Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 01:16:54 +1300
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Tire Report - Summary Conclusion
In-Reply-To: <08FCC513-6630-4E39-A748-BE3255023F6C@pottsfamily.ca>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii
>I think that report falls into the "I never wear a seatbelt and I'm
>OK" category.
>
>I have driven both vanagons and type2's
Vanagons are Type 2s.
> with car tires and the same
>vehicle after with proper tires. The difference in handling is
>AMAZING. Understeer and windsway are dramatically reduced. Crosswinds
>that would bring on white knuckles with car tires are no big deal
>once you put a double-ply sidewall between the rim and the road. The
>price difference is not all that great if you do your homework. But
>yes, you will have to do your homework as there aren't many shops
>that stock the tires are buses were born to run.
>
>Passenger tires will fit the rims, yes. In the same way that your
>engine will also "do the job" if you fill your gas tank with a blend
>of toluene and paint thinner. Is it a good idea? Not in my book. But
>as they say, "your mileage may vary".
As I keep saying (and it keeps falling on deaf ears), car tires ain't
all the same. What tires were you complaining about? I had a set of
Riken 205/60/15 GR5s on Mercedes steel wheels on my T2, and they
tracked very nicely indeed. Cornering was the best I've seen in a van.
My 4WD Hiace had dual-purpose tires, and these proved themselves ie
they did nothing well... undetsreer & more understeer. My current
XLWB Hiace has LT tires on it and is an understeering pig around
town... no fun at all. I expect that decent car tires would transform
it.
Good car tires with suitable load rating will outperform any LT tire
by a huge margin. Try it. Don't buy bargain-basement discount tires
of any brand... you absolutely can count on it that these tires will
only be good for keeping the rims from scraping on the road... maybe.
>I now am driving with tires that meet specs.
>I would never consider driving the vehicle without tires that meet
>those specs.
>If the manufacturer sold the vehicle with a certain standard of tire
>for safety why would anyone
>who has this information choose to drive the vehicle without out
>that standard.
>Just does not make sense to me.
Mnufacturers' specs generally have nothing to do with the real world.
At best they are butt-covering. Lookit cars... the pressures
recommended by the car manufacturers are suited only to comfort, not
optimal handling. Best blow them up to 32psi all round... ride will
be a little les cushy, but cornering and sdtability will improve a
lot... and so probably will tire life.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
HUMANITY: THE ULTIMATE VON NEUMANN MACHINE
DEMOCRACY: RULE BY THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR
