Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

WLC4EVA · Guest

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I enjoyed looking at the old vans at Stourport show last weekend.
Thanks Folks.
I always get a lot of pleasure from looking at old caravans when I'm at a show.

I am curious that most folks run their vans on cross-ply tyres.
Is there a good reason for running them on cross-plies please?

Kind Regards, WLC4Eva

Bayliss Thomas · Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 557 Location: SUFFOLK

Just replaced the tyres on my little caravan and it was only cross ply available in the size I needed. I have no need for radials in truth.

WLC4EVA · Guest

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Thanks for your response Thomas, if you can't get radials to suit your wheels, that's it and all about it isn't it.

I am interested in that you don't see a need for radials on your caravan.

Kind Regards, WLC

victor 101 · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 446 Location: East Yorkshire

I guess with a slightly stiffer sidewall on crossplys it cuts down on roll in windy conditions as well.

Bayliss Thomas · Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 557 Location: SUFFOLK

I'm poodling along at an mighty 35mph maybe even 40mph downhill Shocked

and as mentioned by Victor101 less roll on corners, wear rate is not even considered when the caravan travels less than 1000 miles yearly and my car has cross-ply tyres for same reasons. Smile

WLC4EVA · Guest

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Thank you for your responses Thomas and Victor.
So, you both see body roll as a serious drawback to radial tyres even at low speeds, and in cross winds.

I'm curious to know how much extra roll you think you might get from radials over cross plies, and how body roll would be a nuisance.

Kind Regards, WLC

Bayliss Thomas · Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 557 Location: SUFFOLK

Not just body roll on corners, strong cross winds can be an cause for unease when your driving an very upright 'box shaped' vintage car with what some may describe as 'an shed on wheels' caravan. Mind you it is an very very nice shed on wheels Smile

WLC4EVA · Guest

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Yes, I can understand your unease at cross winds Thomas.
I expect your 'very very nice shed on wheel' is light, quite high, and has a narrow wheelbase in relation it's height; all factors that make it very vulnerable to cross-winds.

Whilst it's an entirely hypothetical in your case, I am still very curious to know how much difference you think radials would make against crossplies, if you could fit them.

I wonder also, has anyone any experience with fitting radial tyres to a classic van?
Presumably Victor tows a classic van to to match his 101?

Kind Regards, WLC

victor 101 · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 446 Location: East Yorkshire

Unfortuneatly my Victor 101 is very sick with tin worm at the moment so is in the garage awaiting restoration. Thoughts have crossed my mind over the years on wether to get a little van for shows and holidays but they never came to owt, but seeing some of the little beauties that are appearing on the forum lately i think I will give it a lot more thought than I did before.

WLC4EVA · Guest

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I'm sorry to hear your 101 is feeling under the weather Victor.

Yes, there are some very attractive caravans on the forum aren't there.
What sort will you get?

Kind Regards, WLC

victor 101 · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 446 Location: East Yorkshire

I love the styling of the Freeman Leveret and the Cheltenham Waterbuck so it would be something on those lines.

WLC4EVA · Guest

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Both types very attractive aren't they Victor?
Manufacturers were just getting fibreglass moulding right by that stage.

DSparks' Waterbuck looks tremendous, but I dread to think how many hours he put into restoring it.

Are you scrutinising Ebay at the moment?

Kind Regards, WLC

victor 101 · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 446 Location: East Yorkshire

Hi WLC, I do look on ebay occassionaly, but if I bought one I would need to get some concrete laid in the garden to keep it on and that wont get done till next year. Regards, Rod.

WLC4EVA · Guest

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Unless you are dead set on concreting Don, how about slabs?
I reckon they are easier to lay than concrete, and the water doesn't lie in puddles on then.

Mine worked out a lot cheaper than concrete to.
I scrounged them.

You'd be amazed how many people have some slabs left over from when they had blocks laid, made an alteration to their garden, etc.
I collected a few here, and a few there with my lightweight trailer, and trusty sacktruck.

I laid a few at a time so I didn't notice the work really.

I advertised I was willing to clear 3' by 2' paving slabs in return for the slabs.
Each ad brought in a few slabs, sometimes I cleared 20 at a time.

I'm not strong, and I'm not fit, I developed a system that hardly required an strength.
The hardest part of it was scratching out the ground to a depth of 3 inches, especially since a fair bit of the ground was builder's rubble.
If you want some tips, I've be happy to oblige.

Kind Regards, WLC

MVPeters · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA

Meanwhile, back at the tyre discussion...............!

I believe the original technical reason for cross-ply tyres on trailers has to do with differing 'slip angles' between radials & cross-plies. If I remember correctly, there was a stern warning in the Alpine owner's manual about this.

Things may well have changed by now as stability & braking systems have improved over the years.

Mike
MVPeters@comcast.net