Air suspension

[dandywarhol]

Had a bit more of a delve but am not any further forward in understanding why our Bongo, and seemingly just a few others, has 195/80, 215/70 tyres specified. Certainly there are plenty of "new shapes" out there with "normal" (195/70, 215/65 or 215/65 all round) tyres fitted now, and I've only found one reference to some (sic) later Bongos having the higher profile tyres - so I still don't know if it's a rare mutation, or if it did did relate to all new shapes at birth. Perhaps we shall never know - as they keep saying in "Who do you think you are?" (which should be sub-titled "Who cares?", in some cases )

I was under the impression that the winter M+S tyres were a higher profile on the bongo - I think I read that in the owner's handbook.

PS - I don't "tramp on" all the time Ron - it's just not that kind of vehicle - but there's been occasions when the traffic is moving smartly on quick A class or N class French roads and I don't like to hold folks up behind me.

"M+S"?

You're right dandy. There are several Bongo variants/grades specified with 195SR 15, 215/70 15 tyres, in the handbook but I don't know what the "grades" in question (e.g., "RF-V") mean. Do you? Are they all winter spec Bongos? Strangely, they're also the ones specified with lower ground clearance, 155 mm instead of 175 mm, so I took that to mean body skirts - which ours does not have.

Anyway, according to the Amayama index of models/grades/years, they do not mean new type. Presumably a 195SR 15 front tyre has an 80% profile, although ours is actually plated 195/80 15, to go with its 215/70 15s on the back. No mention of 195/80 15 in the handbook, as far as I can see.

Re "tramping on", that was just a gentle leg pull, and I also used to ride bikes (EDIT: Oh, the bit about bikes was in another thread!) - with exhilaration as one of the benefits, except in 'orrible cold weather. It's true though, that having survived our roads, driving from age 17 to now 71, I don't require quite as much cornering grip as younger drivers might need - but often haven't got Good braking performance, to compensate for perhaps taking 5 or 10 minutes to decide to push that pedal, is paramount No, that''s a wind up too. My reactions are, thank god, still pretty quick.

RF -V seems to be most of the Bongo range http://www.bongoogle.co.uk/1995spec.asp

A 195 SR 15 will have an 82% profile. Any tyre without an aspect ratio figure is 82 although 80 seems to be generally accepted these days

[Ron Miel]

I was under the impression that the winter M+S tyres were a higher profile on the bongo - I think I read that in the owner's handbook.

PS - I don't "tramp on" all the time Ron - it's just not that kind of vehicle - but there's been occasions when the traffic is moving smartly on quick A class or N class French roads and I don't like to hold folks up behind me.

"M+S"?

You're right dandy. There are several Bongo variants/grades specified with 195SR 15, 215/70 15 tyres, in the handbook but I don't know what the "grades" in question (e.g., "RF-V") mean. Do you? Are they all winter spec Bongos? Strangely, they're also the ones specified with lower ground clearance, 155 mm instead of 175 mm, so I took that to mean body skirts - which ours does not have.

Anyway, according to the Amayama index of models/grades/years, they do not mean new type. Presumably a 195SR 15 front tyre has an 80% profile, although ours is actually plated 195/80 15, to go with its 215/70 15s on the back. No mention of 195/80 15 in the handbook, as far as I can see.

Re "tramping on", that was just a gentle leg pull, and I also used to ride bikes (EDIT: Oh, the bit about bikes was in another thread!) - with exhilaration as one of the benefits, except in 'orrible cold weather. It's true though, that having survived our roads, driving from age 17 to now 71, I don't require quite as much cornering grip as younger drivers might need - but often haven't got Good braking performance, to compensate for perhaps taking 5 or 10 minutes to decide to push that pedal, is paramount No, that''s a wind up too. My reactions are, thank god, still pretty quick.

RF -V seems to be most of the Bongo range http://www.bongoogle.co.uk/1995spec.asp

A 195 SR 15 will have an 82% profile. Any tyre without an aspect ratio figure is 82 although 80 seems to be generally accepted these days

Thanks. 82's obviously close enough on the front, with no speedo implication.

Oh yes, "M+S" = mud and snow, I guess. Penny dropped when up a ladder cutting ivy just now. Had a cuppa, better get back to it