Date:         Tue, 27 Sep 2005 19:16:18 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Tires
Comments: To: JordanVw@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <15b.5a297e8e.306ac740@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

> with 185's on alloy rims (factory put 205's on the alloys, i 
> run 215's) you can bet i'd be watching out for you on the 
> corners frank..i'd be afraid youd roll over on those skinny tires :<)


Actually, a 185R14 is suitable for a 5.0-6.0 rim width.  The stock steel
Vanagon wheel is 5.5, the alloy 6.0, so a 185R14 is equally appropriate for
either wheel. But a 185R14 has some advantages over a wider tire. A wider
tire will generally provide better dry-weather traction (all things being
equal), but on the flip side it is more prone to hydroplaning than a
narrower tire and can have worse traction in snow.  To me, these negatives
offset the positive. A 185R14 will tend to do better in poor-weather driving
conditons, which is when I am most worried about safe handling. Dry weather
handling is predictable, and you can easlily learn your vehicle's (and
tire's) limits. Poor weather handling is less predictable. I fully trust my
Vanagon on dry roads. It's when I'm gripping the steering wheel driving down
a dark highway during a pounding rain (or snow) that I really need to count
on my tires to grip the road. This is where a narrower tire excels, and
that's why I use 185R14's on my own Vanagon with alloys. A side benefit is
the cost savings; a 185R14 is generally significantly cheaper than a
comparable 205-70R14. 

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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