Tire wear

ksprint

New member
07 3500 170 wb CRD 13,500 miles.Tires rotated twice. All six have 4 to 5/32 left. They need to be repleced. I am shocked. I was told i would get twice the life out of a set of tires. I owned an 03 2500 sprinter 158in wheel base and got 20k on the rear and over 40k on the front running goodyear. Tire brand is Continental. I never ran them before so i dont know if they are junk or not they are OEM. Tires are wearing evenly across. Anybody having this problem? Is this under warranty? Should i contact the dealer?
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
13 thousand is way too soon to replace, I'd like to see a photograph to see tire pattern wear.
Question how much internal weight are you placing in the van? My 2006 NCV had over hundred and seventy thousand miles on it and they are Continental, admittedly they run on a sandy road full time, unusual circumstances for this van. Even my original 2005 Tin still has the original tires Bridgestone, no where near to wearing out.

Tin front tires sorry it's not the full profile, but as you can see no wear of any significance. 3 year old van.
DSC01528 (Large) (Custom).JPG
NCV Continental Full truck tread pattern

DSC00442 (Large) (Custom).JPG
NCV Continental There are two of...Vanco same tread pattern as the Good Year and Bridge
Stone on your tin almost or as similar.
VancoContact These have the same rating but are for 3 Tonne units only as the tread is more of a passenger tire
DSC01513 (Custom).JPG
Richard
 

speedyb

New member
I also had to replace my tires way too early I have a 2007 2500 v6 high roof 170" and the tires where Contentenials. I consider them the worst tires that I have ever had on commerical van. Now have Michilens and very happy with them.
 

mobileoilchange

New member
richard when isnt everything you have better then everyone else? its always something with you.
170,000 miles on 1 set of tires? give me a break.

i agree 13500 miles is crazy, and it wouldnt matter on the weight he hauls, the tires were mb installed. they match the weight to the tires load rating. more important is what is the tire pressure??

contentenials dont have a good rep for wear....buy yourself some michelin tires. or tell the dealer to
 

talkinghorse43

Well-known member
Can't find the quote right now, but expediters have reported Sprinter tire (OEM Michelins) life over 200k miles. Even more amazing to me was that some did not rotate tires and found higher life out of the fronts, lower on the rears.

The fronts on my '02 have just over 100k miles now and still look good. Interesting for me is that the first set of tires on my '02 lasted just 90k miles, but were worn unevenly. These have worn evenly - no alignment or any other intentional changes in the meantime. The uneven wear was wear on the outside - since then it seems that the front suspension has "settled in" (maybe transverse spring spacers have compressed, or some ball joint wear?) and the front wheels are now running with the axle parallel to the road surface.
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Negative personal opinions. Towards members that are to be considered as offensive! "will be removed".
Moderator


i agree 13500 miles is crazy, and it wouldnt matter on the weight he hauls, the tires were mb installed. they match the weight to the tires load rating. more important is what is the tire pressure??

contentenials dont have a good rep for wear....buy yourself some michelin tires. or tell the dealer to
If the van was overloaded:idunno: of course the tires will suffer damage, and or rapid wear prematurely.
40 to 60 thousand miles would be considered fair wear and tear, under heavy or rough operating conditions.
Richard
 

mobileoilchange

New member
If the van was overloaded:idunno: of course the tires will suffer damage, and or rapid wear prematurely.
40 to 60 thousand miles would be considered fair wear and tear, under heavy or rough operating conditions.
Richard
not being negative, im being realistic!
im stating known facts. yes 40-60000 but not 170000 on contentenials. and i highly doubt hes over loading his spriner. MB chose contententials because they are cheap tires. if they really cared they would of installed michelins.
Personal derogatory remarks removed.
Moderator
 
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Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
not being negative, im being realistic!
im stating known facts. yes 40-60000 but not 170000 on contentenials. and i highly doubt hes over loading his spriner. MB chose contententials because they are cheap tires. if they really cared they would of installed michelins.
Edited fraction incurred
Moderator.
 

speedyb

New member
Just to add to my previsous reply about my tires I am an expediter and have approx 125k (miles) on my michilens and they are just starting to show some wear. As I stated earlier the contentenials that came with the van wore out compeltly around the 80k (miles) mark the centre of the front tires were bald and the rim of the tire was worn as well. I have not rotated the michelins and depending on the load I sometimes carry up to 3000lbs. I agree the reason MB put contentenials on the vans are because they are cheap tires.
 

e117063

New member
I am an expediter and we got 80K on the Continentals on a 2007, 170" van. I replaced them with Michelin as my 2004 and 2006, 158" vans, with Michelin's average 190k before replacement. I had 1 Michelin we accidentally let go over 210k miles. These are facts.
 

kmessinger

Active member
I would love to get 40,000+. I don't think I have ever had a tire go over 30k.

The ones on the Sprinter (Continental) have 3/32s on the front and 5/32s on the rear (according to the tech who did my 10k oil change). Not sure what they had new - I'll have to measure the spare.

My wear pattern shows over-inflation - not a lot but some. I follow MB guides and I am almost always loaded to within about 800 pounds of maximum.

Regards,

Keith
 

rlent

New member
Wow ........ 3/32nds tread on a steer tire ...... ? :wtf:

(........ hope you're not driving it commercially ...... :crazy:)

Might wanna rotate those rears up to the front ........ so you'll be legal ..... :thinking:
 

jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
I think in Washington State, you'd have to replace those tires regardless of their position on the vehicle.
 

kmessinger

Active member
From the web (so it must be true) . . . "Manufacturers and many state laws recommend replacing tires when tread depth wears down to 1/16". (When new, tread depth is 2/5" to ½".) When you reach 1/16" you can see the wear bars (rubber strips which are darker than the tire). If you cannot see the wear bars, insert a penny into the tread, Lincoln's head first. If the tread does not reach the top of Abe's head, consider replacing the tires."

My tread comes up to his eye whatever 32's that is. What is the original depth for a continental - anyone know?

This comment was on the Tire Rack, "The Sprinter 3500 comes with the Vanco Four Season, all season tires. They were excellent in every way but tread wear,-17000 miles."

Guess I know what my Christmas present will be.:cry:

Regards,
Keith
 

rlent

New member
From the web (so it must be true) . . . "Manufacturers and many state laws recommend replacing tires when tread depth wears down to 1/16".
From the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) website :professor::

Part 393.75 Tires

The relevant portion covering front tire tread depth on a commercial motor vehicle is in paragraph (b) ... and it is indeed true ..... just ask any DOT officer or LEO - they will be happy to 'splain it :D:

(.... aside from the safety aspect, the additional problem is if they stop ya and run ya thru the roadside inspection happiness :cry:, they may well place you "out-of-service" - this means you can't move the vehicle until you you fix whatever is wrong, which = tow bill and buying replacements at perhaps a less than ideal location. If you go ahead and move it anyways after being put o-o-s, it gets much more complicated :censored:)

Guess I know what my Christmas present will be.:cry:
Ahhh ... but you will enjoy them - I've often been surprised at how much better a vehicle rides after installing fresh rubber :smilewink:

I recently replaced my original Michelin LTX A/S's at around 120K with a pair of the LTX M/S's - the Michelins are very good tires - heartily recommend them. I got them from the Tire Rack when I was passing thru Southbend - good price (about $150 cheaper than locally) - only downside was they couldn't install 'em - Sprinter was too tall. :wtf:
 
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jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
I actually prefer the LTX A/S over the M/S but I too have had exceptional experiences with Michelin's product line and - in particular - the three steel belts that both the M/S and A/S use in the "E" load range. Oh and yes, I replaced my Sprinter's Continental Vanco rubber with Michelin LTX A/S at something like 600 miles on the odometer.

People have said that the shoulders of Michelin tires are "soft," that the tires "wear prematurely," and that the tires hydroplane more easily than other tires.

I have not experienced any of those problems.

Three or four times in the last 10 years I have been in a position to have helped friends - in need (out of work/not working much/medical bills etc) - by replacing their dangerously worn tires.

I always buy 'em Michelins.

All my friends keep their cars for more than 150,000 miles. I've noticed that when their tires have worn out, the drivers have always replaced them with the identical (or an equivalent) Michelin tire, even though there are cheaper alternatives. The safe feeling and the durability seem to have won loyalty.


-Jon
 
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kmessinger

Active member
Has anyone gone one size up on the Michelins? From this . . .
245/75R16
Load Index 120 = 3169lbs (1440kg) per tire
Load Index 116 = 2806lbs ( 1275kg) per tire
Speed Rating “R” = 106mph (170kph) 120/116R E
3042 lbs.
80 psi
15/32"
45 lbs. 6.5-7"
6.5"
9.9"
NA
30.7"
681
Country of Origin "US" = UNITED STATES OF AMERICAUS

to this . . .
265/75R16
Load Index 123 = 3472lbs (1578kg) per tire
Load Index 120 = 3169lbs ( 1440kg) per tire
Speed Rating “R” = 106mph (170kph) 123/120R E
3415 lbs.
80 psi
14/32"
47 lbs. 7-8"
7.5"
10.7"
NA
31.8"
652
Country of Origin "US" = UNITED STATES OF AMERICAUS

Regards,

Keith
 

slsbl77

New member
I replaced my OE Vanco 4 Season tires at 25,000. I considered myself extremely lucky to get that many miles out of them. I was VERY careful about frequent (5K) rotation and pressures. I replaced them with Michelin M/S 235/85/16. I will post about the fuel mileage difference as soon as I get more data. (GPS versus odo ) The Michelins wear like iron, after 6K, no discernable wear and definately better fuel mileage..I have the 4:18, way to low a ratio..
My gut feel is that the Michelins will go at least 60K...:thumbup:

Bob
 

miki

Member
I was wondering if there was a difference between the 15" vancos sold for 3500 sprinters vs. the 16" vancos for the 2500 models. I noticed that the original poster had a 3500. :2cents:
 

rlent

New member
Keith,

I haven't gone up .... but my son has (...... although not with Michelins - and I think the size he went to were 235/85R16's ..... not positive tho' .....) ...... I went to pick up one of his Sprinters after a service to return it to the terminal and noticed the bigger tires. I was thinking about doing this myself ......... until I saw them on his truck :eek: ......... no problem on the rear ........ but I'd be real concerned about clearance with the wheels locked (full turn) on the front :wtf: (this was on a cargo - so a wagon might be different ....... dunno)

It might not be a problem .... but I'd sure wanna take a look after I had them mounted.

Bob - I'd love to hear what kind mileage improvement you are seeing. I'd still consider doing it myself ..... but hopefully not for another 150K to 175K :smirk:
 
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