Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2000 21:04:38 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: winter tire choice & I got to Fairbanks
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Hi, Lisa.
I lived in Alaska for 30 years and spent a lot of time in and around Fairbanks, and later in Anchorage and all over. I never used studs (or chains for that matter) on any vehicle I ever owned in Alaska....until I got my '85GL Vanagon. The very first trip into Anchorage with ice on the Sterling Hiway down near Kenai and Soldotna where I lived...I skidded really bad...spooked me good. I went straight to the Goodyear Dealer and bought a set of studded tires. Don't remember exactly which tires now but some of GoodYears Best. Didn't have
any more problems all winter or any winter there after. When cold weather came, off came the standards, on went the studded tires. It was the only way to go with the Vanagon, and still is.
Lisa Drew wrote:
> I'm interested to read that another Alaska list member wants studs.
> After much consideration, I've decided on Blizzaks for my winter tires--but I'm new to the state and they may not be the best choice. I now have a new set of WS-15s on my syncro camper, but I've decided after much advice and help from list member Derek Drew (my brother) to switch to Winter Duelers, size 225/70/14. Both types are Blizzaks. I'll be interested to know if anyone on the list has thoughts on this choice.
> I got my WS-15s from Sears, and I immediately wasn't happy with them because I realized I can't inflate them to the camper's recommended pressures. So Sears knows I want to make a switch and won't charge extra. I'm just waiting for the tires to get here.
> It may be that I will regret my choice of a studless tire here in a town with one of the longest winters on the planet, but Blizzaks have an excellent reputation here. I drove down a very icy hill (dirt road) the other day, and although braking did bring on small skid episodes, the recovery to traction was instantaneous when I let off the brake. I was impressed. And that was on the less sturdy, slightly smaller WS-15s. (Which by the way are going out of production--another reason to opt for Winter Duelers if you get Blizzaks).
> On another subject, thanks to those of you who e-mailed me with invitations and offers of support during my x-c trip. The camper performed well; the only incidents were one flat tire (unfortunately directly in the path of a bunch of tired firefighters in Montana on their way back to barracks; I sure felt silly) and a strange case of disappearing coolant that ended up mostly being resolved just recently with a water-pump replacement.
>
> Lisa Drew
> '87 Syncro Westfalia
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