Date:         Wed, 31 Jul 2002 10:33:26 EDT
Reply-To:     BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben T <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: question about wider tires
Comments: To: icculus22420@YAHOO.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 7/31/02 6:54:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
icculus22420@YAHOO.COM writes:

<< Good morning, I know that a lot of people put taller tires on their
Vanagons (going from 14-15in) But I wanted to put wider tires on mine. Is
there anything special that I need to know to do that? I heard that I will
have to have my speedometer adjusted, and some sort of legnthing done to the
axles or whatever holds the wheels on. I haven't actually gone to a tire
place for their opinion yet, I thought someone on the list might have done
this and might know instead.
  >>

Tracy,

Wider doesn't necessarily mean lower. If you get the proper tire size, you
can go to a wider tire with the same total height as stock. This is usually
accomplished by going to a plus 1 size and up. For instance going from a 70
series tire to a 60 series tires but going to a larger rim. I have 15" X 8"
rims with 215/60/15 tires on them. Outside diameter is approximately the same
as a 185/70/14 tire on the old steel rims. No major difference in the speedo
reading.

Speedo readings can be affected by even so much as a tire brand change even
in the same quoted tires size. You can always have them calibrated to your
application. However, they will be affected again even by normal tire wear.
Unless you like using your van to calibrate radar guns, think about this last.

No changes to the axle are necessary to put wider wheels on. You are probably
thinking of the stud and wheel bolt changes when going from a steel rim to
alloy wheels. Steel rims have a thinner mounting pad than alloy wheels. So if
you use the bolts/studs in use for steel rims on the alloy wheels, they will
not have enough threads (turns of the bolt) to hold the wheel on.

Anyway, it;s early morning and I am rambling w/o my coffee... Pmail me if you
have any other specific questions.

Go to my wheels page if you are curious about wheel matters. It's at:

http://members.aol.com/bentbtstr8/vanagoncafewheelspage1.html

BenT
 <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/bentbtstr8/myhomepage/index.html">Vanagon
Cafe</A>