Changing from 15” wheels to 16” on a Hymer Exsis Alko chassis.

[Gerry77]

Will be collecting a 2014 Exsis in a couple of weeks which has 15” steel wheels and am seriously considering changing to 16” alloys. Has anyone done this on an Exsis and if so what size tyres? I am hoping to improve the ride by also changing to non camper tyres.

 

[Guigsy]

I think you need to look at the PCD (bolt spacing) as it's often smaller on 15" wheels, depending on which chassis you've got.

15" steelies are probably a few kg lighter per corner than shod 16" alloys. You'll probably get better ride, acceleration/braking and fuel economy from the existing wheels. Alloys are purely for looks.

 

[Gerry77]

I think you need to look at the PCD (bolt spacing) as it's often smaller on 15" wheels, depending on which chassis you've got.

15" steelies are probably a few kg lighter per corner than shod 16" alloys. You'll probably get better ride, acceleration/braking and fuel economy from the existing wheels. Alloys are purely for looks.

Appreciate the pcd but 16” are available in 118PCD. I was hoping the change to van tyres as opposed to camper tyres would provide a better ride due to lower pressures. LennyHB I believe is a great believer of using van tyres for comfort. Yes alloys are for looks not function.

 

[Guigsy]

Appreciate the pcd but 16” are available in 118PCD. I was hoping the change to van tyres as opposed to camper tyres would provide a better ride due to lower pressures. LennyHB I believe is a great believer of using van tyres for comfort. Yes alloys are for looks not function.

No doubt that van tyres are a better ride than Michelin Agilis Campers. I swapped and it was a massive improvement.

 

[Phill D]

you need 3 measurements,

1. the diameter,
2. the width, 215, 225 etc ( depends on the alloys you buy)
3. the profile 70, etc

i.e. 225 x 70 x 16 ; remember the increase in diameter and choosen profile could affect your speedo readin, although in my experience it made it more accurate..

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[Sleeveless]

What profile are your current 15" tyres ?

 

[Phill D]

PS; just want to add a 4th dimension, tyre loading

 

[Jabstatt]

And offset!

Tony

 

[Gerry77]

Existing tyres are 215/70 R15 109/107 rating, vehicle is max 3500kg. Offset I believe is 64mm.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

We have a 2018 MY Exis-i 588 on standard Fiat alloys for the light/alko chassis - 118 PCD & 225/75 R16 121/120 commercial tyres.

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[Sleeveless]

Existing tyres are 215/70 R15 109/107 rating, vehicle is max 3500kg. Offset I believe is 64mm.

Offset will obviously only apply to wheels, but here's some size comparisons with your original tyres at the top of table ., Normally any increase in diameter and or width is matched with a lower profile to achieve the same overall diameter. Speedo will under read with increased diameter but most over-read anyway so it will possibly end up more accurate. The challenge is to find "C" rated tyres available with a lower profile . If you stay below 4% diameter difference , you should be OK though. Also note that the wider the tyre , the higher the profile, and therefore the diameter even for the same quoted diameter, this is because the profile is expressed as a percentage of the tyre's width. website link if you want to play with different sizes is https://www.oponeo.co.uk/tools/tyre...kUIvOspDtEfFEkR2-Pm7tWE0A447KUA3YzkNsggQUyM_i

 

[Gerry77]

We have a 2018 MY Exis-i 588 on standard Fiat alloys for the light/alko chassis - 118 PCD & 225/75 R16 121/120 commercial tyres.

Great, have you noticed an improvement in ride etc ? Presume your happy with them?
I am particularly interested in your choice of commercial tyre which is another major decision to improve ride comfort.

 

[Gerry77]

Offset will obviously only apply to wheels, but here's some size comparisons with your original tyres at the top of table ., Normally any increase in diameter and or width is matched with a lower profile to achieve the same overall diameter. Speedo will under read with increased diameter but most over-read anyway so it will possibly end up more accurate. The challenge is to find "C" rated tyres available with a lower profile . If you stay below 4% diameter difference , you should be OK though. Also note that the wider the tyre , the higher the profile, and therefore the diameter even for the same quoted diameter, this is because the profile is expressed as a percentage of the tyre's width. website link if you want to play with different sizes is https://www.oponeo.co.uk/tools/tyre...kUIvOspDtEfFEkR2-Pm7tWE0A447KUA3YzkNsggQUyM_i



View attachment 937474

Thanks will have a play with table and check out choices.

 

[Nirvanauk]

On my car I changed from low profile to standard tyres and they jammed on the wheel arches so do you have enough space.?

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Great, have you noticed an improvement in ride etc ? Presume your happy with them?
I am particularly interested in your choice of commercial tyre which is another major decision to improve ride comfort.

The vehicle came with the wheels from new, so unable to compare ride with a preceding smaller wheel size. This tyre thread may be of interest, had heard good reports from others and they were a good price at the time…

Post in thread 'Falken Euroall Season Van11 tyres'
https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/falken-euroall-season-van11-tyres.295510/post-6162175

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[Hettie's Crew]

Existing tyres are 215/70 R15 109/107 rating, vehicle is max 3500kg. Offset I believe is 64mm.

Why not just go to 225/70 that’s what we did, slight increase in diameter and width with better comfort due to lower pressures.
Much cheaper than changing wheels and lighter too.

 

[Phill D]

Why not just go to 225/70 that’s what we did, slight increase in diameter and width with better comfort due to lower pressures.
Much cheaper than changing wheels and lighter too.

That is exactly what I did, big improvement in ride due to lower pressures and Toyo tyres.

 

[BusyBuilder]

My Hymer on Alko chassis, has alloys with a pcd of 118. I've been trying for two weeks to get a spare wheel with this pcd. All that comes up are 15" wheels. I suspect that the Fiat chassis was originally on 15" wheels but Hymer put 16" alloys on when they upped the weight from 3500kg to 3850kg.

If anyone has a steel 16" wheel with 118 pcd that can take a 225/75/16 (120/121) tyre I would be interested.

 

[Lenny HB]

Existing tyres are 215/70 R15 109/107 rating, vehicle is max 3500kg. Offset I believe is 64mm.

You will struggle to run an Exsis at 3500kg unless it's one of the small ones.
Our first A Class was a 2014 Exsis 678 uprated it after a couple of months. 16" wheels weren't an option in 2014 but I don't see why they wouldn't fit.
Need to check carefully as 16" wheels are normally shod with 225/75/16 tyres which will add another 18mm on top of the wheel diameter increase. (If my maths is correct).

 

[Gerry77]

You will struggle to run an Exsis at 3500kg unless it's one of the small ones.
Our first A Class was a 2014 Exsis 678 uprated it after a couple of months. 16" wheels weren't an option in 2014 but I don't see why they wouldn't fit.
Need to check carefully as 16" wheels are normally shod with 225/75/16 tyres which will add another 18mm on top of the wheel diameter increase. (If my maths is correct).

Mine is the 504-i which according to the attached sheet should be below 3500kg gvw. I am looking at say 225/65 R16 or 225/70 R16 which hopefully will be suitable and mean I can run at more comfortable pressures. Are all Exsis fitted as standard with Comfort package and what does it comprise of?

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[Bobby-gg]

My Hymer on Alko chassis, has alloys with a pcd of 118. I've been trying for two weeks to get a spare wheel with this pcd. All that comes up are 15" wheels. I suspect that the Fiat chassis was originally on 15" wheels but Hymer put 16" alloys on when they upped the weight from 3500kg to 3850kg.

If anyone has a steel 16" wheel with 118 pcd that can take a 225/75/16 (120/121) tyre I would be interested.

There's loads of 118mm pcd 16" steel wheels available, they are genuine fiat wheels, but they are 6" width and the maximum recommend tyre width is around 205/215.

But, Fiat fit 6" wide steels and alloys on the both the lite&maxi chassis with 225 width tyres!

118mm Bare steel wheel

16" Fiat Ducato 2006 - 2023 Spare Steel Wheel 5x118 PCD - Free Delivery | eBay

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118mm Steel with tyre

16" STEEL SPARE WHEEL AND 225/75R16 TYRE FITS FIAT DUCATO (2014-PRESENT DAY) | eBay

COMPATIBLE WITH FIAT DUCATO. OUR TYRE FITTING CENTRE -. Equipped with the very latest state-of-the-art Dunlop tyre machines and computer wheel balancers. FULL SIZE STEEL SPARE WHEEL 6"x16". 225/75R16 FITTED AND BALANCED.

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[Lenny HB]

Mine is the 504-i which according to the attached sheet should be below 3500kg gvw. I am looking at say 225/65 R16 or 225/70 R16 which hopefully will be suitable and mean I can run at more comfortable pressures. Are all Exsis fitted as standard with Comfort package and what does it comprise of?

Not standard but you can't buy one without it. - German logic.
504 should be fine at 3500kg it's 300 kg lighter than the 678 we had.

2014 Komfort Pack.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

I don't know about your van but I bought new alloys from Rogue Alloys they were very knowledgeable and helpful and I am very pleased with them and the General Grabber A/T Tyres. They now have a Northern fitting centre near Manchester.
I will also have a set of Hymer 16inch wheels (and Conti Campers) for sale in the classifieds as soon as soon as we get home. No Idea of pitch until I measure them.

 

[Lenny HB]

I will also have a set of Hymer 16inch wheels (and Conti Campers) for sale in the classifieds as soon as soon as we get home. No Idea of pitch until I measure them.

They will be 130 PCD.

 

[Gerry77]

Not standard but you can't buy one without it. - German logic.
504 should be fine at 3500kg it's 300 kg lighter than the 678 we had.

2014 Komfort Pack.
View attachment 947604

Thanks for that reply it’s what I guessed but happy now you have confirmed it.

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[SaandCliffy]

That is exactly what I did, big improvement in ride due to lower pressures and Toyo tyres.

Hi Phil can I ask what tyres you have changed to? I have an Adria Compact SP plus on 215/70R 15 CP 109Q. The ride is hard

 

[68c]

Is a hard tyre a bad thing, surely less body roll making for a more stable and safe van.

 

[SaandCliffy]

Is a hard tyre a bad thing, surely less body roll making for a more stable and safe van.

I can feel every hump and rattle. I previously had an Adria Maxivan LWB on normal C Tyres and never had a hard ride( spare wheel still at home but I am away so can’t remember what I bought) This is my first Motorhome build compared to Campervans

 

[Wightman]

So if you go from 15" steels to 16" alloys would you have to inform your insurance company? Would it be classed as a modification even though the model may have had the option from new?

 

[Phill D]

Hi Phil can I ask what tyres you have changed to? I have an Adria Compact SP plus on 215/70R 15 CP 109Q. The ride is hard

I changed to Toyo Observe 225/70 R15 112/110 S
Contacted Toyo uk with my axle weights and they emailed me back with the recommended tyre pressures, which are considerably lower than CP at 80psi.


They are winter tyres, which makes them very good in the wet and on mud.
There is a drawback in that they allegedly wear quicker in all round year use.

In addition as they are much lower pressure and the side wall not as hard you get a much softer ride .
But, I have found that when parked up there is a shade more movement when walking about in the van. So I’ve taken to using our chassis steadies which seems to sort that out.

Ps: we have air assist on the rear which also helps with stability particularly when passing trucks.

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