# New tyres Fiat 1.9td



## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Just ordered three new tyres as the spare is unused. Cost £75 fitted. Does this sound reasonable. It is a well known make - so well known I've forgotten.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

hi pusser dont know about the price but i had a puncture last year and put a brand new unused spare on and bought three tyres to match the spare within three months it was pointedout to me that the new tyre was dangerous as itwas splitting,when the tyre man checked the date code it was six years old.so no matter how good the tread on your spare have it date checked. think of the grandchildren.another interesting thing ,the tyre could be as much as two years older than the van. good luck


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Many thanks - a very important point which I certainly would not have thought about. Ordering the fourth now.


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## 88741 (May 9, 2005)

Excellent point Buster. I have seen it somewhere that tyres on MH's should be changed every 5 years no matter what their visible condition, something I think I would not have realised, and as you so rightly say the tyres can be a lot older than the van they are on.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Well done, Buster. An excellent post.

Barry


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

I've just bought 5 new Michelin for mine at £58.16 each incl VAT, valves, fitting and balancing. I was not very happy with the Goodyears that I had run on for about 25k miles so as they were due for change I thought I'd try a different make, which is why I changed all 5, the spare was unused but I didn't fancy mixing if I ever had a puncture on the new ones.
Phil.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Phil905


What size and type of tyre did you manage to get for that price?

John.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

185 R14C 8PR as specified for the Fiat 1.9 TD (1993). It's a firm that specialises in commercial and agricultural vehicles, 5 miles from Hemel Hempstead in Great Gaddesden.
Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

I got a bargain then. Only an extra £88 plus vat I will have to pay. Are you sure your's are round ones Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

I've just ordered the fourth tyre for which I am eternally grateful to Buster for his advice - so I now have or will have on Friday a full set of
215 70 R15C which appear to be different than Phils so I am wondering why. The old tyres of Miches. I am wondering what the difference is, why are they bigger, if they are etc. Expert needed please


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

I think diesels and petrol 'vans have different sized wheels (and brakes)???

Barry


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Pusser

To answer your question. 

The old Sevel vans were either 185 x 14" or 195 x 16", the main reason behind the difference was the load carrying capacity and the extra diameter allowed the use of bigger brakes (to stop the extra weight). When the Boxer derivative came about things changed considerably and they seemed to relate the wheel and tyre fitment to the actual payload of the van i.e chassis size. Most of the smaller engined vans have the 15" fitment whilst the 2.8's have 16" the widths do vary dependent on the original configuration of the base vehicle. 

Your vans fitment are bigger diameter and wider than Phil's

Hope that helps and explains your query.

John.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Many thanks John &B&S - thus I may not be ripped off which is comforting.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

If they are bigger that's probably why they cost more. I know some vehicles have the larger wheels but I'm not sure when or why the change was made. According to the Fiat manual only 185 SR 14 C 8PR and 195/75 R16 C 8PR were fitted so I guess the Motorhome manufacturer fitted the 15 inch wheels as a modification. Mine is a Swift Royale and definitely only has the 14 inch wheels.
Phil.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

It seems John has answered the query, his post was not up when I started my answer but in the middle of typing I went out to the van to get the book to check the sizes so I took a bit longer and missed his post.
Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Thanks for the effort Phil. Have I any advantages in four balloons or is it basically irrelevent. I do know they are bl**ding heavy.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Yes, you're better off with four tyres, Pusser, 'cos if you only have two, then it's a motorbike.

Barry (trying to be helpful)


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Good point and well presented B&S - I have made a note for future reference. I have another query if u could help. My polarity tester arrived this morning. Absolutely ideal for testing UK sockets but how do I test weird ones abroad. Is it safe to plug into the motorhome with all elec off and then stick it in the three pin uk socket on board or do I now have to buy something else.

Cheers in advance


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

I'll try and be a bit more helpful this time. Yes it is usual to plug the Polarity Tester into your socket in the van with other equipment switched off, although you shouldn't damage anything if the polarity is reversed it is purely a safety thing, and then if the polarity is reversed on the site mains you just fit your short cable with one end reversed in line with the normal one.
Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

All righty...I don't have a short cable...only one long one. I do have another I made up so I could get the big cable to plug in to my home socket. I presume I need to get yet another two blue plugs and reverse the wiring.

Thanks for that and grateful if u could tell me I am on the right or wrong track.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Yes that's right, you need a short cable with the blue socket on one end and the blue plug on the other end and you reverse the wires in one end only, you should clearly mark this cable as a 'Reversed Polarity'. Be sure that you only change the live and neutral over, the earth MUST be connected to the correct pin. You also need adapters to connect to French or German style outlets if you happen to go to a site that has National and not International outlets. However most continental sites seem to be changing over to the 'Blue' standard connectors.
Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Many thanks Phil. Just when I think I have everything, ..... I haven't.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Really sorry to impose again but I have what does the C mean at the end of the tyre numbers.. I can find H and others on the internet, but not C.

Also, although its a bit late now, what should the max pressure my tyres should be capable of.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

I think the 'C' means Commercial or Cargo grade, as opposed to car tyres the letters you refer to are speed ratings. As far as pressures go the max I use if fully loaded is 62 psi front and 65 psi rear. For normal running, medium load, 2 passengers it should be 58 psi front and 60 psi rear. Unladen or very light load 50 psi front and rear.
The continentals don't use psi they measure in Bar and the approximate equivalents are, 50 = 3.5, 58 = 4, 60 = 4.1, 62 = 4.3, and 65 = 4.5.
Hope this helps,
Phil.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Pusser, the letter at the end normally refers to a speed index, this is the michelin list

Performance index mph 

Q 99 
R 106 
S 112 
T 118 
H 131 
V 149 
W 168 
Y 186 
ZR(Y) >186 
ZR >149 

As you can see, no 'C' here. If you have Michelins, maybe you,ve got XC's, the C on the end refers to Camping tyres specially designed for motorhomes, is this the type you,ve got?

As regards max pressure, this should be printed on the sidewall of the tyre. A word of warning though, this is not the recommended pressure for your vehicle, contact the your base vehicle manufacturers for advice on this.

If you let us know exactly what make of tyre you have then that would help, including whats written on the sidewall.

pete.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Peejay, did you read my last post, the 'C' does not stand for Camping, these tyres are specified by Fiat for their range of Ducato vehicles, nothing to do with motorhomes. The pressures that I quoted are the recommended pressures for light, medium and max load.
Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Thanks to both from coming to my rescue yet again. I will go out a bit later and get all the markings. God knows why suddenly I have a thing about tyres - normally, as long as they go round and round that does me.

I think this is the info as I know it at present.. Make - Marshall 857


215/70R15C - 2271lbs max load - 65(Max PSI) 109/107R (not sure what that is)
The tyres are made by the very well known Marshall company (that's what I thought), but is part of the Kumho group. (Or is it Gunho group??)

The tyre man has done them 65 all round - I have two seperate tyre pressures stuck inside door in Italian - One has a picture of a transit van with 72.5 psi all round and the other refers from 70 - 89


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Phil,

You're probably right but buggered if i can find anything referring to 'C' on any tyre website, where did you get your info from?

Pusser, have a look at these links, they make excellent bedtime reading;

http://www.driveradviser.com/tyre/sidewall.shtml

http://www.pirelli.co.uk/en_GB/tyres/car_suv/utility_services/sidewall/sidewall_mark_gb.jhtml

http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/auto/auto_cons_bib_com_lir_pne.jsp

pete.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Thanks PJ - my little brain is whirring away - a futile gesture I think.

On the Kumho site it appears that C probably does equate to Commercial but it says that C equates to a speed rating of P and Q. I can find Q but nowhere can I find P or obviously C with definate definitions.

However, I also think that when referring to Mich tyres only, XC does refer to camper van.

I had a word with my mechanic, the one who is going to start my full service today and he said they were fine. I was hoping for a little more info than fine but that's all I got. He did say the wider the better for traction, the lower the permissiable psi = the softer ride but harder steering.

When I first asked about tyres I thought I was not confused. I am now.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

My tyres are 215/70R/15C Michelin XC 'Camping' tyres specifically designed for motorhomes (max pressure 80psi). However theres diddly squat info on the michelin website about the 'C' on the end either. The P and Q from Kumho (who?) confuses even more. This is bugging me now you've brought it up Pusser, i hope someone can explain fully what it stands for (phil's right i reckon with commercial or cargo) and more importantly where the info's written or i'll have to start counting michelin men jumping over fences to get to sleep tonight. 

pete.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Although my mechanic and tyre man have assured me that these tyres are absolutely OK for what I have, I still have reservations whether 65 psi max (of this tyre) is enough blow to hold everything up. I am sure others on here are running in the 70's and even 80's.

Tyres are a serious issue so it will be nice if we could gather in the correct info for everyone to share in terms that I can understand.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

I use the same air pressure as phil905, 62 at the front and 65 on the rear.
This is on a Peugeot Boxer/Autohomes Wayfarer.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

I did well over 25000 miles on the last set of tyres and I never put more than 65psi in which is the max recommended by Fiat for the Ducato with 14 or 16 inch wheels, the handbook doesn't mention 15 inch wheels so they would seem to be a special. I also carry a 105kg motorcycle on a rack at the back of the MH. When I changed my tyres recently the treads were worn evenly and there was no sign of the sort of wear that would be caused by under ( or over ) inflation. The Swift handbook says the tyre pressures for all Capri, Royale and Kontiki models should be 4.5 Bar, 65 psi. All these vehicles have a Gross Vehicle Weight of 3100kg.
Phil.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

I've just been looking at the www.michelin.co.uk website, they have a special range of tyres for 'Utility/Motorhomes', it is called the Agilis and they have the 41 and 51 for light vans and the 61, 81 and 101 for medium and heavy vans. The type that I have just had fitted are the Agilis 81. As far as I remember from many years ago (back in the 70s) the Michelin XC were standard car tyres, I think I had them fitted to a Citroen GS Club, but I may be mistaken.
Phil.


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