I wish to change the tyres on our caravan this year. We bought the van last year & I believe there the original tyres (2003 Bailey Pageant Moselle). Anyway I'm having real trouble finding the correct tyres. They are 195/70/14 which I can find plenty of but my problem is with getting the correct load rating which I've worked out as 98. Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks in advance.
Tyres?
- Thread starter Darren74
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- Mar 14, 2005
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I thought the MTPLM of a Bailey Pageant Moselle is around 1300kg. How come you are then looking for tyres with a 750kg load rating which would be adequate for a 1500kg caravan (actually for even more than 1500kg because one could deduct the noseweight to establish the maximum axle load)?
Hi Darren.
What you need to do for a starting point is to visit an independent tyre retailer. They are more interested in selling all types of tyre. Take the spare wheel with you for reference.
They should then be able to offer a good match of tyre for you especially if you can quote the maximum load weight for the caravan as well.
If they can offer only 8 ply tyres where you have 6 ply tyres that is acceptable as you would be getting a stronger tyre.
I find it hard to get 195/65/14 tyres for my Laguna as apperently 14" wheels are getting fewer and so less economical for the tyre manufacturer to produce. But these are normal car tyres and not strong enough for a caravan. I usually end up with H rated tyres which are rated at 130Mph which gives a good safety margin in the build quality stakes.
Good luck with your mission.
Steve l.
What you need to do for a starting point is to visit an independent tyre retailer. They are more interested in selling all types of tyre. Take the spare wheel with you for reference.
They should then be able to offer a good match of tyre for you especially if you can quote the maximum load weight for the caravan as well.
If they can offer only 8 ply tyres where you have 6 ply tyres that is acceptable as you would be getting a stronger tyre.
I find it hard to get 195/65/14 tyres for my Laguna as apperently 14" wheels are getting fewer and so less economical for the tyre manufacturer to produce. But these are normal car tyres and not strong enough for a caravan. I usually end up with H rated tyres which are rated at 130Mph which gives a good safety margin in the build quality stakes.
Good luck with your mission.
Steve l.
The MTPLM is 1337kg so yes about 1300. Using the guide on here to work it out, where it says work out 110% of the MTPLM then it comes out at 1470kg then I'm just rounding up on the safe side.
Lutz, It is best to keep things "simple's". Don't get tyres that are too light in the construction stakes as you would inherantly be running the tyre at it's maximum capacity. Much better to have a wider safety margin. Perhaps running at max weight for thtyre is contributary to a better chance of a "blow out"!!
Steve L.
Steve L.
This size of tyre seems to be quite difficult to get hold of in a high enough load rating. We have them on our Abbey but as a 96 load rating. There is a whole saga on the Swift forum about this size of tyre. Tyreline who seem to supply most of the caravan indusrty do have them and its a matter of finding a retailer who deals with them which is probably going to be a caravan dealer. Regarding load rating, does the makers plate on the caravan not give the original tyre load rating? If working it out from first principles however I would always allow a good safety factor, at least 10% as Darren suggests.
Another thing to just be aware of is the tyre pressure. Our 2006 caravan originally had Matador tyres, one of which delaminated. The tyres were all replaced under warranty by Tyreline with ones of the same load rating but lower speed rating. The max pressure on the new tyres though is significantly lower than the original tyres so we carry a letter from Swift advising that they approve the tyres we have now to run at a lower pressure than the plate says. This is just in case the caravan is ever given a complete check over by VOSA or anyone abroad.
Another thing to just be aware of is the tyre pressure. Our 2006 caravan originally had Matador tyres, one of which delaminated. The tyres were all replaced under warranty by Tyreline with ones of the same load rating but lower speed rating. The max pressure on the new tyres though is significantly lower than the original tyres so we carry a letter from Swift advising that they approve the tyres we have now to run at a lower pressure than the plate says. This is just in case the caravan is ever given a complete check over by VOSA or anyone abroad.
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with running at maximum capacity because it already includes three safety margins:
1. The safety margin that the tyre manufacturer has to ensure anyway, even on the indicated load limit.
2. The safety margin due to the fact that most people use the MTPLM to determine the necessary load carrying ability and not the maximum axle load of the caravan actually resting on the tyres.
3. The safety margin is that caravan tyres never run at their maximum speed rating (even an 'N' rated commercial tyre is good for 87mph. This alone is equivalent to at least a 10% safety factor.
If one adds another fourth safety factor on top of that, where do you stop?
1. The safety margin that the tyre manufacturer has to ensure anyway, even on the indicated load limit.
2. The safety margin due to the fact that most people use the MTPLM to determine the necessary load carrying ability and not the maximum axle load of the caravan actually resting on the tyres.
3. The safety margin is that caravan tyres never run at their maximum speed rating (even an 'N' rated commercial tyre is good for 87mph. This alone is equivalent to at least a 10% safety factor.
If one adds another fourth safety factor on top of that, where do you stop?
Tim - I had a look at the makers' plates on a few of Bailey's caravans recently, and they only quote a tyre "pressure".
Personally, I don't think this is a very good idea, because that pressure is only suitable for similar identical tyres that are fitted. Eventually, if someone somewhere down the line decides to change to a tyre with a different Load Index, then the quoted pressure no longer applies.
Some manufacturers quote tyre size and pressure, which I feel is better, but still only applicable until someone decides to upgrade, for one reason or another.
Personally, I don't think this is a very good idea, because that pressure is only suitable for similar identical tyres that are fitted. Eventually, if someone somewhere down the line decides to change to a tyre with a different Load Index, then the quoted pressure no longer applies.
Some manufacturers quote tyre size and pressure, which I feel is better, but still only applicable until someone decides to upgrade, for one reason or another.
Darren, your choice is spot on, the tyre manufactures recommend 10% extra, so who are we to argue?.
Personally I think it's excellent advice and would always followed it.
Your current rare sized tyres are Reinforced LI95 perhaps 96 and 630mm diameter, you then should be able to fit the very common 175xR14C 8ply LI99 which has a diameter of 634mm, and at 1334kg these need 54psi from their maximum of 65psi.
Only proviso regards being a narrower tyre and if their suitable for your width of rim, most probably are but your tyre fitter will know at a glance.
Personally I think it's excellent advice and would always followed it.
Your current rare sized tyres are Reinforced LI95 perhaps 96 and 630mm diameter, you then should be able to fit the very common 175xR14C 8ply LI99 which has a diameter of 634mm, and at 1334kg these need 54psi from their maximum of 65psi.
Only proviso regards being a narrower tyre and if their suitable for your width of rim, most probably are but your tyre fitter will know at a glance.
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But the 10% extra is already there. Why put another 10% on top of that? Sounds more like good business than a sound technical recommendation. Besides, it's the dealers that recommend a higher rated tyre, not the tyre manufacturers - probably because they can sell more expensive tyres that way. I think you'd be pushed to find a new caravan with OEM tyres with a rating higher than absolutely necessary.
The tyres are currently a 96 but that doesn't appear to be a high enough load rating, hence my decision for a 98 load rating. Didn't even think of fitting a narrower tyre on there gary definetely worth an ask thanks.
I don't know about good business from the tyre manufactures prospective, common sized tyres are cheaper than found as OE on caravans?!
So it's not the tyre dealer either.
As far as the 10% extra is concerned it's simply this, it will certainly do no harm and in fact then is more often than not cheaper.
One other advantage is common sized tyres are readily available, everywhere, some of these odd sizes are scarce here in the UK, but I'm led to believe, impossible to find 'off the shelf' in other parts of Europe?
If that's to be believed Lutz then one word, Swift...
They have been fitting 'over spec' tyres for two years, and where they go I'm sure others will follow
They have been fitting 'over spec' tyres for two years, and where they go I'm sure others will follow
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Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that there is anything wrong with such practice (choosing a higher tyre load rating), but it isn't necessary and cannot be explained on purely objective technical grounds. But if it gives you more peace of mind and subjective reassurance, that's fine, too.
Been doing some searching for a narrower tyre with some success. Found 175/80/14 Falken Van tyres with a load rating of 99 @
Have a look on www.camskill.co.uk click on van tyres in left column and choose your required size, chec k the spec of each tyre and decide which suits your needs. I chose GT Maxmilers in my size 185/80 R 13 C, 8 ply, 97 load rate, r speed rate, two tyres delivered to my door for
just had same probs 2 weeks to get the right info afteer the dealer and a load of tyre places came to the same point that they must be 8ply min.Not 6 ply with reinforced walls or extra side wall load.G0t tyre from camskill 195/70/14 could not beelive how many tyre dealers got it wrong and did not no the right type of tyre.a call to my caravan dealer put me right.
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I don't want to start another controversial discussion but why must the tyres be 8 ply? The ply rating has nothing to do with load carrying capacity but is only a measure of the resistance of the tyre to mechanical abuse, such as driving over kerbs, etc. This is an important feature of a commercial vehicle tyre and CAN be worth considering for a caravan, but it is not a matter of strict necessity.
It is perfectly possible for even a 4 ply tyre to have a very high load rating. Besides, the term 'ply' is borrowed from the days when tyres were cross ply and not radials and cannot therefore be linked directly to a physical number of layers, but is only an equivalent. One therefore talks about a 'ply rating', not an actual number of plies.
It is perfectly possible for even a 4 ply tyre to have a very high load rating. Besides, the term 'ply' is borrowed from the days when tyres were cross ply and not radials and cannot therefore be linked directly to a physical number of layers, but is only an equivalent. One therefore talks about a 'ply rating', not an actual number of plies.
from my previous post
just had a major problem on mine tyre wise with this size of tyre,195/70/R14/96N.could not get them mid range price.emailed bailey and the said the tyre we had was
just had a major problem on mine tyre wise with this size of tyre,195/70/R14/96N.could not get them mid range price.emailed bailey and the said the tyre we had was
I rang Bailey as well, why I didn't do that in the first place I don't know. They quoted the same
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