Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 23:28:49 -0700
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Traction King 215/85R16 tire fitment - part 1
In-Reply-To: <3EB0AAB5.9060300@eoni.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I took home a Traction King 215/85R16 - E load range tire mounted a OEM
Syncro 16 rim (5.5x16 ET 34). According to the manufacturer, the tire is
30.6" tall.
I then proceeded to bolt this on to my unmodified Syncro Westfalia Joker
that has 205/70R14 tires mounted on it - currently there is a 112hp DJ motor
installed in it, hopefully there is enough addition umph on this motor to
spin these tires - the 110hp TDI is coming soon!!!
The goal of installing these tires is to increase my ground clearance and
get my engine RPMs down to below 3000 RPM at 100km/h so that I can take
advantage of the low end torque available on the TDI motor I will be
installing shortly.
Well... these tires don't fit (yet) but they do look mighty impressive!
When I was in Karenz Germany, I paid special attention to the size of tires
people were running. On stock Syncros 30x9.5 15" and 225/75R16 were about
the biggest that I have seen mounted - these are in the 29.5" range. On the
Syncro 16s I have seen 245/75R16 and some 31x10.5 15" - These tires are in
the 30.5" range. The larger tires fit on the Syncro 16 as the distance from
the center of the wheel to the trailing arm pivot point is increased by 25mm
due to Steyr-Puch modifying the trailing arms when they installed the Syncro
system on the vehicle. When asking the owners of these tires what they
though about them and how they fit, the biggest complaint was they are too
wide (the 245s) and rub on the battery tray because of that - a lift kit is
a necessity for running these tires - especially up front. Armed with that
information I chose the 215/85R16 which is basically the same diameter as
the 245/75R16 just 3cm narrower - so hopefully no rubbing on the battery
try.
The rear trailing arm is what is stopping me from using these tires - the
tread is imbedded into the trailing arm by about 2mm.
This weekend I will be installing some modified trailing arms (these will be
for sale very soon) and our lift kit.
I have posted my first series of pictures at
http://int.pixum.com/viewalbum/?id=753718 here you will see the clearance
(or lack there of) with these tires installed on a stock Syncro 14 and a
stock Syncro 14 with a 4 to 5cm lift.
Anyone have any experience with "Traction King" tires? They seem to be all
the rage here on the logging pickups. Cheap too - 158 Canadian (each)
mounted and balanced.
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
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