Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 07:35:22 -0800
Reply-To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: 15" wheel/tire report - caution
In-Reply-To: 6667
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The OWL stands for outlined white letters.
Call Bridgestone directly and ask them what the ply-rating is for the sidewall on these particular tires. I would guess that they are 6-ply rated since they are designed for light truck, van and SUV applications. Check the small print on the sidewall to see what the ply construction is for both the tread and sidewalls. A 2-ply sidewall construction typically is a re-inforced tire, a 4-ply rated or "B" load range tire will only have one sidewall ply construction. The P-metric tire standard did not include any provisions for sidewall load ratings, so manufacturers either fall back to the old ply #'s or don't say anything at all. I doubt that any tire manufacturer would sell a tire specifically for light truck/SUV applications that didn't have a re-inforced sidewall.
The "P" on the side wall has more to do with how the vehicle will be used than what type of vehicle it is going on. Go to a new car dealer and see what type of tires go on SUV's and non-work pickups, you will find the majority of them have P-metric sized tires on them. Most of those vehicles will see larger static and side loads than any Vanagon will ever see.
Good luck,
Tim
Maggie Dew <maggie@WESTFAM.NET> wrote:
OK, I have a question. Have been following this thread on reinforced
sidewalls, etc. and Ron's comment about sidewall ply rating:
"sidewall ply RATING = may differ from the ACTUAL number of plies.
(Depending on the technology = used, fewer plies can go further now than
they did 25 years ago when the = standards were written.) You have to go
by the rating, not the actual number of = plies. If the tire is listed
as "load range C," "load range D", 6PR, 8 PR, or "sidewall reinforced,"
it will generally meet VW spec. . ."
So, I went on Bridgestone's website to see what my tires are rated - I
have Dueler A/T with UNI-T, P205/75R15 97S - and the "load range"
column is blank. The "sidewall rating" says OWL although there is no
legend telling me what the heck that means. So - do I or don't I have
reinforced sidewalls on those 15" wheels?
Maggie
'85 Westaru "Anne Bonney"
TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
1981 Bluebird Wanderlodge, FC-33
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
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