Vehicle checked in Norway

[VXman]

I suggest choosing proper winter tyres, with the mountain and snowflake symbol. and run on them all year. My logic for doing so was that it saves having two sets of tyres, saves having to change the tyres on the wheels, or having 2 sets of wheels. Neither set in MH use would wear out before needing changing for age, nor will one set of winter tyres if one does say 5,000 miles a year and changes at 6 years.

Winter tyres will do slightly less mpg but the cost is easily saved by not paying for two changes per year and not replacing two sets when only at half life.. There is a slight increase in stopping distance on winter tyres in summer, but marginal.

Norway gov. Advice is....

There are no date restrictions when it comes to non-studded winter tyres. However, you should know that non-studded tyres on summer roads may have poorer performance than summer tyres on wet asphalt.

 

[paddymcc]

Tyres in Norway

Tyres and snow chains

As the driver, you are responsible for ensuring that the vehicle has sufficient road grip.

www.regjeringen.no

I noticed that although the requirement for studded tyres is to have them on all 4 wheels there is no mention of this for chains.
I like nicholsong keep winter tyres on all year. I haven't noticed any deterioration in mpg using them ( fill to fill using an app)

 

[CarlSN]

Just had my van (Summit Prime 640) weighed. With full water tank, 90% fuel, wife, some food and ancillaries came to 3440kg. Plated at 3510kg so some, but not a lot, of wiggle room. No chance of putting in elec bikes or such like, maybe a couple of crates of beer though. And we're planning Norway in September so I see 3 options: Take less, upgrade the suspension/plated weight or the wife doesn't go. And I was planning to change to fixed LPG tanks for the trip which will weight more than the removables. I just hope I don't need snow tyres in September.

 

[Minxy]

Just had my van (Summit Prime 640) weighed. With full water tank, 90% fuel, wife, some food and ancillaries came to 3440kg. Plated at 3510kg so some, but not a lot, of wiggle room. No chance of putting in elec bikes or such like, maybe a couple of crates of beer though. And we're planning Norway in September so I see 3 options: Take less, upgrade the suspension/plated weight or the wife doesn't go. And I was planning to change to fixed LPG tanks for the trip which will weight more than the removables. I just hope I don't need snow tyres in September.

I assume you're already on the heavy chassis in which case it's a simply paper uprating exercise to 4250kg

 

[CarlSN]

I assume you're already on the heavy chassis in which case it's a simply paper uprating exercise to 4250kg

So when it was sold to me it referenced 'maxi' chassis. The same?

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[Minxy]

So when it was sold to me it referenced 'maxi' chassis. The same?

Yup, plate should say 2100 front axle and 2400 rear, overall 3500kg.

 

[CarlSN]

My plate indicates 1960 & 2000 which is in the engine bay and I assume the Fiat plate as it's in Italian.

 

[cyberyacht]

Yup, plate should say 2100 front axle and 2400 rear, overall 3500kg.

Was Diane Abbot your maths tutor?

 

[Minxy]

My plate indicates 1960 & 2000 which is in the engine bay and I assume the Fiat plate as it's in Italian.

That's not the normal plating for a maxi chassis. Are you sure that's what they led you to believe? If so you've been told wrong.

Is there a converters plate?

What does it say on your V5 and/or how much road tax do you pay?

 

[Minxy]

Was Diane Abbot your maths tutor?

No I was referring to what a maxi chassis axle weights are as standard which CarlSN's thought his was, although it's current registered weight is 3500kg, ie before being uprated. However based on his subsequent reply the axle weights he's given are more akin to those for the standard/light chassis.

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[Minxy]

If just been googling and came up with this on the Fiat forum, makes interesting reading, it's initially about torque settings but then there's a discussion about van variants and that some xlwb Fiats were on the light chassis!

Wheel bolt torque settings | FIAT Ducato

I’m trying to find accurate data on wheel stud torque settings. I can find loads of opinions but haven’t been able to find anything official yet. I have a 2024 X250 L3H2 panel van running 225/75 R16 tyres on Fiat 16 inch 5 stud alloys. The wheel studs are stamped 4F and are M16 bolts. This would...

www.fiatforum.com

 

[GreyVanMan]

I’m a big fan of winter tyres and know a bunch of folks on here run winter tyres all year round. My only concern with this approach is that if you were involved in an accident in the summer and the insurance company spotted that you were using winter (not all season) tyres, could this give them an opportunity to try to wriggle out of paying up on the grounds that you were using unsuitable tyres….?

I've made the change!!! I'm changing all five to Yokohama Geolander A/Ts, The set I have on at the moment is Michelin Augulis, the front pair are worn down to the wear-bars so they need to go. Both pairs of tyres I've had on the front did 16,000 miles (pretty poor IMHO). And they are rubbish on wet grass so they had to go anyway, skis almost.
Someone I know has a similar, slightly larger, van using the Yokohamas, and they do look the business. They do have the snowflake mountain M+S, and claims to get a much hight milage out out them - more than double.
The insurance is a good nod; these are 'All terrain, all weather' but I think I'll give the broker a ring in the morning.

 

[GreyVanMan]

I did check with the insurance broker, who was a shaky on the issue, ending with the bland statement that if tyres are made with a 'Camping' stamp then I'd better put those on. I went to the tyre fitters, left the van with them and returned to find the old tyres (Michelin Agulis) still on. They refused to put the Yokohama tyres on as they did not have the 'Camping' stamp on them.
The assumption is that a motorhome/camper is likely to be parked in the same position for an unusually length of time - eg over winter and the sidewalls are reinforced to resist this. I don't own a car so my van is in almost daily use - no matter. They claimed that if the tyre was not camper rated it could invalidate my insurance!!
So I went with the tyre-fitters advice and fitted a set of Michelin Cross Climate; considerably more expensive!! well of course they are!!
Out of curiosity I phoned the insurers, Aviva, who could not give an answer as they are underwriters !?*?, but the did put me though to one of their brokers 'Comfort Insurance' who specialise in campers/motorhomes. The guy on the phone consulted with their technical department - "It does not matter - as long as the tyres are road legal." but, what does 'Road Legal' mean - tread depth and load rated for the vehicle.

So I now have the 'Michelin Cross Climate Camping', with the 3Peaks, Snowfake, M+S, load-rated to 1030kg per corner (my MGV 3300kg). All boxes ticked, all criteria complied with, bank balance wounded, even the pickiest Norwegian Police should be satisfied (they do have a reputation) - as long as I stay out of the northernmost three counties until a week after Easter Monday.


So! Who do you take your advice from and is it trustworthy, there are so many who tell you they the expert, and because they do it they've got it right.

One thing I did get from Comfort Insurance - they will NOT insure any camper/motorhome without a either Thatcham Tracker or Alarm (professionally fitted with Certificate) which gives a 5% discount off the premium, they also give a 5% discount for reversing cam and/or parking sensors. Dashcams and Advanced Drivers attract NO discount.

It's a funny old world !!

 

[DandJ]

I did check with the insurance broker, who was a shaky on the issue, ending with the bland statement that if tyres are made with a 'Camping' stamp then I'd better put those on. I went to the tyre fitters, left the van with them and returned to find the old tyres (Michelin Agulis) still on. They refused to put the Yokohama tyres on as they did not have the 'Camping' stamp on them.
The assumption is that a motorhome/camper is likely to be parked in the same position for an unusually length of time - eg over winter and the sidewalls are reinforced to resist this. I don't own a car so my van is in almost daily use - no matter. They claimed that if the tyre was not camper rated it could invalidate my insurance!!
So I went with the tyre-fitters advice and fitted a set of Michelin Cross Climate; considerably more expensive!! well of course they are!!
Out of curiosity I phoned the insurers, Aviva, who could not give an answer as they are underwriters !?*?, but the did put me though to one of their brokers 'Comfort Insurance' who specialise in campers/motorhomes. The guy on the phone consulted with their technical department - "It does not matter - as long as the tyres are road legal." but, what does 'Road Legal' mean - tread depth and load rated for the vehicle.

So I now have the 'Michelin Cross Climate Camping', with the 3Peaks, Snowfake, M+S, load-rated to 1030kg per corner (my MGV 3300kg). All boxes ticked, all criteria complied with, bank balance wounded, even the pickiest Norwegian Police should be satisfied (they do have a reputation) - as long as I stay out of the northernmost three counties until a week after Easter Monday.


So! Who do you take your advice from and is it trustworthy, there are so many who tell you they the expert, and because they do it they've got it right.

One thing I did get from Comfort Insurance - they will NOT insure any camper/motorhome without a either Thatcham Tracker or Alarm (professionally fitted with Certificate) which gives a 5% discount off the premium, they also give a 5% discount for reversing cam and/or parking sensors. Dashcams and Advanced Drivers attract NO discount.

It's a funny old world !!

I wonder how many brand new motorhomes simply have van tyres fitted (mine certainly did...a Chausson Ford)