Date:         Thu, 26 Oct 2000 22:05:55 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Short Tires, Tall Vans
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>A general question for you folks running those low and/or wide tires on
>your vans... how much more cornering ability can a Vanagon handle?  I've
>always felt like the van was getting ready to roll over *before* my
>tires got to the limit of adhesion, and that's on stock tires (185 width
>and probably 78 aspect ratio, IIRC).  In the sports cars I've owned,
>tire adhesion has dominated the cornering performance.  In my Van, I
>suspect it is the center of gravity... and I don't want to find out
>myself!


As has been said not that long ago on the list, Vanagons don't have a high
center of gravity, despite the tall body. They are also pretty wide. It
WOULD be possible to roll one, but I think you'd have to slide it sideways
into a curb or rock embedded in the road, ie "trip" it up, to get it to
roll. Campers are another matter!

I drive my vans really hard on twisty roads, and have NEVER felt like it'd
go over or anything close; this includes old swingaxle vans. They'll spin
out first. You may lift the inside rear tire, but that's not a worry. I
used to do this al the time.

The VW van is not an unstable US-made "sport" utility (where on earth do
they get "sport" from?).


Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
VW & mollusc nut
1984 Caravelle (currently SVX engine waiting for a trans)
1985 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma 2.0 (FWD)
1986 CE80 Toyota Corolla 1.8DX diesel
1989 CE96 Toyota Corolla 1.8DX diesel van/wagon
1989 CT170 Toyota Corona Select 2.0 diesel