Date:         Fri, 3 Aug 2001 21:39:24 +0000
Reply-To:     Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: And speaking of tires...
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Daniel -

I'm running 195R/14 Kumho 852s on factory steel wheels on my '87 Westy and
am quite satisfied.  My speedometer is right on.  They get a little
squirrely if I don't keep them up to 48 psi or so on the rear, but with
proper pressures track smoothly, and are not very noisy.


   From:    Daniel Schmitz <djs@GENE.COM>

   ...I emailed the area Sales Rep for California about the local
availability of
   Kumho 852 Commercial A/S tires in the San Francisco area. This tire is a
Load
   Range "D" 8-ply  reinforced sidewall model that is available in
185/195/205R14 sizes. It
   ***seems*** to be a good candidate for the Vanagon.

These are a light truck tire, load rating about 103.  Good stiff sidewalls.
I suspect the term "Reinforced Sidewall" only applies to passenger tires
which are constructed to handle higher pressures and thus a heavier load.
We use the term a lot, but I haven't seen a tire industry definition.

<SNIP>

   But the strange thing is that the Kumho rep says Kumho Tire cannot
recommend
   this tire for the Vanagon application, even though it will fit the rim
and meets
   the load  requirements.

<SNIP>

Sounds strange to me, too.  They are certainly heavy duty enough.  You might
check what the diameter of the 195 is to see if it would work better with
your speedometer.  It does for mine.

I don't know how good these would be in the snow.  I switch to four snow
tires in the fall.

Mike Finkbiner
'87 Westy
Moscow, Idaho

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