Tyres Bridgestone

[otherclive]

A tyre manufacturer produces a tyre to cope with a clearly displayed speed and load. I expect they know exactly what they are doing when then specify both dont you? Think of the reputational damage even if there is ever half a suggestion that a tyre failed due to it being run near, at, or even a little above its designated load rating.

In addition I doubt very much that there isn't a pretty substantial safety margin built into any classification.

Does anyone worry if their cars tyres are very close to the designated loading? How many drivers even know that their tyres have a load rating? Or even that their car has axles and gross permitted weights?

My cars tyre size is made by many different manufacturers, I am happy to fit those that are in the mid price range. Some cost nearly double, so does that mean they are twice as good, or that the mid range ones are only half as good as the super expensive ones.

Trust me when I tell you that something like 90% of drivers never get anywhere near the limit of the tyres on their car, and would almost certainly be bricking it if anyone took them anywhere near such limit (as I have done a fair few times over the years with other officers having a few days attachment to traffic)

Everyone has the right to spend their money as they wish, but in my experience (30 years as a traffic cop, and many as a collision reconstructor where tyre adhesion is a very important factor) I have driven many cars, of many makes, at some VERY high speeds and am not at all convinced of the "value" of fitting expensive tyres (unless on a track, but thats a whole different ball game).

Others are, of course, totally at liberty to hold a different viewpoint, but is that viewpoint based on fact, hearsay, what a mate down the pub reckons, "gut feeling" just supposition, or clever marketing by tyre manufacturers? ?

Whilst I agree that the tyre makers will have built in their margins on speed and load for caravans I have tended to go for mid range tyres and since 2005 I bought FRT trailer or latterly "C" rated light truck tyres Although around 20017 when we restarted caravanning I went for Hankook Vantra C rated, which were not much more expensive than mid range tyres.

For caravans tyres it was price and a known established brand as the wet and dry braking performance, aquaplaning resistance, fuel economy and noise etc aren't key priorities. I just wanted them to hang together on trips. If they suit WVM then they are okay for me.

However for cars I take different view, especially since the more comprehensive review sites do show a distinct difference between the performance of premium tyres and mid range tyres. Whilst I don't drive any where near to the tyres limits of performance I am comforted to know that providing I can hit the brake pedal hard enough my car will stop in a shorter distance with its premium tyres as opposed to lower rated tyres. The same philosophy applies to aquaplaning resistance and cornering handling wet/dry, and noise too.

 

[Bob_5041432]

I have just removed the Tyron bands from my wheels, I bought the mobile band removal kit about 5 years ago, and when I went to use it it was terrible, if you got a puncture in Europe with these bands fitted it would be a nightmare. The kit is not strong enough. Your much better to have Tyre Pal kit fitted so you can see the pressures and temperature of the tyres.

We have been round the 'Tyron bands buoy' many times and, as you know from my occasional posts, I have had them fitted for many years. I have had 2 blow outs caused by hitting the corner of a curb - one entirely my fault many many years ago and the other an unavoidable swerve in a very narrow Austrian village more recently. In both cases Tyrepal would not have helped and I was able to drive for about 2 kms to a place where I could put the spare on safely. Also, in both cases, there was no damage to the wheel and, in the Austrian case, they were able to put a new tyre on with the help of the Tyron band fitting kit which I carry.

However, I have read and followed the debate with interest and I am about to put new tyres on my 2006 Fendt German caravan.

My question to the experts is simple: will my wheel rims (at 19 years old) be ok for me not to need Tyron bands on the last occasion that I had a blow out?

If I don't need them now, then I would happily ditch them and the fitting kit. I should also add that I have the Tyrepal TPMS fitted.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Whilst I agree that the tyre makers will have built in their margins on speed and load for caravans I have tended to go for mid range tyres and since 2005 I bought FRT trailer or latterly "C" rated light truck tyres Although around 20017 when we restarted caravanning I went for Hankook Vantra C rated, which were not much more expensive than mid range tyres.

For caravans tyres it was price and a known established brand as the wet and dry braking performance, aquaplaning resistance, fuel economy and noise etc aren't key priorities. I just wanted them to hang together on trips. If they suit WVM then they are okay for me.

However for cars I take different view, especially since the more comprehensive review sites do show a distinct difference between the performance of premium tyres and mid range tyres. Whilst I don't drive any where near to the tyres limits of performance I am comforted to know that providing I can hit the brake pedal hard enough my car will stop in a shorter distance with its premium tyres as opposed to lower rated tyres. The same philosophy applies to aquaplaning resistance and cornering handling wet/dry, and noise too.

Often the mid range tyres have BETTER wet grip than premium ones. See below for Kuhmo V Michelin. I accept that the Michelin have better economy, but it proves my point doesn't it??





Then look at the wet grip for far more expensive "premium" tyres tgat cost £100 more. Doesn't make sense does it?

 

[otherclive]

Often the mid range tyres have BETTER wet grip than premium ones. See below for Kuhmo V Michelin. I accept that the Michelin have better economy, but it proves my point doesn't it??


View attachment 8448


Then look at the wet grip for far more expensive "premium" tyres tgat cost £100 more. Doesn't make sense does it?


View attachment 8449

I cannot see that your post does prove your point. You have shown a summer tyre versus three all seasons, so it does not make sense does it? Not a valid comparison. The wet rating comparison doesn’t say how close the all seasons came to earning an A rating. For all I know the other three tyres might be be verging in the A rating.

I look at tyre test reviews that test the tyres not in a laboratory but in real world conditions for cold, wet, dry and temperate.

 

[Hutch]

We have been round the 'Tyron bands buoy' many times and, as you know from my occasional posts, I have had them fitted for many years. I have had 2 blow outs caused by hitting the corner of a curb - one entirely my fault many many years ago and the other an unavoidable swerve in a very narrow Austrian village more recently. In both cases Tyrepal would not have helped and I was able to drive for about 2 kms to a place where I could put the spare on safely. Also, in both cases, there was no damage to the wheel and, in the Austrian case, they were able to put a new tyre on with the help of the Tyron band fitting kit which I carry.

However, I have read and followed the debate with interest and I am about to put new tyres on my 2006 Fendt German caravan.

My question to the experts is simple: will my wheel rims (at 19 years old) be ok for me not to need Tyron bands on the last occasion that I had a blow out?

If I don't need them now, then I would happily ditch them and the fitting kit. I should also add that I have the Tyrepal TPMS fitted.

Hi Bob , you are the only other person that I have known to have the Tyron band kit, in my case the aligning piece snapped off all six arms. Just not strong enough.
Had I found the kit strong enough I would have refitted the bands. The last time I changed tyres previous to having the kit, it was a real Pain.
My wheels are Alloy and the beads are extremely tight, I would think (without bands) with a normal puncture the tyre would stay in place, but with steel wheels I would think maybe the tyre without the band might slip into the much larger well and come off. But that is just my opinion.

The photo shows the aligning bit snapped off from the spider leg.

 

[Hutch]

Just checked on Tyron bands and it seems like there are at least 4 different Tyron Band portable kits. TR3030, TR 3040. And at least two others.
A 4 legged one, and three 6 legged ones, mine WAS the flimsy 6 legged one, as in the lower diagram.

 

[otherclive]

If the caravan will take alloys I would replace the wheels and buy TPMS.