Date:         Thu, 20 May 2004 22:23:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Ben S <phlogiston@ISPWEST.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben S <phlogiston@ISPWEST.COM>
Subject:      Wanted: 15" wheels and some info
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

well hopefully i can avoid incurring the wrath of the list for bringing
up again this oft-discussed topic by saying that i really did spend at
least 3 hours reading old archived threads before posting this message.

here is my situation.  i have some really awesome nokaian hakkapalita
snow tires that let me absolutely tear it up in the mountains in my 2wd
westy.  but now it is summer and i'd like some summer tires; might as
well get some 15 inch rims as i've heard that it reduces the
suceptability of the steering to cross-winds.  then i can leave the snow
tires on my 14's....  well i'm really not a "wheel guy" so aethetics
really aren't that important to me.  in fact, i'd like nothing more than
to get a set of cheap, used 15" steel rims and spend all the saved money
on rebuilding my engine this summer.  but as far as i can tell, the only
15" steel options are:
-jetta wheels: require machining out the center and aren't really up to
the load anyway
-go westy wheels: i called to ask about these and they said they are
custom fabricated and thus cost almost as much as alloys
-tiico wheels: also too expensive, they must custom fab them, too

i have also heard people mention using junkyard wheels from audis and
mercedes, but these all seem to need spacers.  what are the
safety/reliability implications of using wheels with spacers?  has
anyone had a bad experience going this route?  anyone  know specifics of
which other cars have the right 5x112 bolt patern and if any of them are
as heavy as a well loaded westy?

is there anything i'm missing?  i'd really like to not spend 4 or 5
hundred on nice looking rims when my van still needs a paint job.  does
anyone (especially in the CA bay area) have any kind of 15's for sale?
it would be great to buy some used wheels without going through the
hassle of shipping.   i guess i can always just go down to volks cafe
and pick up a set of the SA alloys, but that really seems a lot to spend
for someone who thinks black steel wheels look fine on an old van.

thanks for humoring this tired old subject again everyone!!

Ben & Wendy ('86 Westy weekender)