Tyre size and make, any recommendations?

Hello chaps, at long last my van is drawing close to being ready for its first MOT in eight plus years.
I am struggling to decide which tyre to go for in fact I have no idea where to start with this sort of thing.
The bus has been lowered using beam adjusters up front and horse shoe brackets at the rear giving it around a 90mm drop, I have a new set of fuch replica 5 x 112 alloys any recommendations on tyre size or make?

 

Load rated ones with stiff sidewalls. 92T or higher rated.. should be 94 rated really but unless you carry a tonne of cargo .. )

I have had squidgy Yokohamas, middling Pirellis and better Goodyears in 185/65 R15 size. Both the Pirelli and Goodyear actually are a high load rated 92T at 630 or 635kg per wheel. But of all these only the Goodyear are rated to about 45PSI. The Yokohamas and Pirellis only make it to about 40PSI which is a bit low for the back end of a bus, as they will add to the lowering...

So my favourites at present are Goodyear.

My bus was 100mm lowered -and it has gone up about 20mm ..

And for front shocks, I would suggest if you havent narrowed the beam in the process
you will need to fit

• shorter shocks (beetle rears .. ) to avoid banging.

either (because you have no bump stops)

• coilovers to avoid rubbing by stiffening the suspension and lifting a bit..

• lower than 65 profile tyres so the tyres dont rub because they are smaller

Both of which will ensure a harsher ride.

 

Have you spoken to your GP about this? Probably nothing to worry about.

 

Thanks @mikedjames i will look this up on cam skill at th 65mm profile.
A daft question I know but what code am I looking for 185/65 R15 to fit my 5 x 112 alloys?
I've fitted gas shocks all round have I made the wrong decision fitting those? And yes the beam is stand width

 

My 185/65 R15 have a 92T rating (630kg limit per tyre). They are continental Vanco tyres if i remember right.
They are reinforced tyres, whilst not as good as C rated commercial tyres they are as good as you can get in 185 65 R15 size
VW also fitted reinforced tyres to some kombis originally
My van has been on a weigh bridge: Fully laden 1900kg, (front 940kg, rear 1040kg).

I think 5 x 112 is the stud patter for your fuch replicas isn't it? so i don't think it influences tyre size - someone will correct me if im wrong?
My genuine fuchs are 5 x 130 bolt pattern, connected with adaptor plates and I can just squeeze 185 65 R 15 Tyres under the rear arches.

You may be able to get wider tyres under as you won't have adaptor plates

Hope that helps

 

I run 195/70/15 rear ( as close as you can get to original tyre and wheel size)
And and 185/60/15 front vancos

 

No such thing as a daft question.
To be legal (and safe) the tyres must be load rated for the maximum permitted axle load (not actual load), that’s 1300kg for the rear axle of a Bay so 650kg per tyre which is a 93 load rating.

You haven’t told us the size of the wheels but they’re probably 15” so if you want a 65 profile tyre you should ask for 185/65x15R 93. 185 is the width in mm, 65 is the aspect ratio in %, R is radial ply, 15 is the diameter in inches, and 93 is the load rating. There will also be a letter at the end which is the speed rating – simple.

 

Thanks for the great replies does 4.5 x 15 sound right for the alloy size and do I need to worry about the setup I've gone for

 

More like 5.5 x 15”
I’d worry but you don’t need to, it’s too late to do your homework now.. I don’t like dampers bottoming out or tyres hitting the wheel arch because the bump stops have been removed and there is virtually no suspension travel.

 

I'm sure they are 4.5 x 15 does that mean they are to narrow?

 

To be safe I'd say yes .....5.5 x15. Or 6 x15 is better suited to a bus ....

195 70 15 Is same as standard diameter

 

Yes they're too narrow and if they’re 4.5” possibly not for a Bay – check the load rating of the wheel.
Is this on a trailer queen for shows, or a bus you want to use on the road?

 

Correct, but he can’t fit them on the front because they would hit the arch and he probably can’t fit them on the back because there isn’t enough clearance to get the wheel on the hub. And they’re too wide for 4.5” rims – if that is what he has.

 

Round tyres are best.

 

And don't forget to check the speed rating and compound are commensurate with the performance of the bus, I always stick to ZR and N2 in the interest of safety.

 

I think it may be safer to stick with the original steel wheels, just checked the sizes and they are definitely 4.5" the box details are,
Size 4.5 x 15
PCD 5 x 112
ET 20
CB 66.6

 

Did someone sell those ^ as suitable for a Bay Bus?
I think you’re right - it may be safer to stick with the original steel wheels. But you still have the problem of what tyres to fit.

 

Haha yes I bought them off someone on here a while back.
So Im back to square one do I source new alloys, powder coat the steels and buy new hub caps which I recently sold as I thought they were no longer needed and what size tyres do I fit

 

Avoid the chinese budget 'teflon ditchfinder' tyres and Uniroyals too as they have a really soft sidewall which in my opinion makes them not fit for van use.
Just fitted a pair of Uniroyal Rain Max 2 to my caravelle and though the stick like the proverbial to a blanket in the wet, sidewinds now push the van around and it feels like driving on flats (or car tyres).

Theres a good calculator here to work out the tyre diameter versus the original size:
http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator/

If you have a few hours spare then all the tyre info you could ever need is on this site including load ratings, suitable width tyres for rim width etc:
http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

Camskill up here in Cumbria seem to be the cheapest in the country for tyres though you'll still need to budget to have them fitted at your local garage:
http://camskill.co.uk/index.php

 

Thanks @Zebedee i will read up on it all in the meantime.
Im debating to Mot the van with the steels on and original tyres and keep my fingers crossed it passes and run the van to see what clearance i have if any