What the job includes
- Commercial (C-rated) tyres with the right load index
- Fitting and balancing where the van is parked
- Pressures set to the van maker's laden figures
- Wheel nuts tightened with a torque wrench
- The old tyres taken away
Van tyre fitting in Bicester
A van tyre is built to carry more weight than a car tyre of the same size, so it has to be replaced with one of the right construction and load rating. We fit van tyres where the van is kept or working: a yard, a site or outside your home. Bicester is about 45 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2 (further by road). Call and we will tell you straight away whether we can take the job; if we can, the arrival time is given on the call.
Van tyres
Reading the sidewall before you call
The size on a van tyre normally ends in a C, for example 215/65 R16C, followed by two load index numbers such as 109/107 and a speed letter. The first load figure is for single wheels and the second for twin wheels. Some vans run reinforced tyres marked XL or RF instead of C.
Read the whole line off the tyre, or check the handbook or the label inside the door frame, and give it to us when you call. The replacement must have at least the load index and speed rating the van needs. A car tyre of the same width and rim size is not a safe substitute, even if it fits the wheel.
Where we can work
Where the van can be fitted
The fitter needs firm, level ground beside the wheel so the van can be jacked safely, plus room to work around it. A loaded van is heavy, so soft verges, gravel and slopes are not suitable. If you can, unload heavy goods first or tell us what it is carrying.
- Your own drive or the street outside, where parking is allowed.
- A business yard or building site, with the agreement of whoever runs it.
- A retail or business car park, only with the owner's permission. The car parks around Bicester Village and other shopping sites are private land.
- We never work on the carriageway of a motorway or main road, on a hard shoulder, in a smart motorway emergency area or on a slip road. If a tyre fails on the motorway, follow the Highway Code and call National Highways or your breakdown provider first.
Van tyres
What the fit includes
The old tyre comes off the rim, the new one goes on with a new valve where needed, and the wheel is balanced before it is refitted. The wheel nuts are tightened to the correct torque, and pressures are set to the figure for the van and its load, which is higher than on a car. The old tyre goes back with us.
Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job, so tell us the size first and we will say what is possible.
Pricing
How the price is worked out
The price depends on the size, load rating and brand of tyre, and how many need replacing. It is given on the call before anything is booked. The price is the same at any hour, so an evening or weekend fit, when the diary allows, costs the same as a weekday job.
Tread and age
When a tyre needs replacing
Most tyres have small raised bars in the main grooves, called tread wear indicators. When the tread is worn level with them, the tyre is at the legal limit. A 20p coin is a rough check: if the outer band of the coin shows when it is pushed into the main grooves, the tread may be close to the limit.
Grip in the wet falls away well before the limit, so many drivers replace tyres at around 3 mm. Age matters too: cracking in the sidewall or between the tread blocks means the rubber is perishing, even on a tyre with plenty of tread left.
Step by step
From your call to the finished job
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Tell us what happened
Tell us the van's tyre size, its registration and where it will be parked, by phone or WhatsApp.
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Agree what happens next
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
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Work at the car
The fitter comes to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, raises the car on a jack and does the job beside it.
Checked before the fitter leaves
Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.
Before the visit
Getting the car ready
Leave the locking wheel nut key somewhere easy to find, such as the driver's seat or the glovebox, and tell us if the car will be at work rather than at home.
You do not need to stay with the car for the whole job, but someone needs to hand over the keys and agree the work. If the car is in a residents' bay or a work car park, check the fitter can park close to it.
Not quite your situation?
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“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
AMAdam MorrisGoogle review
★★★★★
“Had two tyres replaced and was really impressed. Friendly and efficient, job completed quickly. Highly recommend!”
PNPegah NourmandGoogle review
★★★★★
“Good and reliable service in all conditions.”
LOLeo OduorGoogle review
Around the area
Neighbourhoods, roads and nearby towns
These are the neighbourhoods, postcode districts and main roads on record for this area. Whether we can take a particular job depends on the diary and the distance from our base, so the call always decides.
Neighbourhoods and villages
- Kingsmere
- Bure Park
- Langford Village
- Glory Farm
- Southwold
- Graven Hill
- Ambrosden
- Launton
- Chesterton
- Caversfield
Postcode districts
- OX25
- OX26
- OX27
Main roads
- M40 J9
- M40 J10
- A41
- A34
- A4421
Landmarks
- Graven Hill
- Pioneer Square
- Cherwell Valley services
The same service in nearby towns
Questions
Questions and answers
Can you fit tyres to more than one van on the same visit?
Tell us how many vans and which sizes when you call. We will say whether they can all be done on one visit and quote for the whole job.
Do I need to be there?
Someone needs to show the fitter the van, hand over the keys and the locking wheel nut key if it has one, and confirm that we can work where it is parked.
Can the fitter work in a hospital, station or retail park car park?
Yes, if the site allows it. Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first. Places of this kind in this area include:
- Bicester North station
Can you fit van tyres at our yard?
Yes, with the site's permission and room around the wheel. Tell us how many vans there are and where they will be.
Can I put car tyres on my van?
Only if the handbook or the vehicle plate allows that size and load index. Most vans need C-marked tyres to carry their rated load.
What does the C on a van tyre mean?
It stands for commercial. C-marked tyres are built to carry the higher loads of a van.
What should I have ready when I call?
The tyre size from the sidewall, the registration and the exact location of the car. If the car has locking wheel nuts, have the key ready.
Can you work on the street outside my house?
Yes, if it is legal to park there and the car is not blocking traffic. A quiet residential street is usually fine; a busy main road or a red route is not.
Can I bring the car to you instead?
No. Rescue Tyres is fully mobile and works from one base at Brent Cross, NW2, which is not open to walk-in customers. The fitter comes to the car.
How soon can the fitter get to me?
It depends on how far the car is from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2, and on the jobs already booked.
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
Correct tyre pressure for your car, and what under-inflated tyres do
Find your car's recommended tyre pressure on the door placard or in the handbook, and learn how to set it correctly for load and conditions on UK roads.
Fleet tyre management: cutting cost and downtime
For vans and fleets, tyres mean downtime, and downtime is lost revenue. Here's how mobile fitting and preventive checks keep your vehicles earning.
Tyre load index and speed rating explained, with full charts
The load index and speed rating on your tyre matter for safety and the law. Here's what those final numbers and letters mean, and why matching them is vital.
All tyre help here
Every tyre service, done at the car
Call to check we can take the job
Tell us where the van is
Send the van's tyre size and where it will be parked. The price is given on the call.