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Date:         Sun, 16 Sep 2007 22:07:58 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Significant improvment: Less wind deflection
In-Reply-To:  <102686.21286.qm@web45312.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

>I find that with different tires the effect of over (and under) inflatation >on driving feel and wind deflection varies. > >On the '82 Diesel here in Canada I have a set of 195R14 "Roadstone" >tires (was recommended by a local tire place. Not bad for the price). >With these tires driving feel desn't change much with more pressure >in the front (up to 50psi). > >On the '85 gas I have in Germany however, 50psi in the fronts made it >outright dangerous to drive. I cannot recall what tire is no it (It is >6000km away now...) but it is some common aftermarket 185R14 tire with >high load rating.

If those were CAR tires, they were grossly-overinflated. Don't inflate past the max pressure molded into the sidewalls. A car tire designed for a heavy car doesn't NEED 50PSI to do the job on a van... 32 to 35 should do just fine. 50PSI probably was distorting the tread, making it convex and reducing the contact-patch to a small circle near the center of the tread... bad for traction, tire life (wears out the tread center rapidly) and risks tread separation.

The 205/14 car tires which came with chromed Mangels steel wheels (rusty throwaways now) my Caravelle are fine for cornering and stability. -- Regards Andrew


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