Date:         Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:09:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@VANAGONPARTS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@VANAGONPARTS.COM>
Subject:      Re: What tires for 91 Westy?
In-Reply-To:  <71d9cdf90610181550u6ec60a86sb3160405c3b2151f@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

When it comes to driving many different Vanagons with many different tire
combinations, I'm pretty sure I've driven more combinations than 95% of the
people on this list, and I can say without doubt, that most car tires (not
all) are useless on the Vanagon.  Generally, the ride will be softer and the
handling will be lousy due to the weaker sidewalls.  I can't really attest
to the longevity of car tires over truck tires, but I can say that nearly
every van that comes into the shop with car tires has sidewall cracking.

These observations are for vans running the stock size tires (14").  Once
you get into larger size rims, the sidewall and load ratings of car tires
tend to increase and the differences in performance are reduced.

No flame intended, just my observations over the past 25 years.

Cheers,

Jeff
www.autostadtwest.com
www.vanagonparts.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Jake de Villiers
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 3:51 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: What tires for 91 Westy?


Come on Loren, be sensible.
Nobody's ever had a tire go before, car or truck?
What are those big pieces of truck tire doing on the freeway?

What was the cause Loren? Glass shards, sheet metal, a piece of shingle with
roofing nails in it?

These are real questions that need real answers, not 'Vanagons are allergic
to car tires'

And why was the 2005 US Grand Prix a total 6 car farce? Because the
Michelin-shod cars were having tire problems. That's as relevant as the fact
that a guy had a tire go on his van ie NOT.  Tires ain't perfect. Not
Firestones, not Bridgestones, not Michelins.

More to the point, did you drive your friend's van with the Michelins on it,
and how would you rate the handling, and especially the wet braking?



On 10/18/06, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>  RE: Those who have put car tires on their vans are really happy, those
> who
> haven't are waiting with bated breath for some tire-related carnage.
>  Hasn't
> happened yet.
>
> As a matter of fact, because of my ignorance, I ran passenger tires for
> about five years on my '85 Westy.  Result was really crappy handling, sway
> all over the place in any wind, two sidewall separations and just damn
lucky
> I didn't have a blow out.  I though I had an all new vehicle when I
finally
> got the right tires on it.  And no longer waiting for  a set of the Hydro
> Edge Michelins to blow out, we already have an example here in the NW, one
> of our local Westy drivers.  He got lucky, was able, after a big hassle,
to
> get the Michelin store in Santa Cruz to replace it under warranty but they
> made it very clear that that tire was not supposed to be on a Vanagon.
>



--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com