005) so although they appear fine, I want one less thing to worry about safety wise.
> 
> Sue


Good luck I have used Black Circles a number of times for car tyres as well and have always found them very efficient and customer focussed.When you order they Email regularly including one to confirm that your chosen fitting centre has received the tyres.
WhenI bought my camper tyres this week I asked for tyres of the most recent manufacture date.They phoned me and said the Conti warehouse had some made 4 weeks ago and was this ok !


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Good thread Brian. Yes, we've heard it all a million times but I do believe such important issues need the occasion refresher, and it brings it to the forefront for the newer motorhomer.

Here's my story from 13 August 2007...

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-32111-.html


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

I'm not saying that the advice for changing tyres is invalid and I do have a van with the two back tyres and spare that are now more than 11 years old.
Last year Brownhills quite happily supplied me with a vehicle with five ten year old tyres! 
It passed its MOT yesterday and there is not a hint of a crack or split in any of the tyres.
I've had many car tyres replaced over the years because of cracks in the side walls (all of them Michelin) and I now suspect high pressure hosing might have played a part in the problem.
The worst case was a set of Pilots, which are expensive soft rubber, on my Wife’s Saxo VTR.
Since I heard that high pressure hoses, about three years ago, have an adverse effect on tyres I stopped using them and haven't seen any cracks in any of our vehicles.
Has anyone with cracked sidewalls been regular high pressure hose users?


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Anyone know why it's not in the MOT (age of tyres that is). Some of the stuff already in sounds trival compared to dangerous tyres.

Dick


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

Glandwr said:


> Anyone know why it's not in the MOT (age of tyres that is). Some of the stuff already in sounds trival compared to dangerous tyres.
> 
> Dick


Tyre condition is so surely that covers it.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

Can I just add to this thread, that anyone going a for an extended stay in sunny climates, where they are parked up for a few months, they should really cover their tyres to protect them from the sun. It is the UV rays in sunlight that cause rubber to perish, uncovered an they will perish and become brittle more quickly.


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

Zozzer said:


> Can I just add to this thread, that anyone going a for an extended stay in sunny climates, where they are parked up for a few months, they should really cover their tyres to protect them from the sun. It is the UV rays in sunlight that cause rubber to perish, uncovered an they will perish and become brittle more quickly.


I may start manufacturing them, have been considering it for a few months.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

Jezport said:


> Zozzer said:
> 
> 
> > Can I just add to this thread, that anyone going a for an extended stay in sunny climates, where they are parked up for a few months, they should really cover their tyres to protect them from the sun. It is the UV rays in sunlight that cause rubber to perish, uncovered an they will perish and become brittle more quickly.
> ...


I used to work in engineering and all the rubber seals we bought came in special polythene bags with a DIN number on the bag that garrenteed not to allow UV rays through the bag.


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## Bryansdad (Aug 24, 2010)

Just re shoed with 4 Conti Vanco Campers from ETyres. Excellent service and a good price. Very happy and feeling much safer. Only concern / confusion is regarding typre pressure BUT given the numerouse posts on that subject already, please don't add to my confusion. 8O


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Bryansdad said:


> Just re shoed with 4 Conti Vanco Campers from ETyres. Excellent service and a good price. Very happy and feeling much safer. Only concern / confusion is regarding typre pressure BUT given the numerouse posts on that subject already, please don't add to my confusion. 8O


Well done on fitting the new tyres. Have you noticed how much easier the steering is and how much softer the ride?

Now then... tyre pressures... there is NO confusion. Simply get your actual axle loads from a weighbridge, email the TYRE manufacturer and ask them for the specific tyre pressures for your set-up. 8) :roll: :wink:

That's what I did last May and I posted as follows:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-86250-.html

Stay well.


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