Bongo Fury

I've researched the old posts but can't find the definitive answer to my question, so here goes.

I have bought a 1997 4WD Bongo with 195/65 R15 91H tyres fitted to all four wheels. I believe this to be incorrect.

The plate inside the drivers door says (amongst the Japanese text) :-

195/70 R15 92S
215/65 R15 96S
195SR15
215/70 R15 98S

Do I change all the tyres to 195 front and 215 rear as specified, or just leave the (good condition) 195 spec tyres on and not worry?

Many thanks.

More important is that you get tyres with the correct rating - 91 is too low, should be a minimum of 92 on the front & 96 on the rear.
From what people have posted, handling with 195s all round will be pants, get 215s all round.

Junk the back ones ASAP. Very quickly the inside walls will split all the way round. Happened to me, only spotted at MOT time - luckily.

Mine came with 205s all round (steel wheels, not alloys) and I have since replaced like with like.

Handles well. Brakes well. Not bogged down - yet.

It is a tin-top which presumably weighs less especially as I normally have one row of seats removed and no camper furniture. Keeps it versatile that way!

OK, I get it, the 91 refers to the load bearing capacity of the tyre which should be 92 front and 96 rear and I've only got 91.

If I'm going to change all the tyres I might as well do it as standard and fit 195 front and 215 rear to the correct profile and load bearing spec.

I've seen posts where people have fitted 215 all round, but my instinct is to do it "by the book". What do folks think?

Many thanks

Alifriendee wrote:OK, I get it, the 91 refers to the load bearing capacity of the tyre which should be 92 front and 96 rear and I've only got 91.

If I'm going to change all the tyres I might as well do it as standard and fit 195 front and 215 rear to the correct profile and load bearing spec.

I've seen posts where people have fitted 215 all round, but my instinct is to do it "by the book". What do folks think?

Many thanks

The books wrong - it was written with the cr*ppy Japanese tyres in mind and was designed to make the vehicle understeer. Unless you're taking your Bongo around a racetrack (or using the roads like one ) go for 215s all round.

Having the different tyres front & back brings up a slight issue with the spare tyre, by having them the same all round, it simplifies matters & does not affect safety in the way that having incorrectly rated tyres fitted does.
Don't go by the pressures on the door frame either, those are for the softer compound tyres fitted 15 years ago in Japan, you'd want more like 38 to 40psi at least.

Don't know where I read it - think it was in a Michelin Tyre Care leaflet at our local tyre place whilst I was waiting for a puncture to be repaired - BUT it said that it is important to ensure that all four tyres on a 4WD vehicle are the same.

Whether common sense, experience and general familiarity with the Bongo will cause folk to rush forward and denounce Michelin's claim is another matter. That's what I read, and coincidentally all the tyres on my Bongo are identical (I didn't put them there).

Just seen Kirsty's post - that makes even more sense than Michelin's sweeping remark!!

OK, so it's 215/65 R15 96S all round then?

It's still got what looks like a space saver tyre underneath. I'll take a look but I bet it's perished and old. Do people fit a 215 underneath then?

I love this place. Thank you all for your help.

Yep. Full size spare fits fine. Someone on here may well have one to donate too.

You're right - This Place Rocks!!

be careful this place gets addictive .

welcome by the way

Alifriendee wrote:OK, so it's 215/65 R15 96S all round then?

It's still got what looks like a space saver tyre underneath. I'll take a look but I bet it's perished and old. Do people fit a 215 underneath then?

I love this place. Thank you all for your help.

Bin the wheelbarrow tyre - 15 years old, & useless to start with Maximum of 50 mile range at 50mph when new. At least with a tyre the same as what's on each corner, if it goes on a saturday night in France with nothing open til at least monday, you can carry on your journey

Alison01326 wrote:Don't know where I read it - think it was in a Michelin Tyre Care leaflet at our local tyre place whilst I was waiting for a puncture to be repaired - BUT it said that it is important to ensure that all four tyres on a 4WD vehicle are the same.

Whether common sense, experience and general familiarity with the Bongo will cause folk to rush forward and denounce Michelin's claim is another matter. That's what I read, and coincidentally all the tyres on my Bongo are identical (I didn't put them there).

Just seen Kirsty's post - that makes even more sense than Michelin's sweeping remark!!

That's correct as far as it goes, what is important is that the circumference is the same on all four tyres.

With the origianl tyre sizes this holds good due to the different aspect ratio, the figure after the / as in 195/** or 215/**.

AS the guys have said go for 215s all round if you're replacing.

And welcome.

Just noticed you're very near us, hope to see you soon.

Also, be aware that on the 4WD, all 4 tyres should be replaced at the same time - to be on the safe side and avoid wind-up in the viscous coupling due to differing circumferences. It's much easier to do this if all 4 tyres are the same size, since you can just rotate them every few thousand miles to keep the wear even & save having to bin part worn front ones when the rears are worn out

Got to go against the grain here and say that having driven both 195 front and 215 front, the 195s steered and tracked far better. The wider 215s "tramlined" too much for my liking!