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Date:         Wed, 5 Sep 2007 09:22:24 -0700
Reply-To:     David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Crappy traction Van..
Comments: To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
In-Reply-To:  <f0510030ac30434dc693a@[203.167.171.12]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Andrew, you may be not familiar with Costco. Its tire department will not sell tires not meeting the requirement to Vanagon owners. They used to have one model specifically stocked for Vanagons. That's when I got the tires. It has the correct load index with reinforced sidewall. They have proven to be very durable tires. I often used my Westy as a truck carrying 500+ kg of load (drums of liquid) roaming on local freeways. The only problem with these tires is that they are more likely to skid when braking hard.

Costco's technicians don't really know the requirement for Vanagons. But somehow the sale person at the front desk knows to say no to me these days. They simply do not have the right tires for Vanagons any more.

I have the correct tire pressure on them. Actually I put slightly less pressure now since the tires are getting old. Still I have 38 PSI for rear and 35 PSI for the front. I would pump up a few more PSI before using it as a truck.

David

--- Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ> wrote:

> >A couple of year back I put on a new set of tires purchased from Costco for my > >Westy. As soon as the first time I pulled the brake a little hard the Westy > >was like skiing on the freeway. I immediately realized that it was > >the new tires > >that made it skid. Even today the Westy is still more likely to skid > >than my 84 > >is. It has something to do with the tires. It's a set of Kirkland brand tires. > >The tire's spec met the requirement for Vanagons. > > > >I believe you will find your Van's traction different if you have a different > >set of tires on it. > > As I keep saying, the wrong choice of tires can KILL you. What works > well on one model may be a disaster on another. Some (read no-names > like the above) are there merely to keep the wheels from scraping on > the road. Worst-case: Try a set of crossplies on a Split without > swaybar, like my 57 panel... the rears have almost zero traction on > dry pavement. Specifications be damned; "good enough" ain't good > enough! Junk tires might work OK most of the time... but it's just > when you need grip the most that they'll let you down, and then it'll > be too late for regrets. > > That cow which just ran out of the scrub beside the road... the > bugger who just ran the red light across your bow... hell, not enough > grip to slow down in time, or to swerve, much less both... BANG, > you're DEAD. > > This is why you don't fit Barums or Nyetskids to a 911. > > >84. When the tires are near the end of their service life the traction > >will turn worse too. > > Nope, traction increases with wear. That's why racers use slicks; > maximum contact area; where there's a treadgap, there's no grip. In > the wet however it's the reverse, slick tires are more likely to > aquaplane. > > >All tires are not created equal. Proper tires for > > Dead right. Put the best tires you can ALMOST afford on. Don't go for > LTs, get quality car tires with the right load rating (yes, they sure > do exist). For topheavy campers the problem is more tricky... > > And always remember to bed new tires in carefully for a couple of > hundred km... they have a slippery release agent to allow easy > demolding. Ask motorcyclists about this... >

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