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 Big Tyres will be closed from 29th April to 1st May for the Easter bank holidays. Orders placed after 3pm on 28th April will be dispatched after the break.

VAN & MOTORHOME TYRES

We offer a wide range of commercially rated tyres suitable for Vans & Motorhomes. We offer well regarded brands like Kenda & Nankang, along with quality value brands like Tomket & Hilo. Premium brands like Continental, Goodyear & Bridgestone can be sourced upon request. 

Search our van & motorhome tyre range using our tyre finder below, all you need is your tyre size to start. Ensure you later filter your results to only display tyres that match or exceed your current tyres load and speed rating. Please note van and motorhome tyres normally require higher load rated / index marked tyres than standard car tyres.

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VAN TYRE BRANDS

VAN TYRE FAQs

Van and motorhome tyres are almost always of modern Radial constuction and have sizes in a similar format to car tyres. Sizes will normally look like 215/70R16C, where the first number represents the tyre width in mm, followed by the tyre 'profile', then its construction of 'R' for Radial, with the final number being the rim diameter in inches. Sometimes sizes are missing a profile number, such as 195R15, in which case its assumed the profile is 80% and the size 195R15 is therefore the same as 195/80R15. 

Many van tyre sizes will end with the letter "C". This stands for Commercial rating, meaning that the tyre will carry far more than a car tyre of the same size. Not all manufacturers use this however, and some will use a Ply Rating or a Speed Load Index without a C to show that the tyre is suitable for a van. To be sure you have the right tyre make sure you match or exceed your current tyres load and speed index rating.

A van tyre's Speed Index is the maximum safe speed that the van tyre is manufactured to travel at, and is represented by a letter from A to Z. The van tyre's Load Index is the maximum weight that the van tyre can safely support, and is a one or two digit number. The higher this number is the more weight the van tyre can carry. It is imperative for the safety of the vehicle and its occupants that tyres with high enough Speed and Load Indexes are chosen. Check the Load and Speed ratings of your current van tyres before ordering replacements. The tables below show what each load and speed index number/letter relates to in KG and MPH.

A ply rating is another measure of a tyre's strength, indicating the maximum load that a tyre can safely carry. Tyres with a higher ply rating carry more weight but cost more due to their superior construction and the extra materials used. A Ply Rating is normally only associated with crossply tyres, not with modern Radial tyres most often used on Van and Motorhome. That being said you may see or hear a ply rating being mentioned when discussing radial van or motorhome tyres. This is simply a way to confirm or convey a tyre is in the same weight carrying class as any crossply tyre counterpart that may also be suitable to be used for your vehicle. With any load rating, ply or load index, always ensure you match or exceed your current tyres rating. If your tyre only shows a load index rating and you find a matching replacement tyre with the same or greater rating then you will not need to worry about its ply rating. A load index is the modern way of expressing what a tyre can carry and should always be checked before replacement.

For vehicle that tends to carry heavy loads (4x4, SUV, Minivan, Van, Motorhome) it is likely that the manufacturer has designed it to be fitted with tyres capable of supporting heavier loads. These tyres are often classified as Extra Load (XL) or Reinforced (RNF) tyres, or Commerical rated tyres (C). The lettering XL, RNF or C will show on the sidewall of these tyres. 

Extra Load, Reinforced  and Commercial tyres carry heavier loads than standard tyres as they are generally made up of stronger materials, such as a more robust carcass and steel belts. These tyres ensure that the additional weight they carry is done so safely and without affecting performance. They are commonly fitted on 4x4s, SUVs, Vans, Mototrhomes, Trucks and other larger vehicles. They can also be a good choice for vehicles that are frequently used for towing.

Tyre labelling is an EU requirement and scores van tyres in 3 main areas as follows:

  • Rolling Resistance - The grades range from A to E, informing you about the relative fuel efficiency performance level. 'A' is the highest performance tyre in its category; 'E' is currently the least performing.
  • Wet Grip - The grades range from A to E, informing you about the relative wet grip performance level. 'A' is the highest performance tyre in its category; 'E' is currently used to represent the least performing.
  • External Noise - The tyre's exterior noise is expressed in decibels (dB) and will show one, two or three sounds waves. These sounds waves highlight the performance of the test against the current law. Three bars indicate that the tyre meets current limits, two bars indicates that the tyre meets limits that are to come into effect in the future and one bar shows that the tyre is a further 3dB below future limits.

Tyre labelling that was introduced in 2012 and requires every new passenger car tyre sold within Europe to be labelled. There are some exceptions which include retread tyres, professional off road tyres (POR), racing tyres, spare tyres and tyres with a speed rating less than 50 mph. The EU's aim being to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of road transport, and give consumers the ability to make more informed decisions when buying new van tyres.