New tyres ... in Crete

[Clunegapyears]

Being really bald, the tyres that is, we popped into a Michlin dealer in Crete yesterday. We had to order two new Michlin Agelis camping tyres for the front. Fully expected them to be on order for a good number of weeks. No, they could be ready for us at 11 o’clock today. And sure enough they were. Think they came in on the overnight boat. Excellent service just £330 lighter! Not sure what they would’ve cost to the UK; probably cheaper but we’re not there.

Is it normal to only get 23,000 miles out of a set? We are front wheel drive. We do not drive fast or ***celebrate hard, but we do do a lot of bumpy European roads.

*** edit ... we do try to celebrate hard but not accelerate hard!

 

[jeffmossy]

Our van has about 21000 miles on the clock and I think another 12 months they will need replacing , so yours must be the norm

 

[witzend]

Is it normal to only get 23,000 miles out of a set? We are front wheel drive. We do not drive fast or celebrate hard, but we do do a lot of bumpy European roads.

With regular diagonal changes my Bridgestone have done 66 k and still good for a few miles yet

Thru Black Circles Michelin Agilis are £113.50 fitted locally

But hardly have any "Celebrating"

 

[Canalsman]

I replaced the front tyres after around 15,000 miles. They would have lasted a little longer but I prefer to have a margin of safety.

Michelin campers by the way ... The replacements are commercial tyres.

 

[jagmanx]

Tyre rotation

On the assumptions
1 a Front Wheel Drive vehicle will mean greater wear on the front tyres
2 you use the spare as part of the cycle
3 this is done once a year

Is the following valid

A) Spare to front offside
B) Front offside to Rear Nearside
C) Rear nearside to rear offside
D) Rear offside to front nearside
E) front near side to Spare

Or a simpler plan and maybe more even tyre wear
a) swap the two rear tyres
b) rotate spare to front offside / front offside to near offside / near offside to spare

It appears logical to conclude that if you "share the wear" between all 5 tyres you get 25% more mileage.
Ok so a bit hit when you have to buy 5 new.

Using the spare also means
1 It is probably always available
2 the spare wheel tray mechanism remain lubricated and working

 

[Clunegapyears]

I replaced the front tyres after around 15,000 miles. They would have lasted a little longer but I prefer to have a margin of safety.

Michelin campers by the way ... The replacements are commercial tyres.

May I ask, why are you replaced your tyres with commercial ones? I thought camper tyres had thicker side walls.

 

[saxonborg]

More than 20,000 on my Agilis on my front wheel drive Transit and plenty left, I wouldn’t recommend swapping tyres round as you need tyres of the same rolling radius on the drive axle so that the differential is not always compensating.

 

[sasquatch]

When I bought my replacement Hobby there was no spare just a green goo kit and the statement that "commercial tyres are more durable now". BTW I never had to change the Camping tyres on my Hymer-some scrote stole it 2 years ago!

 

[molly 2]

My last new motorhome came with agilis van tyres. 22000 miles loads of miles left .

 

[oldish hippy]

how many of you check the pressure of your spare

 

[saxonborg]

how many of you check the pressure of your spare

I followed your example and fitted an extension hose to the spare so that I can check pressure easily, thank you for your suggestion.

 

[Canalsman]

May I ask, why are you replaced your tyres with commercial ones? I thought camper tyres had thicker side walls.

It's an old chestnut, much debated.

I am of the (cynical?) view that the tyre companies use it as a marketing opportunity. The motorhome specific tyres are roughly twice the price of load equivalent commercial tyres.

The key factor in my opinion is that if the load capability is the same then why pay a lot more?

Tyre fitters to whom I have spoken concur ...

 

[maingate]

It's an old chestnut, much debated.

I am of the (cynical?) view that the tyre companies use it as a marketing opportunity. The motorhome specific tyres are roughly twice the price of load equivalent commercial tyres.

The key factor in my opinion is that if the load capability is the same then why pay a lot more?

Tyre fitters to whom I have spoken concur ...

Agreed. As my two rear axles have a Maximum rating of 1500 Kg each, there is no need for Camping tyres as they are well within the 112 Load Rating and only need around 50 psi in each tyre.