Date:         Sat, 26 Feb 2000 16:12:30 EST
Reply-To:     EUROMOG@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Wessels <EUROMOG@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: oversize wheel questions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 2/26/00 2:58:35 PM EST, ggrata@MOSQUITONET.COM writes:

<< His desire is to
 go to a 16" or larger wheel and 8 ply tires, for the purpose of increasing
 ground clearance. >>

I have just installed 15x6.5" wheels with 30mm backspacing with 30x9.5 BFG
Mud Terrain's. I had to grind the rear trailing arm stampings about 1/8" for
clearance. I have not backed up a ramp yet to check fender clearance but it
looks like it should be OK. In the front the rubber fender extensions had to
be removed and it looks as though another 1/2" of the rear edge fender well
sheet metal will have to be trimmed from the bottom to about 6" up. I still
have to run up a ramp with the wheels at full lock and compression to check
for any more clearance problems. I have not installed any lift springs yet
but plan to.

With the 30" tires the gearing changes dramatically. G is now used as first
and I have a 5 speed with OD. That will corrected with 6.17 R&P's and a .78
4th.

IMO going larger than a 30" tire and then going with 16" trailing arms will
require major sheet metal mods to the rear and front fender wells. Besides
cutting back the outside sheet metal the actual inner fender wells may have
to be clearanced. It really is hard to tell without mounting the tires.

Another problem with going taller than 30" is the gearing. The 6.17 will give
you back some slow crawl speeds and then some with the 30" tire. Go taller
and there are no other options to getting the ratios lower aside from a
custom G gear setup. I just don't think that extra inch of ground clearance
is worth all of the effort and cost involved.

I am going to try to attain the extra ground clearance via taller springs and
possibly lift blocks for the front subframe. I think that a total of 3" in
the rear and 2 to 3" of lift in the front will be about just right.

John Wessels
'87 Syncro light weight