Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 17:18:20 -0600
Reply-To: Paul Chubbuck <paul@TAKINGFLIGHT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Paul Chubbuck <paul@TAKINGFLIGHT.NET>
Subject: Re: Need tire and wheel recommendations
In-Reply-To: <E268785D-F113-48CB-B809-33E0921921FF@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
The size is not as critical a factor as their durability and safety using
them the way I do, namely on rough rock roads.
Thanks,
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Kim Brennan [mailto:kimbrennan@mac.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 4:22 PM
To: Paul Chubbuck
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Need tire and wheel recommendations
195/70R15 is marginally different in size (less than 1/2 inch
diameter) than stock tires (185/80R14, or 205/70R14). If your
speedois really reading LOW instead of High, it may have been
recalibrated for larger tires.) The stock tires should read about 8%
HIGH when traveling at 65 mph indicated, you really should only be at
about 60mph. The odometer, on the other paw, should be relatively
accurate with the tires you've been using.
When traveling on service roads, you can get a much more comfortable
ride, by airing your tires down (15-18 psi). The BFG AT T/A tires are
great for this, but with a stock engine you may not want to go up to
the 215/75R15 in size (nearest available size). However, if your
speedo readings are accurate, this tire size is probably what it was
recalibrated for.
On Aug 9, 2008, at 3:24 PM, Paul Chubbuck wrote:
> On my 1982 Westy, I currently have tire size 195/70R15. My wheels
> are not
> original.
>
> I take most of my vacations up on rough, rock Forest Service roads,
> pretending I have 4WD, and though I drive slowly, it's hell on
> tires. One
> of my Nokias developed a slow leak after my most recent foray and
> Big O
> showed me that it has multiple tiny leaks and said it shouldn't be
> salvaged.
>
> Can anyone make a recommendation as to a really strong tire that can
> take
> this kind of abuse?
>
> In addition, I have calculated that my speedometer and odometer read
> about
> 5% low (65 MPH is actually over 70, etc.). This alone wouldn't
> concern me
> terribly much. I can make the adjustment, if I'm getting new tires
> all the
> way around anyway, I wondered if I ought to try to get the originally
> specified size which would make the speedometer read correctly?
>
> Thanks for your recommendations.
>
> Paul in Colorado
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