Mid life crisis Cali Swamper!

[clarinetbcn]

I have Michelin Crossclimate Agilis on my Beach, love them. I’ve been over unplowed icy mountain passes at -10C and 2000m with no chains, since they have the 3 mountain logo legally accepted as a winter tire. So far 35,000km with no noticeable wear according to the scale in the tread. Yes, they were expensive, but the best tires are number one priority for me, and from current wear rate it looks like they will wind up cheaper in the end. View attachment 117428View attachment 117429View attachment 117430

Personally I like the aggressive tread pattern aesthetically, but a lot of people don’t realize that rubber composition is the most important factor in tire behavior. Summer tires become rigid and inflexible when the temperature drops, greatly reducing the footprint of the rubber on the road surface. No amount of aggressive tread pattern will fix that in winter conditions. Winter tires become too soft in summer. I think Michelin has found the right balance with the Crossclimate Agilis.

 

[Tarquers]

Personally I like the aggressive tread pattern aesthetically, but a lot of people don’t realize that rubber composition is the most important factor in tire behavior. Summer tires become rigid and inflexible when the temperature drops, greatly reducing the footprint of the rubber on the road surface. No amount of aggressive tread pattern will fix that in winter conditions. Winter tires become too soft in summer. I think Michelin has found the right balance with the Crossclimate Agilis.

Have the same tyres on a 4motion beach and good as they are, switched to winter this year as they don’t compete with half decent winter tyres.

 

[Roger Boeken]

I have Michelin Crossclimate Agilis on my Beach, love them. I’ve been over unplowed icy mountain passes at -10C and 2000m with no chains, since they have the 3 mountain logo legally accepted as a winter tire. So far 35,000km with no noticeable wear according to the scale in the tread. Yes, they were expensive, but the best tires are number one priority for me, and from current wear rate it looks like they will wind up cheaper in the end. View attachment 117428View attachment 117429View attachment 117430

I there a special reason why you choose 215/65 R16C over 215/60 R17C ?

 

[clarinetbcn]

I there a special reason why you choose 215/65 R16C over 215/60 R17C ?

First of all I bought my van from a German official dealer which had used it as a demo vehicle. It has nearly every option available, so having 16s was unusual. When I started out looking at changing to 17s, it turned out that the two sizes you mention have the same overall diameter, but the 17s have a shorter and stiffer side wall, leading to less tire compression. This meant an actually smaller longitudinal footprint touching the road in winter, and a harsher ride in summer.

Edit: if you have factory fitted 17 tires and brakes, you can’t switch to 16s due to brake disc size. Any 16 can be fitted with 17 wheels, but it turned out not to be an advantage for the conditions I drive in.

 

[clarinetbcn]

First of all I bought my van from a German official dealer which had used it as a demo vehicle. It has nearly every option available, so having 16s was unusual. When I started out looking at changing to 17s, it turned out that the two sizes you mention have the same overall diameter, but the 17s have a shorter and stiffer side wall, leading to lower tire compression. This meant an actually smaller footprint touching the road in winter, and a harsher ride in summer.

I wonder if @Tarquers has 17s with 4motion? I would probably do the same if I lived full time where he does.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Think I’m leaning towards the Axe AT4s but I’ve always just stuck to manufacturer wheels and tyres in the past so I have no idea what I’m looking for in truth.

If there are any good samaritans out there…

1) What fitment do I need from the various available?

https://papasmith.co.uk/shop/axe-at4-satin-black/

2) What size and load rating tyres should I be looking for? I have no plans to adjust the suspension and would prefer not to have to worry about gearing, speedos etc (but appreciate that may just come with the territory).

My van is a 2WD and I won’t be doing a huge amount of offroading in it. It’s mainly about the swampee look for me but I still want decent fuel economy, the Michelin Agilis Cross Climates look a good bet I think?

If anyone can advise, this newbie would appreciate it

 

[Velma's Dad]

Steel wheels make a lot of sense. Big alloys (guilty) are definitely form over function.

If I was going to do serious overlanding (in any vehicle) it would be steel wheels for me all the way. When you bend the rim on a rock a big hammer is then all you need. (Admitedly needs to be a properly big one, I know that from experience.)

I see a lot of vehicles on the Continent are on steels, often of course because that's what they keep their winter tyres on.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Everybody has their own idea of what looks great. But it’s vitally important to thoroughly analyze why you like it. For me, with the amount of time I spend on dirt tracks in the Pyrenees, there are two things I would never do: lower the van and put on alloy wheels. I would think those modifications, considering what I use it for, to be as ridiculous as the fake wood paneling stuck on the sides of American station wagons from the 60s to the 80s (real wood bodywork from previous decades were works of art!) But that’s because I love a vehicle that does what I want it to. As we’ve seen with the notorious rear lifting of Californias to make wheel well openings equal front and back, leaving a lifted rear more susceptible to side winds and the rear cargo area more susceptible to centrifugal force during turns, not to mention floor, beds and kitchen sloping from back to front, think carefully about what you really like and why.

 

[wildslammer22]

If I was going to do serious overlanding (in any vehicle) it would be steel wheels for me all the way. When you bend the rim on a rock a big hammer is then all you need. (Admitedly needs to be a properly big one, I know that from experience.)

I see a lot of vehicles on the Continent are on steels, often of course because that's what they keep their winter tyres on.

Absolutely, my Landrovers all had steel wheels. I reasoned that the sort of off road stuff I do in the Cali would be very unlikely to end up with a bent rim. I have negotiated a couple of rock gardens where I was starting to question my thought process! The 4M Cali with the right rubber is surprisingly capable - the rattling from fixtures and fittings is far more an inhibitor than anything else…

Doing serious overlanding in a Transporter is certainly possible but probably best with a purpose built conversion and even then not to be taken lightly anywhere where spare parts aren’t available or DIY repairs not possible. A steel wheel is one of the few things on a Transporter you can fix with a big hammer…


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[Tarquers]

I wonder if @Tarquers has 17s with 4motion? I would probably do the same if I lived full time where he does.

I have 215/60/17 fitted.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Think I've settled on a set of Navis Gelida-AT 17", need someone to urgently talk me down from ordering them in bronze (true mid-life crisis territory here! ). Apologies for the crude mock-ups but you get the idea...also available in anthracite and satin black.







Will be putting on a set of Michelin Cross Climate 2 235/55R17 103Y XL tyres so not full-on AT, but definitely a fair bit chunkier than my Bridgestone Duravis 215/60R17.

 

[Corradobrit]

Think I've settled on a set of Navis Gelida-AT 17", need someone to urgently talk me down from ordering them in bronze (true mid-life crisis territory here! ). Apologies for the crude mock-ups but you get the idea...also available in anthracite and satin black.

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Will be putting on a set of Michelin Cross Climate 2 235/55R17 103Y XL tyres so not full-on AT, but definitely a fair bit chunkier than my Bridgestone Duravis 215/60R17.

Are they TÜV, JWL, and VIA certified?
I like the bronze option on the Fontana. Satin black a close 2nd.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Are they TÜV, JWL, and VIA certified?
I like the bronze option on the Fontana. Satin black a close 2nd.

Did I mention I’m moving to Switzerland?

Yeah anthracite is definitely out. Was hoping the feedback was going to be overwhelmingly in favour of the satin black ones as the bronze feel like a naughty itch I already know I shouldn’t scratch…think that’s why I like them lol.

 

[wildslammer22]

Did I mention I’m moving to Switzerland?

Yeah anthracite is definitely out. Was hoping the feedback was going to be overwhelmingly in favour of the satin black ones as the bronze feel like a naughty itch I already know I shouldn’t scratch!

FWIW I prefer the black on the red van. I like the bronze but I think they work better on black, blue or white/grey vans. That said the bronze will probably look great ‘in the flesh’ vs a photo.


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[Corradobrit]

Did I mention I’m moving to Switzerland?

Yeah anthracite is definitely out. Was hoping the feedback was going to be overwhelmingly in favour of the satin black ones as the bronze feel like a naughty itch I already know I shouldn’t scratch…think that’s why I like them lol.

Funny, you failed to mention that fact.

I went through the same naughty thoughts re Sand colour but decided to play it safe and go with the satin black on Pure Grey.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Funny, you failed to mention that fact.

I went through the same naughty thoughts re Sand colour but decided to play it safe and go with the satin black on Pure Grey.

Any regrets deep down?

 

[Kernowboy]

I’ll vote for the stain black if that helps; beats the bronze hands down with the red.

 

[wildslammer22]

Did I mention I’m moving to Switzerland?

Yeah anthracite is definitely out. Was hoping the feedback was going to be overwhelmingly in favour of the satin black ones as the bronze feel like a naughty itch I already know I shouldn’t scratch…think that’s why I like them lol.

You can drive through the tunnel a few junctions on the M25 and do some vox pops in Essex. Just make sure they have locking wheel nuts before you go…

 

[soulstyledevon]

Satin Black…

 

[RoB5urf]

Satin Black for me too. These will stick out more than your current setup. How do folk judge whether fitting a wheel with a different width /offset will work?

 

[Velma's Dad]

The black is the one to go for. You could choose the bronze, if you're happy to have everyone laugh at you every time you drive it. (Hope that helps?)

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I have them on 18” rims. There is a bit of noise but nothing excessive, a bigger issue IMO is the ride is quite harsh (mine are load rated to 109 though, so very beefy side walls). So for a family van in the KO2’s I suspect 17” rims and a lower load rating would be a better compromise. I have heard the Falkens are quieter and more supple and look pretty good.


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I bumped into our mechanic the other day, he has a Beach and a Transporter for his daily, which I spotted on steels wearing K02s.

I asked about them, he said fuel economy takes a big hit, they are noisy over 50mph and they wear out much more quickly. He got 4k miles on one pair

But they do look good!

 

[Jimmylondon07]

The black is the one to go for. You could choose the bronze, if you're happy to have everyone laugh at you every time you drive it. (Hope that helps?)

This brave soul had the courage to go with Bronze wheels on their Fortana Red van. I think it looks pretty cool (albeit an acquired taste) but I will undoubtedly flirt with it for the next couple of days and then buy the black ones as @Corradobrit did

 

[JuanVecino2023]

Think I've settled on a set of Navis Gelida-AT 17", need someone to urgently talk me down from ordering them in bronze (true mid-life crisis territory here! ). Apologies for the crude mock-ups but you get the idea...also available in anthracite and satin black.

View attachment 117612

View attachment 117613

View attachment 117614

Will be putting on a set of Michelin Cross Climate 2 235/55R17 103Y XL tyres so not full-on AT, but definitely a fair bit chunkier than my Bridgestone Duravis 215/60R17.

Black. Not an ounce of doubt.

Bronze, to my eye clashes with the Fortana.

Anthracite isn’t strong enough and doesn’t pick up on the black detailing of other trim.

 

[Corradobrit]

There are different shades of bronze to consider. I prefer a more subtle sand shade rather than the in-yer-face OZ Racing shade