Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 09:32:44 -0700
Reply-To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Reinforced Tires?
In-Reply-To: <OF724FDF04.796F8A6D-ON85256D1E.005345B8@mail.gm.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
--- Ed Bass <edward.bass@GM.COM> wrote:
> Some recommend reinforced sidewall tires...my local
> tire shop doesn't stock these and they are about
> twice the price of basic tires.
Actually, the "some" you refer to would be Volkswagen,
the vehicle manufacturer. The sticker in the front of
my drivers door jamb recommends either a 'C' rated or
6PR (6-ply rated) tire in the 185 size or 'reinforced'
sidewall tire in the 205 size.
There are still some reinforced sidewall passenger car
tires out their made by various manufacturers (usually
size 215 to 245), but they aren't stocked by tire
dealers. The ply-rating of a particular tire is not
commonly available at a tire dealer, but the
manufacturer should have the info. A max inflation
pressure of 44 psi is usually a reinforced sidewall
tire, but check with the manufacturer to make sure.
Also ask him what the RPM of the tire is and compare
that number to the calibration number on your
speedometer.
> If my Westy is used only for occasional camping,
> driving stability is fine (huge improvement compared
> to the 78 vintage Love Wagon I) and almost never off
> road do I really need reinforced tires?
There are some Vanagons running around with regular
passenger car tires on them, without reinforced
sidewalls. The first (and only) Syncro Camper GL I
have ever seen close up had a set of Goodyear
Aquatreads in the P205/70R14 size with a '93' load
rating with a max 35 psi inflation pressure. The vans
owner swore by them, they were his second set.
Any good tire dealer wouldn't put them on a Vanagon,
since they would be legally responsible if the tires
were found to be the cause an accident. Unfortunately,
some tire dealers don't train their people well enough
to understand (or even to look at) the tire
recommendation stickers located in the door jamb.
It really isn't a matter of driving stability, its a
matter of load capacity. Under rated (and under
inflated) tires build up a lot of heat under load,
that heat causes tire failure. The end results of the
tire failure vary proportionally to your speed at the
time of the failure.
I would consider the value of the cargo you carry in
your van and how you would react if there was an
accident caused by using tires that didn't meet the
manufacturers recommendations. Compare the potential
loss to the extra cost for a set of proper tires.
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
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