Date:         Tue, 4 Oct 2005 20:16:17 -0700
Reply-To:     TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon Tire Guidelines Report - Are LT Tires really safer?
In-Reply-To:  <86476e250510041630h72831a63jc7711f5dc511afe4@mail.gmail.com>
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. NHTSA-03-15400]
RIN 2127-AI54


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Tires

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Final rule.

Excerpt:

"FARS data for 1999 through 2001 show that 1.10 percent of all light
vehicles in fatal crashes were coded by investigators as having had
tire problems. Light trucks had slightly higher rates of tire problems
(1.34 percent) than passenger cars (0.92 percent). The annual average
number of vehicles with tire problems in FARS was 528 (255 passenger
cars and 273 light trucks).
    A further examination of the FARS data indicates that heat is a
factor in tire problems. An examination of two surrogates for heat, the
region of the U.S. in which the crash occurred, and the season in which
the crash occurred, indicates that the highest rates of tire problems
occurred in light trucks in southern states in the summertime, followed
by light trucks in northern states in the summertime, and then by
passenger cars in southern states in the summertime. The lowest rates
occurred in winter and fall. Based on these data, tires on light trucks
appear to be more affected by higher ambient temperatures than tires on
passenger cars.
    Examining tire problems in the NASS-CDS from 1992 to 1999 by types
of light trucks and vehicle size indicates that LT tires used on light
trucks exhibited more problems than P-metric tires. LT tires are used
on vehicle classes identified for this analysis as Van Large B and
Pickup Large B groups of vehicles. These groups of vehicles typically
consist of the \3/4\-ton and 1-ton vans and pick-ups. P-metric tires
are used on most of the other light trucks. The data indicate that the
average percentage of light trucks in the NASS-CDS having a LT tire
problem is 0.84, while the average percent of light trucks having a P-
metric tire problem is 0.47 percent. These larger pickups and vans,
however, carry heavier loads and may be more frequently overloaded than
lighter trucks. In addition, these heavier vehicles are often used at
construction sites and may be more apt to encounter nail punctures and
experience flat tires. Thus, there may be usage issues that increase
the percentage of tire problems for these larger trucks, rather than
exclusively a qualitative difference between P-metric and LT tires.?"

I know, its not definative, but does make you think especially if you live south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Those that would like to read the whole article, it is here:
http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/laws/comments/ddot03_0926.txt


And for those of you who insist that passenger car tires can't be used on Vanagons, I offer this:

  " \7\ Americans have shifted toward a significantly higher use of
minivans, pickup trucks, and SUVs for personal travel. (Journal of
Transportation and Statistics, December 2000). Sales of light trucks
have risen steadily for over the past 20 years and now account for
almost half of the U.S. light vehicle market--more than twice their
market share as recently as 1983. (Industries in Transition, 1/01/
00; Journal of Transportation and Statistics, December 2000.) Sales
growth of heavier light trucks, those that have GVWRs above 6,000
pounds, increased at a much faster rate than their lighter
counterparts, with larger SUVs (6,000-10,000 pounds GVWR) showing an
average increase of 38 percent annually between 1990 and 1998.
    Approximately 90 percent of these light trucks use passenger car
(P-metric) tires. The other 10 percent use light truck (LT) tires
load range C, D, or E tires, which are typically used on heavier
light trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) between 6,000
and 10,000 pounds. Continued growth in the sales and production of
light truck vehicles also drove the number of original equipment
light truck (LT) tires to a record high of approximately 8.4 million
units or a 25.2 percent increase over 1998's figures. (RMA 2000
Yearbook"

There is plenty more including some interesting tests of LT and Passenger car tires in various performance and safety tests.

Good luck and good night.




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
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FC_wanderlodge
FAVOR website:  http://home.earthlink.net/~clubvanagon

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