Date:         Wed, 6 Nov 2002 14:13:33 -0700
Reply-To:     Adrian Bertarelli <adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Adrian Bertarelli <adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Wheel Help please
In-Reply-To:  <4d.26fe432a.2afabba7@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This list is an incredible place for knowledge.  I have been into vw
vans for years and it is awesome to have a place to turn when you get
stuck.  My recent inquiry about wheels has had some good and not so good
feedback.  I would like to explain my situation a little so that people
don't think I am going into this blind.  I share the same passion for
busses that all on this list do.  I actually believed at one point that
I could use my vw's as daily drivers and I had 2 parts vans and 3
driving vans(various years) in my collection(neighbors hated me).  My
girlfriend and I both used vans as our main mode of transportation.  I
quickly found myself working on the driving vans almost everyday after
work and on the weekends.  We are volks people and we accept this as our
love and passion, but it quickly turned into a mess and I just couldn't
take it any more.  My syncro tranny finally went and this was the straw
that broke the camels back.  I gave away most of the heard(keeping my
syncro westy) and bought a brand new ford truck with a warranty(no more
wrenching).  I just couldn't justify the expense and the time I was
putting in to keeping the vans running.  I kept my syncro because it was
my dream car.  Call me crazy but I have always loved busses and I used
to find it relaxing to work on them.  SO with this in mind I packed up
the syncro and all the parts I have collected and garaged it till I had
the time to properly deal with it and get it inn the shape I want it to
be in.  The van sat for 4 years.  After contemplating parting it out or
selling it I decided to start the project. Since it is not a daily
driven car I have the opportunity to get the car in the condition I had
always dreamt it to be in. Over the years I had collected many parts
including OME shocks a fast forward lift kit, and many others.  I
tackled the first phase which was to rebuild the transaxle and drive
shaft and get her on the road.  I must say it is awesome to drive it
again I missed being a vw bus driver.  Now I want to get on with the
second phase install the lift kit new shocks and wheels and tires.  I
decided to go with either 15 or 16 inch wheels over the stock, you just
get a better selection of tires and it is a better look.  I decided on
the 16 inch tires because their was a 16 inch version of the van made.
I like the 15 inch SA alloys they are sharp but I have decided to go
with the 16 inch wheels.  I realize that I may have technical issues to
overcome but again this is not a daily driver.  Since I already have a
bunch of the suspension parts to do this job I have been waiting for the
tires I have on the van to wear down so I can take the plunge and do
this job the way I want to.  After this is done then I can move on two
some cosmetic changes like big bumpers, different mirrors, and then
eventually to an engine conversion.  This is probably a familiar scene
with my van dreams of what it could be and not what it is, but I have
the opportunity to take my time, do it slowly, and get it the way I
wanted it to be in the first place.  It will be an ongoing project for
years and eventually I might get sick of dumping money into it, but for
now I will tackle the project one step at a time, and now is the time
for wheels.  Sorry for the banter just wanted to get the point across
that I am not flying into this blind.
Adrian

-----Original Message-----
From: BenTbtstr8@aol.com [mailto:BenTbtstr8@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 11:39 AM
To: adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Wheel Help please

Adrian,

Take care that you have enough clearance for 16" wheels. You are looking
to
add 2 inches of wheel diameter. That is a big jump for most people and
most
Syncros.

You will have to go to a tire with a lowered aspect ratio if you want to

clear a stock unaltered Syncro suspension. That means less rubber
between
your Syncro and the road (or trail). Likelihood of rim damage is
greater. If
you manage to install taller tires to overcome this, you will need more
horsepower to turn them or change your gearing to compensate for change
in
ratios caused by the taller tire and wheel combo.

Don't forget that you may also need to cut some of your fenders out if
you go
to really tall rubber. I have a stock 16" Syncro with the exact wheels
that
you are considering. The wheel wells are cut and provided with urethane
flares by the factory so that the bigger wheels can be accommodated. The
one
part most people neglect to consider is front fender. When you turn the
wheels, the outer edges on the big wheels will make contact on the rear
edge
of the fenderwell.

Width is critical in taller wheel applications too. Just because the
wheel
and tire combo can fit inside your wheel wells while the wheels are
pointing
straight ahead doesn't mean you are in business. The wider the wheels,
the
more likely you will run into the front fender problem discussed in the
previous paragraph. Then there's the sliding door clearance problem. Too
too
many to discuss in one email.

Therein lies the rub (pardon the pun). The VW factory 16" steel wheels
are
too narrow for most folks. They are only 5.5 inches wide. Too tall to
fit in
stock fenderwells with anything taller than a 50 series tire. Plus you
will
probably have to grind away some of the material at the seam of your
rear
trailing arm. Too much for too little in my opinion.

The Mercedes steel wheels usually have a different offset. I have some
of
these on one of my Vanagons now. Too big an ET number will narrow your
track
to the point that the van will feel tippy compared to before. Many are
not
rated for the weight of a fully laden Westy.

Anyway, I am rambling now. I believe 16 inch wheels are a more for show
than
go in a regular Syncro. You are better off going with 15" wheels with
taller
tires. Tires cost less and are more available. Rims cost less and are
more
available. Heck you can go nuts over them and install 235 tires like
some
folks. You will need fender cutting for tires taller than 215/70/15.

If you are local to the SF area, pmail me. I will be happy to show you
in
person what
some of these wheels can do to your Syncro. Bring a strong back and a
good
lugwrench. I lost track of how may different types of wheels I won which
can
fit Vanagons. I also have steel adapters for installing Porsche rims as
well
as alloy rims redrilled to fit. 14"-17" tall and 5.5 "-9" wide.

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