Whether you’re a one-man band or a company fleet – your vans are at the heart of your business driving forward productivity and efficiency. Any form of downtime from a flat tyre to being immobile in poor weather can impact your bottom line – that’s why it’s essential to choose a tyre suited to the needs of your van.
Choosing the best tyres for your van is essential given that light trucks/commercial vehicles are designed for specific requirements such as:
The latest van tyre in the Goodyear range excelling in durability and wet performance
Wet Braking Technology
8% Shorter wet braking*. A new traction resin helps the compound to deform during the wet braking maeuver which results in a higher braking efficiency, thus shorter braking distance.
Durability Plus Technology
+38% Improved Durability*. New compound results in higher resistance at high temperatures. The tread has more resillience against harsh road conditions.
For vans up to 3.5 tonnes or passenger vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats the minimum legal tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm. For vans over 3.5 tonnes or those with more than 8 passenger seats the legal minimum tread depth is 1mm.
As tread is crucial in terms of providing traction, grip and resistance against aquaplaning it is essential you check your tyre treads regularly and keep your tyres maintained to extend life span. You can check your tyre treads using a tread depth gauge which is inexpensive and fits within the glove box of your van. You can also use the visual Tread Wear indicators on the tyre itself or follow our guide to using the border of a 20p piece.
Choosing a tyre with more durable tread such as the EfficientGrip Cargo 2 can serve your van well making it more resistance to harsh road conditions and enduring less damage which can extend tyre life span – as well providing better performance in wet and dry braking.
Tyre markings on the sidewalls of van tyres are very similar to the markings that are used on all other tyres – providing a value on width, profile, rim size and speed and load ratings. Van tyres have an additional C mark that means the tyre is specifically designed for commercial vehicle use.
Some van tyres will also have these additional markings on the sidewall:
RF – Reinforced
XL – Extra Load
If you travel through rural areas or anywhere that experiences harsh wintery conditions during the colder months, it may be worth changing your tyres in line with the seasons and fitting a winter set when the temperature begins to drop below around 7°c as a rule of thumb.
Benefits of Winter Tyres:
Keep your van on the road, even in tough winter conditions
Better balance between dry and snow performance
Sipes with interlocking effect to provide both grip and tread stability
Improved mileage even under heavy loads
Contact path stabilising construction with extra durable compound
Enhanced braking & traction on snow and ice
Higher sipe density in improved arrangement
To remove the need to change your tyres seasonally and reduce maintenance time and cost of this, all season van tyres are a great alternative – offering the best of summer and winter tyres all year round and keeping your van moving whatever the weather.
Benefits of All Season Van Tyres:
The long-lasting light truck and van tyre for year-round performance
Good traction all year round
Designed to maximise lateral and longitudinal traction, keeping your van moving all year long
High aquaplaning resistance
Drive in summer rains and winter thaws with tread grooves that quickly evacuate water and slush
Even wear for longer life
The Cargo Vector 2 wears evenly across the tyre surface – ensuring smoother driving and a longer lasting tyre
Although van tyres are designed to be tough and durable to deal with the demands of high mileage and harsh road conditions, it is crucial to ensure your tyres are maintained to help minimise downtime, maximise safety and performance and be efficient with prolonging the life of your tyres:
For further help and advice on tyre maintenance follow our guide to understanding your tyre.
Interested in learning more about van tyres for fleets? Contact our UK team to find out more.
*Compared to predecessor EfficientGrip Cargo
