Tires for 15 Passenger Church Van
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
Try simple tire on line get 10 ply great prices
I am not sure if are you a fan of Pink Floyd, but listen their song "Time" carefully:
"No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun."
Great song - The first set of bells tolling is my ringtone. Wakes people up!
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say
Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
And when I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells
if the van gets alot of miles in 5 or 6 years (like over 70,000) get michelins. if it's just used once a week or so, get the cheapest decent quality tires. Taiwan seems to make some ok tires, if you do your research. I've been considering milestars for my ride, if the michelins ever wear out.
There was a terrible accident involving one of these extended vans, I think a Ford, out in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick a dozen or so years ago.
The coach was driving a boy's high school basketball team back after a road game. Several of the big heavy players were sitting in the rearmost seat, well behind the rear axle.
It's thought that their weight levered some of the designed weight of the front wheels. The combination of reduced steering contact area, fatigue, darkness, and wet slippery roads led to a crash that killed all on board.
When low bid required we buy Ford 15 passenger vans we took the rear seat out. Sad that the ability to carry 15 passengers was reduced but risk assessment was in play.
And I would add change often! You're in Virginia, so I think that means every 5 years. Put it in the church budget!
Unfortunately rule #1 with a heavily loaded van (or truck) is heaviest weight as far forward (& low, impossible with passengers) as possible-you don't want all the weight in the back! Think a bucket on the end of a rope, the weight will make the tail wag the dog!
For our Roadtrek camper van that is heavy, My tire guy said he has sold hundreds of Black Lion tires with no come backs. I went in to purchase Michelin but he told me these had no issues. Showed me both and they had identical tread patterns. We have had those tires on it for 4 years with no cracking or issues and they feel very secure on the road. They are E rated and have no wobble like my Michs had. He also put me on to Falken tires for my 07 Ram that I tow with and my wife's Mazda 5. They are super tires and just last and last.. He has since retired and I miss his tire knowledge. Guys that know stuff like him are very hard to find anymore.
On an Econoline van there is significant overhang behind the rear axle. We began writing specs around the GM 155” wheel base G3500 vans. It’s a complete 15 passenger van and not the worries and risks with weight related crashes.
