Michelin Camper Tyres

[in h]

Tyres distort for various reasons not just weight and the length of time stood stationary, the compounds also have an influence.

That begs the question: what is a camper tyre's composition optimised for? Parking? Load? Long life? Grip? Noise? Economy? Noise? I don't know, and (I suspect) nor do the people buying them, because the makers neglect to give that information.

 

[Markd]

Michelin camping tyres have higher load capacities and max pressure allowances than their standard van tyres.
How this is achieved I know not because they still have the same number and type of plies.
I'm prepared to believe that there is some structural difference rather than just using a different mould with revised naming and loadings etc
Michelin do make some attempt to describe how the tyres vary from standard but fall short of full technical descriptions which is hardly surprising as most consumers wouldn't understand and why would they tell competitors?

 

[barge1914]

This is what Michelin have to say...

<<Regarding your query about the recommended tyre pressure for our MICHELIN Agilis Camping tyres for your Motorhome we would like to inform you of the following recommended pressures:

For MICHELIN Agilis Camping tyres: the rear (single) axle of a motorhome is 80 PSI (5,5bar) and for twin axle 69PSI (4,75bar). This should NOT be changed.

This is due to the construction of the tyre with two casing plies enabling the use of higher pressures. Its construction and the use of higher pressures is designed to cope with continual heavy loads sometimes found on motorhomes and can help with wear pattern issues that could arise if lower pressures were used, particularly on the rear axle.

The front tyres however can be adjusted down to a pressure of 65 PSI (4,5 bar) for a more comfortable ride and optimum performance. You start at this value and you can lower up to a minimum of 50 PSI (3,75 bar) depending on what feels more comfortable to you.


Here are some safety points to be taken into account when it comes to tyre pressures:

1. Always check the pressures when the vehicle tyres are cold. We consider the tyres as being cold if they haven’t been used for at least 2 hours of it they have rolled less than 3 miles at low speed. If the tyres are not under these conditions they are considered to be hot.
2. When the tyres are hot you should always add 4,4 PSI to the recommended pressure.
3. Please remember - Never deflate a hot tyre!

I hope this information was helpful and please do not hesitate to contact us again if you have any further questions. We are happy to help.>>

 

[in h]

Michelin camping tyres have higher load capacities and max pressure allowances than their standard van tyres.

Do they? The maximum pressure written on tyres isn't actually the maximum: it's only written for some USA regulation.

 

[Markd]

Do they? The maximum pressure written on tyres isn't actually the maximum: it's only written for some USA regulation.

I'm not sure that I agree with this statement ‐ an awful lot of UK firms won't inflate tyres above the maximum written on the tyre.
I see no reference on European tyres to any US standards so the loads and pressures are those applicable in the UK and we should not exceed them.
This is the advice found on any number of uk tyre sales and manufacturing websites.
Of course this time next year we'll have our own UK free market standards when we don't have to do anything that any Johnny Foreigner says

 

[in h]

I'm not sure that I agree with this statement ‐ an awful lot of UK firms won't inflate tyres above the maximum written on the tyre.
I see no reference on European tyres to any US standards so the loads and pressures are those applicable in the UK and we should not exceed them.
This is the advice found on any number of uk tyre sales and manufacturing websites.
Of course this time next year we'll have our own UK free market standards when we don't have to do anything that any Johnny Foreigner says

Lots of tyres have "USA only" written right next to the max pressure label. But even when they don't, it is still true. I used to have a job fitting tyres, so what would I know?

 

[jacquigem]

I'm not sure that I agree with this statement ‐ an awful lot of UK firms won't inflate tyres above the maximum written on the tyre.
I see no reference on European tyres to any US standards so the loads and pressures are those applicable in the UK and we should not exceed them.
This is the advice found on any number of uk tyre sales and manufacturing websites.
Of course this time next year we'll have our own UK free market standards when we don't have to do anything that any Johnny Foreigner says

Yes and would you trust anything that Boris says ? (cost of EU , wont peroge parliament , Turks are coming etc,etc )

 

[Markd]

Lots of tyres have "USA only" written right next to the max pressure label. But even when they don't, it is still true. I used to have a job fitting tyres, so what would I know?

I guess I'll have to bow to custom and practice overiding the manufacturer's recommendations.

 

[wildebus]

I have to say I don't understand this bit

....For MICHELIN Agilis Camping tyres: the rear (single) axle of a motorhome is 80 PSI (5,5bar) and for twin axle 69PSI (4,75bar). This should NOT be changed....

If the required pressure is specified for a tyre regardless of weight (as they don't mention weight anywhere in the advice), why is a twin axle pressure different?
and when they say "twin axle" do they mean a tag axle? or does that include a dually? both are ways to have a higher weight spread over 4 tyres.
As is usual with these things, an attempt of clarifying just ends up with more questions being raised (please note: not shooting the messenger here, just commenting on Michelins response).

I'm interested in this subject as I run Michelin Agilis Camping tyres on my van - 65PSI on the front and 65PSI on all 4 tyres on the back also.

 

[in h]

I don't think there is any logic to the recommended pressures on Camping tyres. Michelin told me that they should be run at 80psi. Or at 65psi if 80 made the ride too harsh. No mention of only on the front. No mention of the load they are carrying.
They're clearly not basing this on any engineering: it's another "5-a-day" - medical advice based on no science at all, just on what marketing experts think they can get away with (the original campaign was to be 10-a-day).
I'm singularly unimpressed by all the balderdash they come up with.
Goods vehicles are just as likely to run at full load as motorhomes. They are just as likely to suffer kerbing. Some also get parked up for long times.
The reality is that the tyres hold the weight up by air pressure, and the pressure should be proportional to the load. There is a maximum load at a specified maximum pressure marked on every tyre. The correct pressure is proportional to the load it carries.
If anyone is really concerned that they shouldn't run Camping tyres that soft, replace the Camping tyres with proper Commercial tyres, designed to take the load.

 

[Markd]

Are we coming round to accepting the max load/pressure markings on tyres mean something in this country and should not be exceeded?

 

[trevskoda]

I run all mine at 65psi ,mine are truck tyres rated at 80psi max which would be ok if full of library books,but only 2 kids and 2 adults with little luggage .

 

[in h]

Are we coming round to accepting the max load/pressure markings on tyres mean something in this country and should not be exceeded?

No. Next question?
The maximum load should not be exceeded. The pressure to inflate the tyre to when running at that load is the "max pressure". It is not the highest pressure the tyre can be inflated to.

 

[Nabsim]

Phew, glad I got Conti’s, much easier

 

[barge1914]

Phew, glad I got Conti’s, much easier

Yes with previous van on Conties the tyre manufacturer happily gave load related figures and no bullshit about special requirements for campers.

 

[Markd]

No. Next question?
The maximum load should not be exceeded. The pressure to inflate the tyre to when running at that load is the "max pressure". It is not the highest pressure the tyre can be inflated to.

So we're down to the semantics of maximum only applying when the tyre is in use?
When/why would one exceed the max pressure and what pressure could we go to?

 

[barge1914]

So we're down to the semantics of maximum only applying when the tyre is in use?
When/why would one exceed the max pressure and what pressure could we go to?

When I ran my last van on Vredestein Comtract all season max. 4.5 bar Vredestein recommended I could run them at 4.7 bar to give a more stable ride if I felt the need. As they put it <max. rated pressure is for a tyre run at max. rated speed...there was no possibility of driving my motorhome legally or otherwise at the max. speed for which the tyres were rated>.

 

[maingate]

The same size Michelin Agilis Commercial and Agilis Camping have different max load pressures, the Camping being higher.

Underneath the rubber is a carcass. The Camper one will be different to a Commercial of the same size. That is the difference.