Tyre Pressures

[Harry]

I tend to run my van fully loaded most of the time and keep the tyres (vanco cotinentals) at around 38/40. They look flat if I go less.

My biggest prob is that the van often bottoms out over bumps at speed...I suspect I could use new rear struts but the higher tyre pressures certainly helps reduce the bounce and the handling is otherwise excellent.

H

[Vanmanerik]

Hi zigzag,
What you have got to remember is that some Bongo members know better than the Mazda engineers and designers.
My advice would be stick with the tyre sizes and pressures stated in your handbook.

195/70R 15 Front 2WD 1.8 bar - 26psi, 4WD 2.00 bar - 29psi

215/70 R15 Rear Seems to be for 2WD and 4WD 2.4 bar - 35psi

Hope this helps

[trevd01]

Hi zigzag,
What you have got to remember is that some Bongo members know better than the Mazda engineers and designers.
My advice would be stick with the tyre sizes and pressures stated in your handbook.

195/70R 15 Front 2WD 1.8 bar - 26psi, 4WD 2.00 bar - 29psi

215/70 R15 Rear Seems to be for 2WD and 4WD 2.4 bar - 35psi

Hope this helps

I usually agree that Mazda have spent millions of yen developing the van etc, etc.

BUT - We know that Japanese tyres can be different to UK (softer compound, etc etc - should have seen the ones on our van from Japan - more suitable to a race track on a dry day). Also in Japan speed limits are lower and driving conditions will often be different.

Roads and rules

In Japan, cars drive on the left side of the road and have the driver's seat and steering wheel on the right. The legal minimum age for driving is 18 years. Road signs and rules follow international standards, and most signs on major roads are in Japanese and English. Drinking and driving is strictly prohibited.

The typical speed limits are 80 to 100 km/h on expressways, 40 km/h in urban areas, 30 km/h in side streets and 50 to 60 km/h elsewhere, however, it is quite usual for drivers to exceed the speed limits by about 10 km/h.

Most roads in Japan are toll free with the exception of expressways and some scenic driving routes. Road conditions tend to be good, although side streets in the cities can be rather narrow. Traffic congestions are a frequent problem in and around urban centers.

Drivers generally tend to be well mannered and considerate. Some dangers on Japanese roads include drivers speeding over intersections despite the traffic light turning red, people stopping their vehicles at the edge of the street in a way in which they block traffic, and cyclists driving on the wrong side of the road.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2022.html

[Vanmanerik]

So whats your point then trev, what tyre pressures are you recommending?

[trevd01]

So whats your point then trev, what tyre pressures are you recommending?

I thought this was the thread I had already posted in, but no, there was an identically titled thread about a 10 days ago:

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... highlight=

Which is where I posted this:

The manual says 2.0 bar front (29 psi), 2.4 bar rear (35 psi).

I run ours (215s all round) at 34 front and 38 rear. I feel happier with the ride and handling at slightly higher pressures.

Talk about deja vu...

[zigzag]

Thanks for all the advice. The handbook pressures are for 195s on the front and 215s on the back, does the fact that my Bongo currently has 205s all round make a scrap of difference? (It is a 2WD).

[trevd01]

I run ours (215s all round) at 34 front and 38 rear. I feel happier with the ride and handling at slightly higher pressures.

So

a) I think the pressures are too low for UK roads, and modern tyres (my tyres are Japanese Yokohama C drives, BTW)

b) No, I personally don't think the difference in cross section of the front tyres makes any difference.

[Rog]

I have fitted Michelin pilot sport 245 40 18's all round on my 2 wheel drive V6. This gives the correct rolling diameter and a load rating of 97

Info in the tyre bible said to start at 10% less than the max pressure written on the tyrewall and experiment from there.

Given that for my tyres that works out at 45 PSI, I stuck in 43 PSI and it seems fine. Has anyone else fitted tyres this size?

Rog

[smartmonkey]

I would have thought that was a touch high for 245. Throw a gauge on it every now and again to make sure you aren't wearing out the centres too fast.

I am happy with 40 back and 38 front. I am running semi-commercial tyres with a good load rating and they need to run higher pressures than domestic tyres. They have a stiff side wall and if you run standard pressures you get too much deflection which heats them up and can cause de-lamination.

[Rog]

Hi Smartmonkey,

I am going to keep an eye on the tyre wearing at the centre, but it is early days yet.

I have heard of a test method where you check for tyre pressure increase during a journey, but am not too clear how you work it. I suppose the theory is that if the pressure is too low and you get tyre wall flexing the pressure will rise due to heat quite soon, but if the pressure is adequate then the rise in pressure will not be that marked.

With regard to adjusting the tyre pressures and checking out the handling caracteristics I am in a bit of a quandry in that our other car is a Mazda MX5, so whatever pressures the Bongo is at it will feel like an oversized lardy thing by comparison, though to give it credit it handles fine within limits. The oversteer that I used to get now and again in the wet has gone since the tyre change, but I have not been brave enough to try for any "drifting" antics as yet!

Rog

[smartmonkey]

Mine just picks up the inside wheel and spins it. A bongolow might drift a bit better - it being the sports model.

[tanner]

Hey Quinkster, you've pinched my avatar. You're nicked

Tyres. Mine are 40psi all round. Perfect.

[daveblueozzie]

215 all round 34 psi no probs, considering all the yen as some one has put it mazda spent on reserch , they then put that crappy little tyre as a spare now thats clever ,must have saved ohhh £20 on price of vehicle.