Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 22:51:19 -0400
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject: Re: Tire Choice Question (long piggy-back question)
Not sure of list protocol about tacking-onto another thread with a
related question so if this is not customary, let me know..For now, a tire
question/opinions wanted for a dilema I created late last fall for my own
self.
My rear tires were getting worn and not behaving in my slick driveway in
late Dec. so I had to get some replacments quickly. The only available
tires I found in the appropriate size and specs were at Les Schwabs, since
I live in a fairly small town..So, I took all the specs from the fronts
that were still at about 1/2+ tread life and went to the tire shop for a
match..Fronts are Michelin LTX M+S in 195 75. The load range is C and they
have two Poly, two steel plys in the tread and two poly in the sidewalls.
Ok, the tire tech shows me some Wildcat LTs, M/S. Same size, same
configuration, same ply configuration, same load range..I think, "Ok,
everything matches, should work OK, guess I will go for em" and I have em
installed...Pick up the van and I notice the new tires are a little taller
and slightly narrower..Hmm..Check the sizes and they are
right..think.."Different brand..must be that"
But the van is now really disconcerting to drive...
I expected some difference in handling, what with two brands of tires,
end for end, so I figured I would get used to it eventually. Nope! The
front feels like it 'over turns' and the back feels like it wants to keep
going to the outside of turns after the front is done steering..Hard to put
into words for non-race drivers, but it is really sensitive on "turn-in"
and the rear seems to "wallow" a bit rather than settle into a turn. With
the Michelins on all four corners, I loved the way this van handled..With
the miss-matched mix, it sucks! I often must cross a steel grated
bridgedeck, and man, is that scary! You can not predict which direction
the van will dart next, what with it 'hunting' all over the place following
the decking ridges...
So the question is: What would you all do to get the van feeling great
again? My option seems to be to get the same brand tires all around. I
should have known this, being a club car racer, but I thought.."Sheesh,
this is a VW van, not a racecar, and all the numbers and ratings match on
these tires, should be 'good enough' for highway speeds in a van....NOT!"
So, would you go with another pair of Wildcats from Schwab or spring the
big bucks for 4 new top of the line tires? Money is a consideration here,
as is the fact that Schwab has service shops all over the West, where I
mostly travel, and they are very good about service and warrantees..My
Michelin fronts are ready for replacement soon, while the new Wildcats have
maybe 500 miles only.
So, if I go to four of the Wildcats, which seem to have less rigid
sidewalls than the Michelins, would that make the car feel balanced again,
or would both ends just feel "mushy" and make me hate driving it? Are the
Michelins that much stiffer, even though they are built with the same
configuration? Would I just still want the Michelins after trying the four
Wildcats, or would I get used to the slightly less rigid sidewall flex,
enough to justify the money savings of only getting an additional two new
tires? I am guessing the handling will become more predictable and normal
feeling when I do match brands, end for end, again.
I have done lots of pressure experimenting and taken tread temps (like at
the racetrack) but no matter what I do, it feels like I am driving two vans
at one time...Ugg.
Suggestions, opinions?
Thanks, Don Hanson
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