tyres

[Parksy]

Hello all,
just trying to find new tyres for my Vermont. Size is 195. 70. 14 96n. The original Trailermaxx supplied by Bailey new in 2009 have started to crack already. I have looked around and this tyre size is hard to locate and difficult to find in a good branded name. In the end I have settled for Maxxis and from my limited research they seem to be a good reliable name. Anyone know anything about them?

 

[GrahamDerby]

Have you looked at the date on your tyres ?. I have just been and checked the pressures on my 2009 Lunar Delte and found the tyres were made second week in april 2008 and i got my van Sept 2009, the tyres were 17 month old when i got the van, think its recomended every 5 years for a tyre change?.

 

[RodOne1]

They will not be fitted til next Tuesday, but I did stipulate that I want as recent a DOT date as possible and I was assured they would show up as no older than than last year ( July) As for the outgoing ones they show as being 2008 and I bought the van in 2009. Mind you I suspect that Bailey along with the other caravan manufacturers (assemblers! ) use whatever budget tyres they can get - I still remember the problems with Matador tyres ( I think that was Swift Group) . Having said that, I believe Bailey have now gone over to Michelin tyres, so it will be interesting to see what feedback comes from these over time

 

[otherclive]

Maxxis are a well recognised maker. I had the same issue with Trailermaxx and moved to GT Radial Kargomax ST6000 which are specifically for trailers and are embossed as such on the sides, but they had good load rating and deep tread depth. I then changed over ( on life) to Firestone Vanhawks made in the Bridgestone factory in Turkey. They are a commercial van tyre and after seeing so many vans in eastern Turkey thundering dwon rough stoney tracks and pot-holed roads I thought 'these are for me".

 

[Surfer]

Have you looked at the date on your tyres ?. I have just been and checked the pressures on my 2009 Lunar Delte and found the tyres were made second week in april 2008 and i got my van Sept 2009, the tyres were 17 month old when i got the van, think its recomended every 5 years for a tyre change?.

Correct, but if they check out to be okay I think you can look at 7 to 8 years according to tyre industry. Many 10 year and older cars still have the orginal spare tyre. I have also seen many 4 x 4s that are over 10 years old with the orginal spare tyre mounted on the rear which has been exposed to the elements since day one and the tyre looks to be in perfect condition.

 

[otherclive]

Just because a tyre looks okay doesn't mean that it is suitable for normal use. Using a tyre regularly allows the uv inhibitors within the compound to distribute and help preserve their performance. This doesn't happen in a static tyre. Also most 4x4s have wide tyres and the loading per tyre is a lot less than for a caravan tyre. The car suspension also aids tyre life too. But I do agree that 5 years is a bit on the low side especially given that the tyre can be 6 months or older when it is fitted. One advantage of using commercial van tyres is that the turnover in depots is quicker and you get a newer tyre. I tend to go for 6 years from date of manufacture. Although if I have a blowout I'd change both as the non punctured tyre will have been overloaded for albeit a short period. But at around £70-80 a tyre it's a small premium for peace of mind.