TIRES.

woodgrain

2006--2500--118in.--60kmi
I have a 118" 2006 2500.

It's got it's second pair of tires (225/70r15) continental Vancos. 12,000 miles old. about 5/16" to 3/8" of tread ...

I am currently getting stuck in 1" of mud on dead-level ground.

There seem to be _no_ other tires (than the Vancos) available.

I want an aggressive tire, but every tire shop I go to sends me away saying either nothing in the 15" size is load rated ...

Can anyone give some advice? We currently have ice/snow on the ground and the Sprinter is absolutely immobilized.

I am open to getting 16" rims, but really have no idea of where to start.

Any and all advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Phil
 

woodgrain

2006--2500--118in.--60kmi
Icarus!

Thanks for responding. I've been to several shops. Even the mom and pop shops won't sell me anything besides a 7 ply (or 5 ??? I forget) 225/70r15 ... of which there is only one available in the USA!

Tire rack . com only gives one tire for the 2006 2500 sprinter. (vanco by continental)

Can I change tire sizes? Should I find some 16" rims ... since there are tons of load rated tires in 16" here in the US?

Thanks for the help!
 

surlyoldbill

Well-known member
I can't rave enough about Toyo H/T tires. The last set was at about 100k before I replaced them, mainly due to feathering on the front. I had them aftermarket siped where I bought them at a Les Schwab in central Oregon, which made them cling to any slick surface. Probably only tire stores in snow country will have siping available. I was getting stuck in my Mom's driveway, flat, packed snow; with the Michellen LTS tires. Had the Toyo's put on and it was like I had 4wd. Again, siping is the key. The current tires, Firestone, are about the same as the LTS for traction; got stuck in the same driveway just a few weeks ago (I have those instead of new Toyo's because they were a gift/tax write-off on one of my brother's tire shop accounts). This tire shop did not offer siping, they mainly deal with commercial vehicles.
 

sailquik

Well-known member
woodgraain,
Suggest you take a look at the Nokian WR C Cargo tires.
They are available in your original size, and they come very highly
rated for ice/mud/snow traction.
Looks like the are already "siped" in the mold.
Here's a link:
http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=10360798&group=3.01&name=Nokian+WR+C+Cargo
These seem to be rated plenty heavy for the allowable loads in a 118" WB Sprinter T1N.
P.S. Buy the tires from one of the online retailers, but do not tell them what vehicle they
are going to be installed on to get around the mom/pop safety mentality.
Remember, you need to determine the GAVW for your little 118" wb Sprinter when thinking about tires.
You cannot use the generic Dodge/Freightliner weight rating as yours is significantly less.
These tires are rated:
225/70 R 15 C 112/110 (115N) S Cargo which is a Euro Rating for commercial tires....the "C" is NOT USA Load Range C.
Hope this helps,
Roger
 

NelsonSprinter

Former Nelson BC Sprinter
Re: 15" TIRES.

Where in the world are you ? Do you haul a trailer?
Are you ever filled up to 8500# or are you a lightly loaded 118" to 6000# ?
Are you using for personal or commercial purposes? Do you have to get a Safety inspection every once in a while?
 

woodgrain

2006--2500--118in.--60kmi
sailquik,

my specs:
tire (nameplate) is 225/70r15c
GVWR: 8550 lbs
GAWR: 3860 lbs. (front)
GAWR: 5360 lbs. (rear)

EDIT: NEVER EXCEED WEIGHT (CARGO + PASSENGERS) is 3660 lbs (1660 kg).

I have been told repeatedly that these are "7 ply" "9 ply" (etc.) tires with an "E" load rating.

If (say) I was looking for rear tires, could I say each needs a 'never exceed' rating of 5360lbs / 2 = 2680 each ?

Thank you for your help. So far the tire professionals have been most unhelpful.
 
Last edited:

woodgrain

2006--2500--118in.--60kmi
Nelson,

I will occasionally put 2000 lbs in the back. Usually used as a grocery-getter and for carting <800 lbs of tools around.

I am due for an inspection but I have never seen my tires looked at besides for tread-depth.

Can I just buy some 16" rims and then have more options? Or does this open a can of worms?

Phil
 

NelsonSprinter

Former Nelson BC Sprinter
More info on options in this thread : https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20990&highlight=118

Many have changed to 16" rims, but I've found some 15" D and E load rated tires
my next tires will be long lasting Mud & Snow Nokian Rotiiva AT with size LT 235/75R15 116E
but not sure if these will fit in your 118" wheelwells because of a 28.8" diameter tire instead of a 27.4" diameter tire
 

Attachments

sailquik

Well-known member
Phil,
You could find some new or RV take off 16" wheel to fit your little van, and have a wider selection of tires,
but you are still going to run into the same issue.
Only people with very odl school knowledge talk about 6 ply/7 ply/9ply.
That is not how tires are rated in 2012.
"E" rated tires will handle the load, but you probably do not need the "E" rating.
What does your owners manual suggest the load rating needs to be?
Take a look at the Nokian web page I sent.
Maybe print it out and take it to the tire dealer (find a truck tire dealer as the
have "the rest of the story that mom/pop & Walmart do not).
It explains the 225/70 R 15 C 112/110 (115N) S tire rating.
The "C" is not load range...it's Euro for Commercial.
The 112/110 (115N) S rating will be explained if you drill down a bit.
Roger
 

owner

Oz '03 316CDI LWB ex-Ambo Patient Transport
In Oz the 2500 sprinter (31x) using that 15" tyre requires a load rating of 112 on the rear, 110 on the front. That is the 112/110 rating seen on the tyre, and means 1120kg/1100kg per tyre fixed/steering axle. That is the lowest legal option for us here, and means our tyre options are very limited.

A few of us are in the process of converting to 16", which is rare here as all our sprinters came with 15" right up until the ncv3. Even so, there are far more 16" load rated (112 or higher) tyres available here.

You can read more about our 16" conversion antics here...
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23924
 
Last edited:

woodgrain

2006--2500--118in.--60kmi
Sailquik, Nelson, Owner, Icarus and Surlyoldbill:

Thanks all for the help. There is really nothing in an appropriate load rating (or a skimped load rating) that will fit this Sprinter ... and still have any kind of aggressive tread. I live in the country and need something that can handle mud, rough roads, gravel, sand and steep hills. Between the 'traction control' feature, and these worthless Vanco tires, I get stuck about once a week now. I think my best option is to go to 16 inch rims. I've read the other posts about 16" rims.

Having said this are there recommendations for 16" rim options? (I have 5-stud wheels now and for practicality, would prefer steel rims).
 

woodgrain

2006--2500--118in.--60kmi
The traction control seems to be a key to my getting stuck, too. It seems to be programmed so conservatively that it applies brakes well before it seems the tires spin. I can sometimes gun my way out if I disengage this feature. Is this consistent behavior for a 2006 Sprinter T1N style? (or is it expected behavior with Vanco Street tires on grass, for example?) Thanks Again, Phil
 

220629

Well-known member
...Having said this are there recommendations for 16" rim options? (I have 5-stud wheels now and for practicality, would prefer steel rims).
Scrap yards? Craigslist? eBay?

Use advanced search to check the For Sale postings. There have been RV conversion shops who have advertized brand new wheel take-offs. They may not have a current ad posted, but they may have a few rims lying about. Good luck. vic
 

sailquik

Well-known member
woodgrain,
Yes, your experience with the traction control and Conti Vanco 4 Season tires is exactly the same as mine was with my 2006 3500.
The traction control is a wonderful thing once you are moving, but to get moving you are doing the best you can by turning it off.
I solved these issues by changing to 16" wheels and 225/75R16 Michelin LTX MS2 tires but I had the 3500 with DRW (dual rear wheels) so the
16" rims were pretty easy to find.
Huge improvement in overall traction and handling, particularly in rain/snow/icy/sand and mud situations.
Might want to check with some of the MOPAR online parts and discount MOPAR parts outfits.
They have reduced prices on Dodge Parts that they still have in inventory.
That's how I got the 7 for my '06 3500...shipped right to the Dodge dealer nearest me.
Not bad pricing either.
Hope this helps,
Roger
 

surlyoldbill

Well-known member
The 140 and 158 have suspension which allows the use of the 16" rims. You can use 16" on the 118, but will probably want to get a lower profile tire similar to the overall height of your original 15" rim tires. There isn't much room in the Sprinter wheel wells to experiment with oversize tires, especially if you're going to fill them up with snow or mud. Taller tires won't improve your traction, anyway.

Traction mats are only $10 each, good chains are $100+. I have some diamond pattern REAL chains, not cables, that install in less than a minute each. I used them 3 times on a holiday trip to Oregon a few weeks ago. GREAT CHAINS! They go on so fast that I didn't even bother to put gloves on.

One trick the guys with pickups did in the mountains of Colorado when I lived there was to add weight to the back end. Most common was sandbags (you can use the sand if you get stuck), but the old locals use a 1/4" thick sheet of steel, 4x8', in the bed of their truck. It would add weight without taking up any room. It would spend it's summers leaning against the back of the garage. If I lived in snow country, I'd just get a set of 4 studded tires to put on for the winter. All those impressive looking mud and snow tires with their deep blocky tread don't do much more on ice or packed snow than regular highway tread. They're better in loose dirt or mud, but not on ice. And they're loud, don't seem to last very long, and get worse mpg on pavement. They belong on a Jeep or 4x4 truck, not a cargo or passenger van. If you are using your Sprinter for offroad purposes, then you have bigger problems than tires. Granted, I've taken mine on Jeep trails and very hairy backroads, but at walking speed and because I needed to be there, not to test the offroad capabilities of the van or for thrills.
 

Top Bottom