Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 08:51:01 -0800
Reply-To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: GAWR vs AAW
In-Reply-To: <HLEOIDHOBDDMFNGNDPOKOEEKCFAA.al_knoll@pacbell.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
In a perfect world, everyone would weigh their vehicle, read and understand the requirements for tires from both the manufacturer and government entities and select a tire that meets the requirements for that particular vehicle.
Somehow, Vanagon owners seem to have a lot of problems with this process. What is common knowledge in RV owner circles; the minimum required load rating of a tire on an axle, is a point of contention with Vanagon people. Various Vanagon websites have you deducting 6% and adding a 10% safety margin in order to come up with a tire that will be 'safe' to use on any (not a PARTICULAR) Vanagon. The federal regs I posted yesterday make it very simple to determine the recommended tire load rating and I saw no exceptions made for Vanagons or VW's. If VW did require a higher standard for Vanagons or Campers, I have seen no evidence of it posted anywhere even though I have asked people who claim there is such a policy.
As far as my PARTICULAR van, I have weighed my Camper and understand what its payload is and know the amount of tire pressure required to support the loads under different situations. If I was to use my Camper strictly as a travel/vacation vehicle I would keep my pressures higher that I currently do. I might even swap to a light truck type tire and give up some of the ride comfort and increased on-road performance that I currently have with the passenger car tires I am running.
Good luck,
Tim
Pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET> wrote:
Tim and others, The only way to actually KNOW what the axle weights are is
to measure. Have the van fully loaded with the usual passengers, dogs, cats
(sorry Stan), spares, fuel, water, extra joker in the poker. Front axle
weight and rear axle weight. Now you have 'real' data from which to work.
Some of us, loaded for fun, with an extra cylinder or two on the waterboxer
approach 3300lbs measured on the rear axle.
With this data you can see where your PARTICULAR van fits into the spectrum
of available tires. Then the choice is much easier. I add a 10%
degradation just for safety and to allow for aging of the tires.
Do remember, brakes stop the wheels, tires stop the car.
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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