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Date:         Wed, 5 Dec 2001 10:16:14 -0800
Reply-To:     Wayne Hagan <waynehagan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wayne Hagan <waynehagan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: new tires on syncro (long)
In-Reply-To:  <200112051608.fB5G8w5q011883@smtpin11.mac.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hi Mick, Sure you got allot of great advice on the tire thing. I have the same set-up on my syncro Westy. One bonus on the T/A's for me was my speedo is right on the money now, it was a little fast with the Michelins that came with it. I got 55K out of my last pair when one of the started to delaminate, big bubble with steel poking out all over. I still had good tread on the others but went for a full set so I wouldn't be locking the VC with odd sizes. Kept one for a spare because it fit better in the spare compartment. Mine would always edge feather on the fronts, the guy at Discount Tire says that always happens on 4X4's that have aggressive square sidewall tires on them, just rotate every 5K and switch sides when rotating to the front. This feathering is what causes the tire to get noisier on the freeway and rotating helps allot with that. Personally, I can't understand going through all the expense and hassle of bigger rims for an inch or so of clearance, only to loose the much needed torque and raise my center of gravity. (My local shop said they had a syncro with big wheels parked out front and it was like flypaper for all the VW geeks in town) Anyway, I figured I was lucky getting 55K out of them on a syncro! -Wayne H

> Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 02:37:42 -1000 > From: Mick Kalber <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET> > Subject: new tires on syncro (long) > > thanks to everyone who gave me advice with my wheel/tire problem. my = > michelin mxt's were on my syncro when I bought it... two were purchased = > later than the rest. I know cuz I found a receipt for them. but they = > all seemed very well matched with good tread on them. swapped out my = > bad vc a year ago and decided to run the mxt's til they were worn out = > before putting on tires with a more aggressive tread for off-roading = > here on the big island (the lava is a bit unforgiving). =20 > > had the front end aligned a year ago too, but after rotating the tires = > about six months ago she's pulling hard to one side. alignment guy says = > the tread is separating and he can only do so much in the alignment = > department. but other than a slight pull, tires still seem ok. a few = > months later, the tread sep on two of the tires becomes critical. = > daddeo starts to do the hula down the road. time for new tires. sooner = > than I thought. I had wanted to go with a 15 inch wheel, but lengthy = > e-mails with derek drew and robert lilley and others convinced me that = > for my needs I should stick with the 14's until the time comes when I = > can replace the tranny with a locker and change the gearing. =20 > > so I bought five new bfg all terrain t/a ko's in a 27x8.50R14LT. no = > more jumping or hulaing for daddeo... and she drives straight as an = > arrow now. guess the alignment guy was right. I was thankful that the = > spare fit under the car... the tire guy wasn't sure it would. the new = > tires are quite a bit taller than the mxt 205/70/14's. I have lost just = > a bit of power, but she rides great now. one of my considerations was = > not to lose the power I had gained by doing the half-lilley mods to my = > wbx. so I think I made the right choice. tire shop will do tire = > rotations free every six k and flats are fixed for free as well. tires = > have a six year (regardless of mileage) warranty on them. can't beat = > that. they weren't cheap though... about $665 for five. you guys on = > the really big island can probably do better than we can out here in the = > middle of the pacific. > > so I now have two good mxt's with a good amount of tread on them. I = > know they're hard to find. too bad I'm so far away from you guys and = > shipping would probably be prohibitive, but if anybody is interested, = > let me know. maybe shawn at imua campers would want them. > > a couple more questions... how far off will my speedometer be with these = > new tires? and is it true than michelin does not make the LTX in a 14 = > inch. I thought several of you had told me that they did, but the tire = > shop said they do not. true or false? > > so, thanks again everybody for the assistance... I love these lists... I = > have made much more intelligent choices for my syncro and have much more = > confidence in dealing with anything that may come up in the future = > thanks to you volks. > > a giant aloha to you all,=20


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