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Date:         Fri, 18 Mar 2005 20:41:57 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Another Stupid Tire Thread..was Re: 15" Wheel/Tire Report -
Comments: To: Phil Zimmerman <phil.zimmerman@MAIL.CRCN.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2005031811244563@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Your thoughts are still muddled here. A standard 205/70-14 tire will have a load index rating of 93. The standard capacity is 1433 pounds at 35. Many tires are now rated to be inflated to 44psi but this does not increase the load capacity. The higher inflation pressure is required on many cars for handling and fuel economy purposes. The reinforced sidewall option is how the get that size tires to carry both a higher pressure, (usually 51psi) and carry a higher load. The reinforcement gets it to the 96 or 97 load index rating or 1550 pounds. Note that if you de-rate the standard tire 10% as required for real light truck applications, you really only have 1290 pounds capacity. A standard 215/70-14 tire will have a load index of 96, or 1554 pounds/tire. This will keep you close to 2800 pounds/axle.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Phil Zimmerman Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 11:19 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Another Stupid Tire Thread..was Re: 15" Wheel/Tire Report -

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 05:30:21 +0000, Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:

>My '87 Westy says 185R 14 C (which only means Commercial rated) at 48 psi on >the rear OR 215/70R14 LR 97 at 40 psi on the rear (based on my best >recollection). They don't specify a load rating for the 185 because one >which is built to handle 50 psi is load range 93, so 48 psi is almost max >pressure. > >Tires can handle the rated load only at maximum inflation pressure, and LR >93 will carry a Westy, at full pressure. Drop the pressure, drop the load >handling capacity. The 215s at 40 psi would be at 80% pressure, which means >you couldn't expect them to handle the full load, so they specified LR 97.

>- Mike > >Mike Finkbiner >'87 Westy (wearing Haaka CQs in 185R14) >Moscow, Idaho >mike_l_f@hotmail.com

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the informative post on: "another stupid tire thread". Your insights filled in a few voids that have persisted in my understanding of tires for a Westy.

The word "reinforced" especially. I still remain a bit puzzled as to why the silver door sticker designates "reinforcement" for the 205:70R X14 tire option. I follow your description (and surmised this myself) as to why the 185X14 "C" didn't need to be reinforced.... It already was.... so to speak!

A 205:70R X 14 load rated 97 tire at maximum inflation pressure still needs to have a "reinforcement" designation but, only if one were to run it at "lower than maximum inflation pressures". Is my understanding here correct or still muddled ?

Phil Z. '87 Westy Campbell River, BC


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