Tyres

[Duane126]

Morning all, Im a little new to the world of bongos. I've searched high and low before asking but I'm still none the wiser.
I've been looking to get some new tyres for the Freda. I'm looking for a good 4x4 type because I use the van for launching my boat. Can anyone advise me on a good All Terrain that will cope with the slippy boat ramps and muddy exits. The sizes are confusing me a little as I'm looking for an extra load (van tyre). I'm currently using 205/65 R15 budget car tyre and they are very poor on the motorway, my boat would handle better!!! Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Bob]

Hi, and a warm welcome to Bongo Fury.

Sadly budget car tyres won't do on a Bongo, you have a gross vehicle weight of 2 1/4 tons, plus trailer.

The recommended sizes are 195/70/15 on the front, with a minimum weight rating of 92, and 215/65/15 on the back, minimum weight rating of 96.

The different aspect ratios give the same rolling circumference which is vital on a 4wd.

These speed ratings are very important and anything less will invalidate your insurance.

Many peeps run with 215 tyres all round, that's fine.

Someone will be along to recommend specific brands, but meantime I'd pop along the Wheelquick, in Wigan, for some good advice.

This should help:

http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

[rita]

Hi, and a warm welcome to Bongo Fury.

Sadly budget car tyres won't do on a Bongo, you have a gross vehicle weight of 2 1/4 tons, plus trailer.

The recommended sizes are 195/70/15 on the front, with a minimum weight rating of 92, and 215/65/15 on the back, minimum weight rating of 96.

The different aspect ratios give the same rolling circumference which is vital on a 4wd.

These speed ratings are very important and anything less will invalidate your insurance.

Many peeps run with 215 tyres all round, that's fine.

Someone will be along to recommend specific brands, but meantime I'd pop along the Wheelquick, in Wigan, for some good advice.

This should help:

http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

That's very good information, it should keep every body safe.

[cmm303]

Hi, and a warm welcome to Bongo Fury.

Sadly budget car tyres won't do on a Bongo, you have a gross vehicle weight of 2 1/4 tons, plus trailer.

The recommended sizes are 195/70/15 on the front, with a minimum weight rating of 92, and 215/65/15 on the back, minimum weight rating of 96.

The different aspect ratios give the same rolling circumference which is vital on a 4wd.

These speed ratings are very important and anything less will invalidate your insurance.

Many peeps run with 215 tyres all round, that's fine.

Someone will be along to recommend specific brands, but meantime I'd pop along the Wheelquick, in Wigan, for some good advice.

This should help:

http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

Typo! I'm sure, , Bob means load/weight ratings, as he says when quoting a minimum of 96.

[Bob]

You're right, thanks.

Big difference.

[Muzorewa]

The tyres do have speed ratings too but your Bongo isn't likely to be falling foul of those

[mikeonb4c]

I've been extremely happy with the feeling of traction/grip I get from my Avon Ice Touring tyres. A bit of tread noise when cornering in car parks/low speed but very good on open road/motorway. I don't think they'll last quite as long as summer tyres (I might be heading for 15-20k miles) but life's too short and they are so much more confident giving than the summer/normal tyres I had on before. Recommended, and not too expensive if you source online and have them delivered and fitted locally

[Duane126]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the advise. Im definitely having all 4 replaced this week. Look has it that I work at a Dealership with an in house tyre depo. I'm going to order a couple of different brands in and have a look. I will keep you updated but the Avon are sounding good. Many thanks Duane.

[Bob]

Nankangs have had good reports on here, too.

Not tried them myself.

[mikeonb4c]

Nankangs have had good reports on here, too.

Not tried them myself.

Interesting. Nankang winter/snow van tyres available for £57.25 a corner:

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m109b2508s565 ... 70dB/RS_GB

But will 104T rating mean a firmer and thus harsher ride or doesn't it work like that?

Avon Ice Touring are £48.10 a corner from same supplier(I'd expected them to be dearer - they seem to have come down in price since I bought mine 2 years ago):

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m95b0s709p119 ... se%3A_69dB

[Bob]

Seems like jolly good prices to me.

[Ian]

Does anyone have any feedback on Continental Vanco snow tyres?

[mikeonb4c]

Does anyone have any feedback on Continental Vanco snow tyres?

While I was googling, I did see a blog where Contiwinter tyres came tops a few years abck, and then I found a recent one where they came 4th:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessorie ... -uk-prices

All the tyres in the review are I suspect higher priced than Avon or Nankang and the price for Contiwinters at camskill.co.uk seems substantially higher than the Avon or Nankang:

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m95b2577s709p ... se%3A_72dB

[BigPanzer]

Hi Duane,

Most people seem to up their pressures from that stated in the handbook. Opinion seems to be that around 36-38psi improves the handling a lot. I run 215-15 Nankangs all round and Bongy seems much improved, though I will go up to 40 on the rear if doing a long, loaded trip.
While you are thinking about tyres, if you still have the skinny spare, throw it away. Get a full size rim (plenty around and cheap secondhand) and proper rubber. It will fit in the same space under the van and the skinny spacesaver may well have been with the van since new and will be well past its safe useage date.

Peter

[helen&tony]

Hi
I have Kumho KW27 Izen 96 load rating tyres on the winter wheels if that's any help...they seem pretty good to me...I swap from Nov to March, then I use Kumho summer tyres. Both have been good. On the Jeep I use Yokohama Geolander 235 70 16 all season tyres in summer and Lassa Competus in winter...not so impressed with the Lassa, but the Bongo izens are good.
Cheers
Helen