Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:25:56 -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: Dare I start a Tire thread? 15" Tires for Westy
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I can't comment on the Vanco's.....
but I can sure say that a good 205/65 R 15 C tire will absolutely transform
your vanagon ~!
I'm working on a typical 84 Westy with semi-tired shocks and decent fairly
new 185 R 14 C tires - 'correct' vanagon tires for sure .....
but the handling ......
the handling is 'sloppy boat' ........like there isn't any. It goes around
curves, yes.......but that's all it does, it gets around them - nothingn
exciting or dynamic or any real 'feel' . Nothing you can 'push into'
cornering. You just sit there waiting for the corner to be over, then you
can press down on the gas again.
Really good 15 inch C rated tires on the other hand .........the ones I
like are the Michelin Agilles 205/65 R 15 C ......and they sure SHOULD be
magic, at 150 clams each - , with new HD Bilstein shocks on the front , my
85 Adventurewagon is flat *planted* on the road - very 'controlled' feeling,
well damped but also responive. There is actually some cornering dynamics
to play with, plus excellent straight-line tracking. A whole other world
really.
Makes the van a totally differnt vehicle to drive compared to the stock 14
inch set up. Vast, vast improvement. I'm never going back.
someone mentioned 15 inch winter tires. I picked up a pair of used
Hakepalitta studless winter tires in 205/65 R 15 C .........they're D load
rated.
With those on the rear, and they happen to be a bit wider than the
Michelins in the same size, plus the stiffer D load rating ....
makes my van track and handle even better than with the same Michelins in
front and rear - noticeable differernce.
Wish we could do a group track testing day - and measure cornering g's ,
do objective evaluations on handling feel in corners with various tire/wheel
setups etc.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karl" <tdiguru@WESTYVENTURES.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 4:39 PM
Subject: Re: Dare I start a Tire thread? 15" Tires for Westy
> MY advice is to run away from those tires as fast as possible. The
> Hydroedge is a single-ply sidewall car tire, and does not meet the specs
> for Vanagon use. Anything properly-rated that you replace them with will
> be better.
>
> Check out Larry's excellent tire page:
> http://www.roadhaus.com/tires.html
> and
> http://www.roadhaus.com/tires/guideline.html
>
> I feel that the Continental Vanco is an excellent choice, Tire Rack
> carries them. Several of my customers are running them on their Westies
> and report very favorably.
>
> Karl
> www.westyventures.com
>
>
> Melissa Mourkas wrote:
>> It turns out that the 15" Michelin HydroEdge tires on my recently
>> purchased '84 Westy have sidewall cracking to the degree that the
>> nice lady at Big O Tires refused to service one of them that is
>> leaking air. Very conscientious of her. Or risk-averse. Or she
>> wants to sell me tires on a Friday afternoon.
>>
>> Anyway, I am going to have to replace them, methinks. Since I have
>> not followed a recent tire thread, I thought I'd hang myself out to
>> dry (at least it's Fryday!).
>>
>> Wheel Size: 15" GoWesty alloy wheels, currently loaded with Michelin
>> HydroEdge 215 65 R 15. (Still sold by GoWesty).
>>
>> Suggestions appreciated!
>>
>>
>> Melissa Mourkas
>> 84 Westy "Honey Bee"
>> Sacramento, CA
>>
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