Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 12:32:05 -0500
Reply-To: ------------- <VW4X4@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: ------------- <VW4X4@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: tire switch, impressions. Long.
In-Reply-To: <001c01c722c8$1941e160$eeb2d8d1@dhanson>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
Give these tires time to adjust. THey (may) handle better once they
were in to the vehicle. This is true with all good tires. More noticable
on vehicles with precision suspensions. You'll never feel this on a GM
product.
Joe. W
Don Hanson wrote:
>Hi, just got two new mud and snow tires on my 84 partial westy. Impression? Better traction, awful handling. I was running 4 Michelin LTX in the 195-75 r 14 in load range c, 6 ply rating. These were down to the wear bars and not making my van move in wet grass, snow or mud. So I bit the bullet and decided to get some new. I went to Les Schwab, if you live out west you probably know of these guys.
> Got some Wildcat LTs, same size, same ply rating, same load range as the Michelins. Had the techs choose the best two Michelins and replace the worst two with the Wildcats...Well..the traction is very good now (for a Vanagon, I guess) but the van is now really scary to drive! I am going to have to remedy the van's new 'smooshey' feeling rear..I guess the sidewall flex of the two brands is pretty 'miss-matched', despite all the numbers, ratings, plies and sizes being the same.
> When you 'turn-in' on a corner, the front goes, and after what seems like a second, then the rear kinda 'sashshays' around, too. Really disconcerting. I find myself turning the front and waiting. Then, once the rear finally "takes a set" I have to re-adjust my 'line' to catch it all.
> Sorry for the 'race driving terms'. Has anyone else had problems with a Wildcat LT tire install from Les Schwabb? They are an out west brand similar to Big O.. One interesting note that makes me ask this question: When I went to buy, the counter guy offered me a deal on 'basically new" Wildcat LTs..He wanted to sell me 4 at 20% off, said they only had under 100 miles on em..I only wanted to pay for two tires right now, so I declined..but now I am wondering why he had these "take-offs" in a Vanagon size to re-sell..Somebody else find their van wallowing like a hippo on the Wildcat brand..maybe?
> I am going to have to either try a different brand or get two more of the Wildcats to even out the handling..I should know better than to mix brands of tires, but my thinking was since all the numbers were exactly identical, the handling couldn't be too different...Wrong!
> Don Hanson
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