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Date:         Wed, 5 Nov 2008 08:54:45 -0600
Reply-To:     Jon Kanas <kanas@QADAS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jon Kanas <kanas@QADAS.COM>
Subject:      Nokian Tyre Recommendations
Comments: To: musomuso@GMAIL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <20081104221343.0A36EF98051@platinum.vcn.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Good Day Neil and fellow Listers,

I am running the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta ( I believe 10C) studded snow tires on my Westfalia Syncro on steel wheels in the winter. They are remarkable on snow and ice. In nearly 40 years of Colorado driving, these are the best foul weather tires I have ever owned. They have a lot (100+) of studs per tire, are extremely noisy and do not handle well on dry pavement. I have them mounted on steel wheels, and only use them during severe winter weather. They are good enough that I have learned to watch behind me when slowing on icy roads -- I can stop and turn much better than others on the road.

I have Nokian WR tires on both of my Subaru Outback wagons, and on my Mercedes 300TE before it was totaled. They are much better in snow and water than the Michelins I previously had on the Mercedes, and much better in EVERY respect when compared to the Bridgestones that were on the Subaru wagons. They are noisy at low speed, almost like a noisy rear wheel bearing, but the noise dissipates over 30mph. We are on our second set on one of the Outback XT wagons; the first set lasted for about 35K miles. The WRs also have the little snow symbol on them which means that they are compliant with Colorado's "adequate snow tires or chains" law.

Per your post and links, I would consider the WR (or similar) that is appropriate for the Vanagon. Unless you live where there is ice and snow on the roads all winter, I think you will find the aggressive snow versions of the Nokian tires to be excessive.

*Best Regards, Jon B Kanas Home: 303-678-0658 Mobile: 303-746-1785 Email: kanas<at>qadas.com <mailto:kanas@qadas.com> LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonkanas Longmont, Colorado; Cultural Center of the Universe Website: http://www.qadas.com/~kanas <http://www.qadas.com/%7Ekanas> AOL Instant Messenger ID: KanasColo

"How can they say my life is not a success? Have I not for more than sixty years got enough to eat and escaped being eaten? -Logan Pearsall Smith, essayist (1865-1946) " *

Automatic digest processor wrote: > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 14:06:31 -0800 > From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> > Subject: WR-C, CS, and C2 Nokian tire questions > > Hi all. > > I'm doing a bunch of reading on tires, and learning, but am confusing > myself with the choices. > > First point of confusion. > > A Nokian Hakkapeliitta CS, has a L.I. rating of 106. Seems fine for a > Westy(Vanagon). But there is no "LT" prefix in the tire sizing > description. So.... > > With a higher load rating, does one assume it has a 6 or 8 ply > sidewall (C/D load rating)? i.e. stiff like an LT tire? > > Yet another question. > > I know there's trade-offs, but I'm considering running the same tires > year round. I have read that some do this with the CS: > > http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11889&group=3.01&name=Nokian+Hakkapeliitta+CS > > How are other year-round users finding tread wear and hot weather use? > (I think it has a softer rubber compound) > > Or would I be better off running these year round (though they seem to > be geared to harsher snow conditions): > > Hak C2: > > http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11877&group=3.01&name=Nokian+Hakkapeliitta+C2 > > Or, if I move up to a 15" wheel (there don't appear to be any 15" CS > or C2's) I would consider these: > > WR C (Van): > > http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11900&group=3.01&name=Nokian+WR+C+Van > > Anyone using these? I figure if I make my Westy my DD, I'll have to > carry chains anyways..... > > I understand a big part of choosing a tire, is getting one that would > work well in the worst driving conditions one might see themselves in. > I won't likely be driving this into snow conditions, but it sure would > be nice to "have my cake and eat it too". > > Sorry for such a long post! > > Neil. > > > -- > Neil Nicholson '81 JettaWesty "Jaco > http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines > http://web.mac.com/tubaneil > http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ > > ------------------------------ > > End of vanagon Digest - 4 Nov 2008 - Special issue (#2008-1166) > *************************************************************** > > >


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