Poor traction off-road with my camper

michellecrown

michellecrown

Member
Hi

The conversion company put these tyres on: 255/45ZR18 103W ultra arz4 for my T28 6.1 transporter but I can’t see whether these are the best for grip. We have moments where grip on steep roads in the Lake District have skidded (possibly not helped by the fact it is an automatic), and we are worried about getting stuck on grass as we’ve had some moments…

Can anyone help give some advice on the current tyres and if maybe there is a better tyre to switch to? We do a lot of off grid camping and go on some dirt tracks.

Michelle

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The Michelin Cross Climates are a popular choice, especially in the slightly more off road Agilisis version.

Physics is working against you in a heavy front wheel drive van and no tyre is going to turn you into a 4Motion. If you're often in grass areas carry some traction mats or cheaper floor mats you don't mind using in an emergency.
 
michellecrown said:
Hi

The conversion company put these tyres on: 255/45ZR18 103W ultra arz4 for my T28 6.1 transporter but I can’t see whether these are the best for grip. We have moments where grip on steep roads in the Lake District have skidded (possibly not helped by the fact it is an automatic), and we are worried about getting stuck on grass as we’ve had some moments…

Can anyone help give some advice on the current tyres and if maybe there is a better tyre to switch to? We do a lot of off grid camping and go on some dirt tracks.

Michelle

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I can’t say I’ve heard of Arivo Ultra ARZ4 but my initial concern might be your suspension; campers often sit heavier at the back, causing the front to understeer, and your photo seems to show that.
 
Conversion companies tend to use the cheapest tyres they can as the cost difference can be many £100s on a vehicle. They know customers don’t look at tyre make. Not all converters can be tarred with this brush, but something to be aware of. The 20 inch 275/40s mine was supplied with were about £60 each !!! it was too late when I realised what they had done. Changed now and so much better.
The other thing they do is use sizes that are plentiful due to being used on lots of other vehicles ( ie Range Rover). That’s not a bad thing but putting tyres that are too wide for the front rims is dangerous. Another thing to watch out for.
Unfortunately we get taken in by the shiney things and don’t study tyres !
 
DaveD said:
Those tyres aren't "premium" tyres but they do appear to be marked M&S, (mud and snow) so I'd see how they perform on wet grass and other adverse conditions before binning them.
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I think any maker can stamp M+S on the tyres, without any tests.

www.michelin.co.uk

Are winter tyres required by law? MICHELIN UK answers your questions.

Are winter tyres legally required in United Kingdom? What are the laws on winter tyres in Europe? Michelin provides a summary of European regulations on winter tyres.
www.michelin.co.uk www.michelin.co.uk
 
To be brutally honest budget tyres are rubbish. Tyre Reviews website (or YouTube channel) always finds this in his very comprehensive tests. He has tested no end of tyres and that is a constant in his findings. If you need/want off road improvements over a usual summer tyre you probably want an all season version and he has tested many of these. Also on the website you can weight the scoring for categories to ensure you get the perfect tyre for your needs.
Of course that means ditching the existing tyres and getting new - which is expensive. Not as expensive as a front bumper if you can’t stop in time (budget tyres can be entire vehicle lengths behind premium brands in stopping distance). If you were considering new then Black Circles often has deals on Michelin Cross Climate and I always find they have good prices for any tyre.
 
michellecrown said:
Hi

The conversion company put these tyres on: 255/45ZR18 103W ultra arz4 for my T28 6.1 transporter but I can’t see whether these are the best for grip. We have moments where grip on steep roads in the Lake District have skidded (possibly not helped by the fact it is an automatic), and we are worried about getting stuck on grass as we’ve had some moments…

Can anyone help give some advice on the current tyres and if maybe there is a better tyre to switch to? We do a lot of off grid camping and go on some dirt tracks.

Michelle

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Andpopse said:
Conversion companies tend to use the cheapest tyres they can as the cost difference can be many £100s on a vehicle. They know customers don’t look at tyre make. Not all converters can be tarred with this brush, but something to be aware of. The 20 inch 275/40s mine was supplied with were about £60 each !!! it was too late when I realised what they had done. Changed now and so much better.
The other thing they do is use sizes that are plentiful due to being used on lots of other vehicles ( ie Range Rover). That’s not a bad thing but putting tyres that are too wide for the front rims is dangerous. Another thing to watch out for.
Unfortunately we get taken in by the shiney things and don’t study tyres !
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It’s a learning curve, so the next van conversion I’ll definitely be analysing more of the details like this. Thank you for your advice
 
The tyres on my van when I collected it weren't right, 275 width on front 8.5's, same on the back on 10's. They were budget tyres and I ended up with 2 cracked rims as a result.
It does look like you could do with a chat with a suspension specialist near you! Steve @CRS Performance isnt too far from you in Cannock, my van looked like yours originally, Steve turned it into a very pleasurable driving experience, all I had to do was hand him some money and basically I had a new experience in return. New tyres, Cross Climate 2 suv's, best part of £1000, but so so worth it.
It's only money they say!
Welcome to the club!
 
michellecrown said:
Hi

The conversion company put these tyres on: 255/45ZR18 103W ultra arz4 for my T28 6.1 transporter but I can’t see whether these are the best for grip. We have moments where grip on steep roads in the Lake District have skidded (possibly not helped by the fact it is an automatic), and we are worried about getting stuck on grass as we’ve had some moments…

Can anyone help give some advice on the current tyres and if maybe there is a better tyre to switch to? We do a lot of off grid camping and go on some dirt tracks.

Michelle

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Click to expand...
Its the rake angle of the van all the weight is on the rear , you need to level it up !! ideally get some proper shocks in there too to maximise grip .

We all talk about camper sag affectionately as a joke , BUT these vans arent safe when the rear is 40 mm lower than the front !!
 
CRS Performance said:
Its the rake angle of the van all the weight is on the rear , you need to level it up !! ideally get some proper shocks in there too to maximise grip .

We all talk about camper sag affectionately as a joke , BUT these vans arent safe when the rear is 40 mm lower than the front !!
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I really appreciate the time you guys have taken to provide valuable advice. I wondered what you meant about the sag at the back and how that was visible…to realise I wasn’t looking at the wheel arch and instead was looking at the bottom edge of the van it is very visible and quite alarming we didn’t notice (not sure a paddleboard in the boot makes much of a difference). What would the typical fix look like as I’d be happy raising the back end to give more clearance over different terrain and how quick can I book it in?! Would be good to discuss with you, Michelle
 
michellecrown said:
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I really appreciate the time you guys have taken to provide valuable advice. I wondered what you meant about the sag at the back and how that was visible…to realise I wasn’t looking at the wheel arch and instead was looking at the bottom edge of the van it is very visible and quite alarming we didn’t notice (not sure a paddleboard in the boot makes much of a difference). What would the typical fix look like as I’d be happy raising the back end to give more clearance over different terrain and how quick can I book it in?! Would be good to discuss with you, Michelle
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If you are convenient to us , we can assist with a quick fix to get the back up - or do a shock change as well (which needs more time obviously)

This is a common problem and the reason we do 60 to 100 a month , great results from the KONI shocks if budget allows , otherwise we can get the chassis levelled up and at least make the van a bit safer .
 
In my experience of digging my own van out of a field with my bare hands I can assure others that M&S tyres on a 2WD doesn’t help at all when a heavy van sinks in soft ground.
Tow rope (had), jack with a spreader plate (had), mats or boards (none used somebodys derelict shed), mobile signal (none) and a 4WD helper (none) are far more useful.
 
Same with the supplied Hankooks.

I used to use Michelin Agilis 51's - never got stuck with T4 and it would drive where most 2wd wouldn't go on ice. Do you reckon the Cross-Climates are better though?
Going to go with one of those before winter I think.
 
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