Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 23:06:15 -0400
Reply-To: Tim Hannink <tjhannink@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tim Hannink <tjhannink@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: 87 Vanagon Wolfsburg Tires
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Michelin MXT's (and MX's and MXL's) are passenger car tires, with
reinforced sidewalls. Michelin light truck tire part numbers typically begin
with "L". I couldn't find a spec sheet for MXT's since they have been
discontinued but I did find this on a Agilis press release:
"Targeting light vans or compact panel vans, the Michelin Agilis 41 and 51
replace the reinforced Michelin MX, MXL and MXT. ... "
If the MXT's were light truck tires, why would they need to be reinforced to
be used on a van?
Tim Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink Vanagon Album
----- Original Message -----
From: John Rodgers <jhrodgers@MINDSPRING.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 6:28 PM
Subject: Re: 87 Vanagon Wolfsburg Tires
> Tim Hannink wrote:
>
> > IMHO, you should use passenger car tires (proper ones)
>
> I wouldn't ever ( qualify - there may always be some exception) use
passenger
> tires on the Vanagon. It's size, weight, weight distribution, and
aerodynamics
> require that stiff sidewall of the LT Truck tire construction for best
control.
>
> >
> > I just replaced a set of "D"
> > rated truck tires with some reinforced passenger car tires and will
never
> > go back. The difference is amazing, and vehicle stability in crosswinds
has
> > increased.
>
> I had passenger tires on my 85 GL when I first bought it. Not knowing any
> better, when they were worn out, I bought some more. I always thought the
thing
> was really squirrly in any kind of wind, highway truck blast or Chinook
Wind
> blowing down through Turnagain Arm outside Anchorage, Alaska. When I
traded
> here in the Deep South for the 88 GL that I now have, I had learned more
about
> the van, and what was required. Originally, when I bought the 88 it also
had
> passenger car tires.......and the damn thing was squirrly as all getout
down
> here on the roads with the big tractor trailer rigs blasting by me on the
> interstates and wherever. I went to New Mexico for a time and I bought a
set of
> Michelin 205/70R14 MXT's in Albuquerque. My stars what a huge increase in
> performance. No more squirrly!!
>
> Spare me from ever putting another passenger tire on any Vanagon I own.
LT's
> with stiff sidewalls for me!!
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
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