Date: Tue, 11 May 2010 13:51:45 -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: TIRES
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
wow...
rating tires on whether they crack much or not after so many years.
hello ???
ah .....wet traction, tread life, tire wall stiffness, traction in snow and
ice ...
price .....stopping distance in the wet ...
lots of factors to consider, not just whether they crack or not.
and actually ...there wasn't even much awareness about tire 'shelf life in
years' until fairly recently. There are lots of 'aged out' tires still
doing pretty well, though I don't recommend that of course.
Tires do an amazing job generally,
they have to make the best compromise for about 6 to 8 conflicting desirable
characteristics.
a tire company could engineer a tire that would never ever show any tiny
surface cracks, if they wanted. But that's not really that important.
studying at tirerack.com ..
plus many tire companies websites, and endless places online would be very
educational.
hey ...
would you like some original equipment Diesel Vanagon Continental tires
!!??
I have some ..
new tread, no cracks ....they've got your name all over them.
They are so 'original' they don't even have DOT date-of-manufacture markings
on them !
no warrantee, no guarantee, no cracks. No sweat.
You pays your money and you takes your chances !!
meanwhile, I am extra happy with my Michelin Agilles 205/65 R 15C's and at
$ 150 USD per , they better be pretty good and not be crack-prone ! And
they are super fine summer and rain vanagon tires. Immediate improvement
in directional and cornering stability...
which is how some people rate tires in their mind, like how well they work
and how well they last within reason.
what fun !
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arkady Mirvis" <arkadymirvis@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 12:06 AM
Subject: TIRES
> Fife years after the purchase of my Westy in 1987 micro cracks on the side
> walls of original CONTINENTAL tires became very visible. That with 18,000
> miles on odometer and the camper being subjected to the sun only during
> trips. A tireman suggested to replace them all.
> I was very upset. I still have tires, original tires, those which were
> supplied with the Beetles as spares. Those tires were never on the road -
> perfectly new. I used to buy them on VW shows . Now 4 of them, the
> youngest
> from 1973 Beetle, have no cracks! I ask my fellow listees: "What did
> happen
> to the quality of tires?"
> I wrote a question-complain to CONTINENTAL headquarters in Acron, Ohio. "
> Your tires are older than 5 years and the warranty has expired". Yes, I
> bought my Westy 5 years and 4 month before the letter was written. I
> wasn't
> told by anyone that there was a 5-year warranty. The company flatly
> refused
> to act on my complain. Typical GERMAN ARROGANCE!
> I never bought CONTINENTAL tires since. If you think that Michelin is
> better, you are wrong. Cracks on them were horrific after being 6 years on
> rims! The best so far are TOYO.
> Ark
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 4:11 AM
> Subject: Re: Tire size questions
>
>
>> The clam shell and hold down bars are different for the vans that came
>> with
>> the alloy wheels or 205/70-14 tires. An easy change out.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> Of
>> Alan Felder
>> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 7:57 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Tire size questions
>>
>> I have an 82 diesel westy. Currently it has Michelin XC LT4
>> LT195/75/R14's
>> on them. They are slightly underrated, plus they are probably quite old.
>> Although, they have almost new looking tread on them. Some very small
>> hairlines in the sidewalls. The biggest problem I have with these is the
>> spare tire will in no way fit in the clamshell. PO used a longer bolt
>> and
>> a
>> spacer on it to hold the clamshell out far enough to tighten against the
>> spacer (using the tire as a "spring") for security. The handy safety
>> release is defeated, and missing.
>>
>> So, in the not too distant future I will be replacing these tires. I
>> don't
>> want to keep travelling with a bottle jack in case I need to stow a tire,
>> flat or otherwise. So, I'm wondering if the RA08's in 195 will fit in
>> the
>> stock clamshell without problems. Anyone have experience with those on
>> steel rims?
>>
>> Alan Felder
>> Austin TX
>> 82 Diesel Westy
| 
