Tyres - Classic Royal, yes they are made in Australia at Dunlop, but the word Dunlop does not appear on the tyre anywhere, as the tyre does not meet the minimum standards that Dunlop accepts before it will allow the name Dunlop to be put on the tyre, protecting the name Dunlop as to quality, I am not saying it is unsafe,  Tyre and car manufacturers have minimum standards for every vehicle which have been proved by ADR testing. There are many design criteria that go into tyres, Chemical composition of the rubber ,tread design, dimensions ,speed and load ratings to name a few, With tyres, price is a good indication of the ability of the tyre to meet all the demands required of it, the higher the price the better that tyre is in quality and able to perform with the demands made upon it.

 

Apples with apples. If you replace a tyre you should keep the same aspect ratio and a minimum of the speed load figures of the tyre you are replacing, BUT the Classic is not the cheapest tyre you can buy, but certainly not the most expensive for the same figures as above.

 

The minimum speed rating on tyres for all new cars in Australia is 's' equals 180 kph means the tyre will function indefinitely at that speed at a given load at a given pressure, but at the tyres maximum load that speed rating is cut back to a durability limit of 140 kph. For safety margins you should run your tyres at about 3/4 of the speed and load ratings, If you drive at 110 kph on the freeways then your tyre speed rating should be 'H' equals 210kph, In turn at max load brings it back to 160 kph. Now for load rating.

89 equals 580 kgs, 90 equals 600kgs, 91 equals 615 kgs, 92 equals 630 kgs, 94 equals 670 kgs, and 97equals 730 kgs.

[I have a loaded weight of 880kgs minus 80 kgs on the towball leaves 800 kgs between 2 wheels gives 400 kgs per wheel equals 3/4 so I am looking for a tyre load rating of 530 kgs or greater gives 89

my replacement tyres are / 75 R14 89 H]

With the new A'liners the GVM is 980 to1100 kgs. If you load to max GVM then minus 110 kgs towball weight gives 990 kgs between 2 tyres or 500 kgs per tyre this equals 3/4 so need a load rating of 670 kgs this is a 94.

 

The Cruiseliner the GVM is 1140 to 1200 kgs you need a load rating of 730kgs this is a 97

from memory the classic is / 75 R14 89 S.  When the A'van first came out the classic was OK as the GVM was about 940 kgs. Because of weight increases over the years,  Now IN MY OPINION, I do not believe the Classic has the same safety margins as it first had. I also look at it this way, Would you put these tyres on your own car, I would not, End of story!

Because of the load factor I hope some people would use LT tyres instead. My wheels were not balanced on delivery and on looking around vans at Pambula Beach I can't say I actually saw any vans that were.

 

Tyre pressures -- low tyre pressure is the reason for 99% of all tyre failures. How many people check and adjust their pressure to allow for speed and weight. Tyre placard pressures give one set of figures, plus for sustained  touring highway speeds usually an increase of 4 PSI and if you are loaded up, another increase of 4 PSI, So that you wont forget, run your tyres at the higher figures all the time. It may be a harsher ride around suburbia, but you can load up or drive for 10 hours down the freeway without thinking about pressures, but check your placard first. I apply the same philosophy to the van as low pressure equals tyre wall flexing resulting in a build up of heat eventually leading to tyre failure.

 

Don't forget when attaching your van if your towball weight is 80 kgs then that is the equivalent of two huge heavily loaded bags in the boot of your car so don't load up your empty boot as well thinking, she'll be right,

 

 

There is a car driving around our local area with the personalised number plate SMICK it took me awhile before I realised his name is MICK so all his yobbo friends can say when they see him '' hey it'SMICK ''

 

{name withheld at writer's request)