Date:         Sun, 10 Mar 2002 21:37:24 -0500
Reply-To:     Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Subject:      Re: Tire sale at Sears!!
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

> Brian,
> Not that I want to add to the already lengthly topic of tires, BUT I
> recently bought 2 of the 225x70x14 sale tires, installed, and drove
> home. I was so impressed with the huge difference in response from the
> passenger tires the PO had on the van (205 Aquatreads),
> the next day I went back for 2 more for the front! Altogether, with tax,
> mounting and balancing, came out to $100 each, no more sidewall
> blowouts!
>
Doug, et al:
You are SO right...
I generally stay out of the tire threads...
But, there is a HUGE difference in the way proper tires ride.
Particularly when it comes to passenger tires on a non-Westy and a Westy.  I
couldn't believe it when I recently experienced a regular passenger tire vs.
a "D" rated tire on my '87 Westy.  I had switched wheels from my '91
Caravelle (Hans) over to the Westy (Franz) to see how Hans' alloys looked on
Franz.

The alloys looked great...but the Westy drove horribly!!!! And the tires on
Hans are only about a year old with +/- 90% tread left. They ride great on
Hans...No complaints whatsoever... good cornering, nothing adverse in the
wind... I have run this brand (Cooper, sorry can't remember which ones) on
Hans for nearly six years.

Apparently, the extra weight of the camper makes even a good passenger tire
spongy and unstable at best. Franz plowed and dumped into corners like a
walrus on skates. The recent high winds were bad enough on the Westy once I
switched back to its "D" rated tires...I wouldn't want to see where I would
have ended up if I had kept the passenger tires on more than a couple of
days last week!

IMHO, I would replace those balding, banana skins with something; but if you
have the money...get the right tires.

--
Stephen
Chillicothe OH