Date:         Mon, 18 Mar 2002 09:56:17 -0800
Reply-To:     "Bergin, Richard" <bergin@MARSHALL.USC.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Bergin, Richard" <bergin@MARSHALL.USC.EDU>
Subject:      I need help with selecting a transaxle ratio, rim and tire
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Thank you for the information posted to the www.vanagon.com web-site.  I am
very grateful for the tire info and plan to use it with a little more of
your guidance on the subject.

My goal is to be able to use 3rd up to about 55MPH and on a level road
maintain lower RPM at 70MPH in 4th to both improve gas mileage and reduce
stress on the engine.

I am considering aproaching this issue by either changine by tire/rim size
and/or by changing the transaxle ratio.

I recently learned that the transaxle gear ratio in my 83 Westy 1.9 water
cooler 2WD is 4.89 to 1.   At 70mph it feels like the engine is turning
better than 4,000 RPM.  The mileage is about 17-20 freeway.  When I attempt
any hill at 60MPH or better the vehicle         quickly drops to 40-45MPH
and it seems that I need to move into 3rd and stay at about 50mph or under
to keep the engine together.

I am hoping to improve the engineering by changing the transaxle ratio from
4.89 to 4.33 as tallest ring and pinion set that seems to be avail.  I am
also seeking to replace the 4ply 205 70R14's with a optimal rim and tire
combination.  At this point I am not sure weather to stay with the same
profile tire and just upgade the tire to maybe a 6ply 65 series 215R14 or
attempt to increase the diameter of the tire about an inch by using either a
6ply 70series  215R14 or 70 seriese 215R15.

At this point, I am planning on doing the transaxle rebuild first (with new
CV's Flywheel, cluch etc..)in about 3 weeks and then the rims and tires
next.

If you have any suggestions or think I am heading down the wrong road with
my thinking, I would be very grateful for your comments.


Thank you

Take Care