Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:59:03 -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: 15" VS. 16' WHEELS
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re
Auto tires aren't particular good that way, so that is why my question.
> While it doesn't look so "cool", it seems like that Vanagon factory
> original skinny wheel designed by the engineers for the Vanagon is the
> best tire/rim/brake combination for good stopping power. and control.
> Wide tries and wide contact surfaces make for much lighter weight
> distribution per square inch and less braking control. Would be easy to
> hydro-plane.
Tires and tire technology have come a LONG way since vanagons were built and
came with 14 inch wheels and tires on them.
A long, long way !
Tires are asked to do about 6 confilciting jobs.
Naturally, a tire can't excell at long life, good wet and dry traction, good
snow and ice traction, low cost, smooth ride, and queit running, ...and
...one more, low price.
So you get what you pay for, and you get what you buy.
The most common tire is 'all season' .....often called M & S in car tires ..
an all around. all puipose tires.
Obiviously it can't excell in every catagory.
Some tires are optimized for wet ....Those tires have lots of openings in
the tread deisgn to get water out ...
to keep rubber in contact with the road, rather than hydroplanning.
there is tire rubber compound too ...that varies a lot considering what the
tire is designed to do well and for itss price.
It's a huge, huge science.
and yes....generally ...it's well known that a narrower tire will cut
through snow better than a fat wide one ..
same for running in rain ..
but ...there is a LOT to it.
Between two identical tires .....the narrower one would do better cutting
through deep water than the wider one, but there is a lot more to it than
that in the whole scheme or tires and tire technology.
I would also say in gerneral..... whenever practical, I am 'done' with 14
inch wheels and tires on vanagons.
They feel mushy to me.
And even if you get a really stiff D rated tire...and run it at high tire
pressure ...
it's just not the same at a 15 or 16 inch wheel/tire combo....the 14 can't
deliver the crispness in steering feel that a 15 or 16 can and what tire you
have on a 15 or 16 inch wheel makes all the difference in the world too.
and if all you want is sharp turn-in and crisp feeling steering ...than
larger diameter wheels yet ..
but then ride suffers .....etc. etc.
the idea is to find the best overall compromise and 'balance' of what you
want out of your tires and wheels.
what fun !
scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jake de Villiers" <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 10:50 PM
Subject: Re: 15" VS. 16' WHEELS
> If the vehicle weight and tire inflation pressure remain the same, the
> contact patch remains the same.
>
> Perhaps a different shape, but the same number of square inches touching
> the
> ground.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 9:26 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
>
>> I wonder if that is true on a wet surface.
>>
>> Airliner aircraft have very deeply ribbed tires so as to let the raised
>> ribs of the tire cut through the wet surface to get a grip on the
>> pavement to avoid hydro-planing. The water is worked up into the space
>> between the ribs. Airliners have some serious braking power when needed
>> even on wet pavement.
>>
>> Auto tires aren't particular good that way, so that is why my question.
>> While it doesn't look so "cool", it seems like that Vanagon factory
>> original skinny wheel designed by the engineers for the Vanagon is the
>> best tire/rim/brake combination for good stopping power. and control.
>> Wide tries and wide contact surfaces make for much lighter weight
>> distribution per square inch and less braking control. Would be easy to
>> hydro-plane.
>>
>>
>> John Rodgers
>> Clayartist and Moldmaker
>> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
>> Chelsea, AL
>> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>>
>>
>>
>> Chris S wrote:
>>
>>> I found that with the larger 215/60 16 tires my Westy actually stops
>>> better due to wider contact patch. The wheel/tire combo is 6 lb each
>>> lighter than stock wheels as well.
>>>
>>> 2010/3/15, Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@gmail.com>:
>>>
>>> dear wheels
>>>> it would be my advice that if you increase your wheel size to 16
>>>> that you also increase your brake size alll-around
>>>> your choice ... simply offering some advice...
>>>> 16 is a full two sizes up from OEM 14 ...
>>>> yours
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 6:29 AM, David Clarkson <dvdclarksn@aol.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> It's time for some new and larger tires/wheels for my 90 Westfalia. I
>>>>> had
>>>>> pretty well decided on 15" wheels but in looking at used ones many
>>>>> folks
>>>>> were selling 15" wheels to move up to 16" wheels. I think that with
>>>>> some
>>>>> 16"
>>>>> wheel/tire configurations there may be interference problems that
>>>>> can't
>>>>> be
>>>>> solved with different spacers/lugs/studs. Anyone have any convincing
>>>>> arguments for either size? Thanks list.
>>>>> ?
>>>>> David Clarkson
>>>>> 9o Westy-getting makeover and cosmetics
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> roger w
>>>> From Proverbs:
>>>> Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a
>>>> servant who becomes king ...
>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------
>>>> Explore printed work at: http://www.prliving.ca/
>>>> View the growing list of video work at:
>>>> http://revver.com/find/video/?query=LastonLastof&search_on=owners
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
> --
> Jake
>
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
>
> Crescent Beach, BC
>
> www.thebassspa.com
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
