wrong tyre sizes

[Andrea_5108420]

when we had our caravan serviced (by a 'mobile' servicer) we were advised that thet tyres should be replaced- so yeaterday off we trotted to get the manual out of the van to find out what size tyres we needed.........

no problems there; but when we checked the van, the tyres in place are a completely different size to those recommended by Avondale!

We should have 175 R13 94N tyres, but the ones on the van are 195 R14 !! Should I replace with 175s or should I stick to what's there?

What's the difference between the two?

Thanks for your advice (again)

Andrea

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Andrea,

From left to right, the mysterious script on a tyre - 175 R13 94 N means:

The tyre width is 175 mm

The tyre ratio (width to height) is 80% - if it's not mentioned then it's 80% - a normal car will have a 55% ratio (lower and squatter)

R - radial construction

The wheel diameter is 13 inches

94 is the load index (need a book or the internet to look this up)of 670 kg per tyre

And finally N is the speed rating - goods van tyre rated for use up to 140 kph (85 mph)

Should you fit (what you think are) the original size?

No - your caravan was fitted with 14" wheels, s what you found in the manual just won't fit - and you need 14" tyres.

If you look deeper in the manual, you should see the 14" specifications - but this is a standard AL-KO size - and a 195 R 14 tyre (with the correct load rating) would be fine.

GT MaxMiller is a good quality "goods van" tyre used on many Transit like vehicles - and should be a good price

Robert

 

[Andrea_5108420]

Hi Andrea,

From left to right, the mysterious script on a tyre - 175 R13 94 N means:

The tyre width is 175 mm

The tyre ratio (width to height) is 80% - if it's not mentioned then it's 80% - a normal car will have a 55% ratio (lower and squatter)

R - radial construction

The wheel diameter is 13 inches

94 is the load index (need a book or the internet to look this up)of 670 kg per tyre

And finally N is the speed rating - goods van tyre rated for use up to 140 kph (85 mph)

Should you fit (what you think are) the original size?

No - your caravan was fitted with 14" wheels, s what you found in the manual just won't fit - and you need 14" tyres.

If you look deeper in the manual, you should see the 14" specifications - but this is a standard AL-KO size - and a 195 R 14 tyre (with the correct load rating) would be fine.

GT MaxMiller is a good quality "goods van" tyre used on many Transit like vehicles - and should be a good price

Robert

Robert,

Thanks for that - but I'm still confused!

If Avondale state in the manual that the tyres should be

175 R13, and the tyres on the van are 195 R14, does that mean that I don't have the original wheels on my caravan?

It makes sense to replace 'like with like', so I'm happy to put new 195s on the van (or as happy as you can be paying for new tyres!) but why do Avondale say that something else should be on the van? Or am I missing the point completely?

Cheers - in bafflement

Andrea

 

[rayc]

Andrea, I am with Rob on this. What agee is your van? If later than 2003 I doubt that 13 inch wheels were fitted. If 13 inch tyres were replaced by 14 inch then the wheels would have had to be replaced at the same time!

13 inch tyres became unpopular in 2002 or so and have very limited availability at the speed/load rating required. They also had to be run at high pressures of 62 psi or more and there were talk of premature failure.

The 195 x 14 inch are the same as those fitted to my 2006 van and with a MPTLM of 1310kg the tyre pressure is 42psi.

All in all you should be pleased.

 

[rob_jax]

Andrea,

Take a look at the wheels and count the number of bolts (or nuts) that hold the wheel onto the caravan hub.

If it's five - then that means that a 14" wheel was the original fitment

If it's four - then that could be either 13" or 14"

Why doe the manual not agree? Many reasons, the previous owner changed the wheels, the caravan was available from the factory with a wheel / axle upgrade, you haven't found the right page in the manual, or you've been given the manual for an earlier model caravan

Robert

 

[Andrea_5108420]

Rob & Ray,

The van is a 2000 model - but the handbook is for the 99 model. MPTLM is 1360kg.

I'll obviously have to go and count the nuts!!

 

[Guest]

The wheels will also have a size stamped on them somewhere. As mentioned the 14" tyres are bigger in both width and diameter and as long as there is no fouling in the wheel box then they will be fine. However, do check the rating of the tyres, most caravans specify 'C' or commercial tyres to get the right strength for the weight of the van. My own van has a MTLM of 1300 kg and uses 14" tyres of a 'C' rating. It also requires 65 psi and is a 2005 model so pressures may not be a good guide.