Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 11:28:04 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Simple tire qurestion
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
There is a difference between a 6-ply rating and a 6 ply tire.
A 6 ply rating implies a strength and toughness equal to 6 plys, but not
necessarily the actual fact of 6 plys being present.
Six actual plys present is the indicator of how stiff the sidewall will
be and therefore how tall the tire will stand, how straight and rigid
the sidewall is. It is an indicator of stability of the tire.
Passenger tires, however they are rated, typically have a fat,
rolled-out sidewall that is subject to side wall puncture. When that
happens, look out. The tired called for on Vanagons has a stiff
sidewall, thus the higher number of plys actually required. The stiff
sidewall adds to the stability of the high-riding box-like vehicle.
There is a huge difference in handling performance between those 6 & 8
ply tires vs those that are simply rated at 6 or 8 ply. These
performance factors are rolled up into the "C/D" load ratings of the 6 &
8 ply tires, vs the "Rated Ply" tires. Vanagons/Westy's on these stiffer
sidewall tires are not nearly so squirrely on the road in wind or large
truck turbulence as those that are not on the stiffer sidewall tires.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver - riding on Michelin actual 6 plys after riding on
Continental 4 ply rated 6 ply - Oh what a difference it makes!!
TJ Hannink wrote:
>--- John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET> wrote:
>
>
>>Also make sure you have at least an LT (light
>>truck) 6 ply sidewall. Be sure it is not a 4 ply
>>rated to 6. That is bogus for vanagons and Westy's.
>>You need the stiff sidewall of the LT
>>tire for stability on these vehicles.
>>
>>
>
>6-ply rated sidewalls are available on both passenger
>car (P-Metric) and light truck tires. I have a set of
>P215/70-14 Kumhos on my van that have a 6-ply sidewall
>rating. You will need to ask tire manufacturer to
>provide the ply-rating information as it is not
>commonly available from distributors and dealers.
>
>Good luck,
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>=====
>TJ Hannink
>Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
>Winter Park, Florida
>http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
>http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink [Vanagon] Album
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do you Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
>http://mailplus.yahoo.com
>
>
>