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Date:         Sun, 11 May 2008 09:31:29 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
Comments:     RFC822 error: <W> MESSAGE-ID field duplicated. Last occurrence
              was retained.
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Tires for 91 GL
Comments: To: Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <eccfedcc0805101939k1038d82di78e1aa4042f7e3d0@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I would look at the Altimax RT 205/70 R14 98T XL BSW from General tire. It has the needed ratings and is an excellent all season tire. If you look hard there are now a number of "reinforced" tires in this size. Reinforced tires are becoming more common in order to get the required load ratings for extreme low profile applications.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Michael Sullivan Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 10:39 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Tires for 91 GL

I appreciate the in-depth descriptions, but I must say I lost you through it all. I guess what you're saying is 205/70/14 is OK with load rating C(if possible to find) and LT(if possible) or stay with 185 or 195R14 and C rating, or find some Hakepealida(good luck) or pay shipping.....? Michael.

On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 9:22 PM, Scott Daniel - Shazam < scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> You're very right. > The original 205/70's - a *perfect* size on that van , where reinforced. > You > might not be able to find anything but "P' car tires in that size. > You do not want P205/70 anything, or any P tire on a vanagon. > That P means 'passenger car.' > Their sidewalls are not stiff enough. > > I did however, take the studs out of a ( non P ) set of Hakepalida 205/70 > R > 14 tires, and it turned the van into a sports car, from a boat. > They are T rated for speed. > Technically they might be a tad 'not quite the right rating' but they work > like a dream > > The 185 and 195 - if in C load rating, they are perfect. > I have seen C rated 185 R 14,s that are really D load rated. > D load rating is an extremely stiff sidewall tire. > They are used for trailer tires - as what you want is very low rolling > resistance. > I find them too harsh - but a matched set of 4, in D load rating might work > fine. > I've driven an 86 camper vanagon the 'Jupiters' on it - a popular tire a > while back in that size and rating. > In fact, I have 3 really really good ones that I'll sell. > > And 185 or 195 in C load rating - just about perfect. > Yes, I mixed up T speed rating and C & D load rating. > > In speed raring, H rated tires are pretty harsh. A performance car tire. > My 88 turbo Volvo uses them in 195/60 R 15. > They can be desperately harsh at lower speed. > Lowering the tire pressure helps some, but tire pressure can only 'sort of' > make up for what a tires rating is. > Putting very high pressure in a non-vanagong rated tire barely helps make > it > have stiffer side walls. Same for lower pressure with an H rated tires. > > When I run my 185/60 R 15 snow tires in the winter on my turbo volve, even > on pavement, it turns into a delightly tossible car with fantastic and > nimble ride. > I found a set of 195/60 R15's summer/rain M & S tires in T rating. Can't > wait to try those. The H ones won't wear out though, and the rear ones, > which I got off a Saab 9000 in a junkyard with 80 % tread - totally out of > round, well shake the front end to pieces, and it's not balance either. > > Right now I thnk the best overall use choces are either 185 R 14 C, C > rated, > or the 195 - those a tiny bit bigger and look and work fine. > > Or a 205/70 in a non car tire, with good load ratings, max lbs rating, and > max pressure rating. > If you look at the max load rating and max pressure rating on the tires - > you'll find you want about 1,700 lbs max load rating per tire, and the > stronger the tire the higher the max pressure is. You'd like to see 50 psi > or so max pressure rating. > The 185 R14 C's that are really D load rated - their max rated pressure is > 65 psi ! real overkill though I think on a vanagon, > But people run matched sets of 4. > You do not ever want D load rated tires on the back and LT's ( light > truck, > which is about like a C load rating ) or C load rated tires on the rear. > The van will bounce all over the place on bumps, steer like a barge, and be > just awful. Going down on front tire pressure on helps a little > > I've also gotten into 27 by 8.50 R 14 - that's a truck type size system. > That size is going out of favor, but at my local Less Schwab tire place, I > saw a set of four that looked awesome. > They do have the load rating to, a truck thing, like an LT tire. > I have never run them on the front, just the rear- and they are nigh > perfect > on the rear for a 2WD vanagon. Nicely a 'bit larger' look knarly, help the > gearing a tiny bit etc. > > For sure 14 inch tires are going out of use. > It's all 15's and 16's now, but there are still good 14 inch vanagon rated > tires available. > I like my cars to feel nimble, not truck like. > I'm super pleased with those T speed rated Hakepalida's. Steers like a > sports car, and tracks just fine. I'd buy a summer version of that tire if > there was one, probably. > > The 205/70 tire is a great size for all around use - just need to find it > in vanagon -rated. > > I have a set of 4 Michelin Rainforce tires that came off a syncro. > Can't say I especially like them, they look small for one thing. > > > oh - go study at tireack.com > and call them on the phone too, their phone people are sharp that I've > experienced though they might not be very vanagon savvy. > But you can read reviews, get outside diameter, a hundred things. > You spend hours on their site, it's really good. > Like a library/encyclopedia of tires. ( the original size tire that's not > 205/70 or 185 R 14 C, is the 195/75 R 14 LT. always a great all around > vanagon tire. > I think I'd start there with LT tires and see what I found. > LT as a tire type is dead perfect on a vanagon , sufficient, but not too > stiff. > And if you find 205/70's in a proper rating - perfect. > > I've noticed that the D load rated, and the C load rated tires to a lesser > extent, have very plan tread patterns. > I think to achieve the load rating, and tread life, they have to make the > tread pattern very plane. > Look at the front tires on all big trucks - just a very plane tread, not > any > little blocks or sips or anything. > > I'd not want that on a vanagon myself, personally. LT's have great tread > patterns though, and the others, and perfect sidewall stiffness. > If you had to pick just 'one tire' .........the traditional Wildcat 195/75 > R > 14 is your 'do anything' tire. They've stopped making Wildcats though > believe. > Not as wide as a 205/70, but quite nice. No complaints at all - whether > dry, > rain, snow, etc. > Anyone want to buy 3 at least 60 % tread life remaining vanagon D load > rated > Jupiter tires ? > The 'Jupiter' is a nice looking tire too. I just don't think they make them > anymore, but I'm just guessing too, haven't really tried to track one down. > I really don't want D load rating - bit too stiff. > I have about 20 sets of mounted vanagon tires and 6 vanagons to play with > too, so I get to test out various setups. > I have a 'thing' about tires too, I love them. > They are THE SINGLE most important thing with the biggest affect on how > your > vanagon rides, steers, handles etc. The single most important factor > -affects the whole car. > Resist putting on very over sized tires. There's little to gain and lots to > loose. > Change the gearing, if that's why you're going for too tall tires. > > Scott > www.turvans.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of > Stephen Edwards > Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 5:36 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Tires for 91 GL > > Hi Michael, > > Be careful with those 205/70/14's - last time I checked there was no > longer any such tire available that has the correct load range for > the Vanagon. I'm no tire expert, but I do know that the 185R14 and > 195R14 such as Bus Depot carries are reinforced tires which is what > the manufacturer originally recommended (I have the 195's and am very > happy with them even though the ride is not quite as sweet as it was > on the discontinued Michelin Rainforce 205's). Don't forget, 14" is > a very small rim to carry all that top heavy load. > > Sincerely > > Steve, in Chicago with 91 Vanaru GL > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.14/1425 - Release Date: 5/9/2008 > 12:38 PM >

-- Michael in San Antonio 91GL AT 'Gringo'


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