Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:35:15 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Snow newbie needs snow tire recommendation
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
hi Mike,
one thing I want to warn you about Les Schwab Tires is that they are not
always smart enough to know that Vanagons require 'real vanagon-rated'
tires.
I've seen them fit "P" tires ...........as in P195/74 R 14's to vanagons
...........that P stands for 'passenger car'.
You don't want those.
You might like studded tires for winter tires.
the 'only' way to do it is have your winters tires mounted on another set of
rim. I have numerous stock stell 14 inch vanagon wheel rims for sale.
I happened to acquire a set of Hakipaletta Winter tires with a vanagon I
bought.
They were studded ( but I removed the studs ) ..........size 205/70 R
14......which is a later model vanagon size........these have a 'T' speed
rating.......they turned my 85 Wolfsburg Weekender into a sports car, I like
them a lot.
but check the load rating and the max tire pressure..........and make sure
they are 'real' vanagon -rated tires.
For my other car, a turbo volvo sedan .........I have Bridgestone Blizzack
winter tires, WS-50 is the model from a few years ago........
these are very specifically 'studdless winter tires' ........
and I HIGHLY reocommend these.
Not sure if they come in a load rating for vanagons ...........you really
want real vanagon rated tires.........
but I do very much love my Blizzack Studdless Winter tires.
scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 12:34 PM
Subject: Snow newbie needs snow tire recommendation
> Now that we've moved to Bend, Oregon, we are looking ahead to when, not
> many months from now, we will need to give our cars new shoes. Mrs
> Squirrel is still without car since her Volvo sedan's computer registered
> that the transmission was due to fail. so we sold it. In the meantime,
> she's putting around town in Mellow Yellow (my 84 Westy).
>
> We're from SoCal where that white stuff that falls from the sky simply
> doesn't happen so I have never needed to look into the subject of snow
> tires. I looked at Larry Chase's Roadhaus page to see what tires others
> have found to be good, but I couldn't easily tell which of them were of
> the studded snow tire category.
>
> The local dealer (and employer) is Les Schwab so I reckon it would be a
> fine thing to buy from them.
>
> Could someone more familiar with this subject take a look at the offerings
> from Les Schwab here: http://www.lesschwab.com/tires/winter.asp and advise
> a Pretty Good Tire?
>
> (Note: I just passed the written (actually computer) test to get my Oregon
> driver's license. It was from a 16 year-old kid sitting next to me in the
> waiting room that I learned that studded snow tires are not legal here
> from April 1 to November 1. Good thing he knew that, it was on the test.)
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus -- NOW SOLD TO THE BUYER OF OUR HOUSE
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> KG6RCR
