Date:         Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:03:16 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Tire question: Sorry, but ...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

  Ok, not intending to start a full tire thread, but  I have a question on
specific tires in specific size..

.Namely Nokian Hakkapelitta-1. I just got four of these, used and mounted on
14" vanagon wheels, for a pretty good price...My current tires (Nankang
185r14c with LR D and 1874lbs max load) are almost bald and I don't have the
cash to spend for new tires, so I scored these.  I also have two LT Hakkas,
stored from last winter, that are in fine shape. I thought I was getting
more of the same, but these "new ones"  turned out to be different tires,
different tread and such.

  The ones I just got are marked "205/70 r 14  95T M+S" with a max load
rating of 1527# and they are set up for studs, but have none in them   I
guess, from what I have found on the net, that these are likely car tires,
not light truck like the other Hakkas I have.  They do have an adequate load
rating for the weight of my van, and they came off a Westie (about 10k miles
on the tires with excellent tread still left on them and a fairly recent
'build-date' on the sidewall)   These were sold to the previous owner as
"passenger car tires with the highest available load rating" and she was
told by Les Schwab Tires that they would work.  She seemed to like them, but
she is selling her Westie (another blown WBX motor is involved here) and had
these wheels with the  snow tires left over.

  My question is are these tires going to work?  I had some Michelins on the
van when it first came to me...they were pretty 'mushy'  Then I got some
Nankangs, which worked ok for a summer tire, handled better than the
Michelins but wore down rather quickly.  I then mounted two new LT Hakka
with winter tread with the two best Nankangs left on the front and that
actually worked very well through last winter in southern climate.  But now,
these Hakka-1's came along and I am hoping to get a year or so from them..Do
able?  anybody else use these tires?  Feedback?

  I drive a low top van with a partial westie interior, BTW.

  Don Hanson