Tyre Trouble

[RFR747]

I am new to the world of bongo and have just bought my first 4WD AFT. It currently has 195/70 R15 on the front and 215/65 R15 on the rear. I have tried to follow the advice on this site but I am struggling to get this current tyre configuration in the same brand of tyre (Goodyear GT2's included). Any advice on fitting 215s all round or should I stick with the existing set up.

[Muzorewa]

You can get Continental Vanco Contact 2 in both sizes, 195/70R15 97T and 215/65R15 102/104T. Make sure you get the right load & speed rating as well as the physical size

[Germarchip]

Don't know if this helps, but I got my tyres here
http://www.blackcircles.com

[RFR747]

Thanks for the help. I got myself some Continental Vanco's this morning.

[David Edwards]

Dependsd on why you want to stick to the same make,, if you have loads of money carry on,lol, I have just put another set of acceleras on mine 215 65 15 100h rated at £37.50 each, I have either used them or Nankangs and find both to be a very good tyre indeed. Shop around there are good deals about. Oh yeah and mine are 215's all round.

[steveyd]

Hi,

At risk of throwing a spanner in the works - you mentioned you had a 4wd, yet you have 15" wheels but with a 70 profile on the front and 65 at the back - shouldnt you be running the same size on all 4 wheels (i.e. 70 all round)? Although only a slight difference in sidewall height, its enough to change the rolling circumference which will after a few miles cause transmission windup.

There's plenty on this forum of those who've run with different sizes, then the viscous coupling overheats and gives you a bad but expensive day! Its also for this reason that lots of 4wd cars (Audi especially) specify that all 4 tyres are changed at the same time to minimise differences due to wear between old and new between axles sets.

I've got a 2wd so I can get away with this.. but 4wd is a different matter! However, if you've had these tyres on it for a while with no apparent repercussions, check your transmission for leaks or whether someone has disconnected your front diff!

cheers,

Steve

[skater]

70% of 195 is near enough the same as 65% of 215
so overall circumference is the same, give or take a fraction.

If you went to full lock then did 100 circles continuously you would have problems,

not all Bongo related either

[francophile1947]

Hi,

At risk of throwing a spanner in the works - you mentioned you had a 4wd, yet you have 15" wheels but with a 70 profile on the front and 65 at the back - shouldnt you be running the same size on all 4 wheels (i.e. 70 all round)? Although only a slight difference in sidewall height, its enough to change the rolling circumference which will after a few miles cause transmission windup.

There's plenty on this forum of those who've run with different sizes, then the viscous coupling overheats and gives you a bad but expensive day! Its also for this reason that lots of 4wd cars (Audi especially) specify that all 4 tyres are changed at the same time to minimise differences due to wear between old and new between axles sets.

I've got a 2wd so I can get away with this.. but 4wd is a different matter! However, if you've had these tyres on it for a while with no apparent repercussions, check your transmission for leaks or whether someone has disconnected your front diff!

cheers,

Steve

Don't panic Steve - those are the tyres fitted as standard for a 4WD. Front tyres are 195/70 and rears 215/65, so the rolling circumference is very close and within the official tolerances
I use the same size all round as it's easier if you get a puncture - the skinny spare should be scrapped anyway, as they are ancient and unsafe

[skater]

SNAP

[steveyd]

Hi,

Cheers - didn't know that: but didn't want a fellow bongonaut to suffer, so I hope I didn't panic anyone! I'll remember that when I upgrade to a 4wd one day..

Steve

[skater]

One of my local tyre fitters, part of a national chain, informed me I had
TOTALLY the wrong tyres ( experts always know best )

Had the tracking done somewhere else.

Tyres still fine 2yrs later.