Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:05:32 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Tires and wheels!
In-Reply-To:  <BAY152-ds8E64761F282AF204A0DA0A0F20@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Please note I made a Typo! I forget the word NOT in the sentence regarding the 225/60 not being a problem for the gearing.

Sorry, Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Haynes Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2011 10:43 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Tires and wheels!

Of all the decisions and upgrades one does on a vehicle, nothing is more critical than tires selection and as far as improvements go can be one of the most rewarding and cost effective improvements we can make. This can also be the worst decision we can make.

Simply going to a larger wheel is not an improvement. There are many factors to consider. Why did VW stay with a 14" wheel? For so many years all their vehicles were designed around that 25.5" tire diameter. Think about it. All the beetles, busses, Vanagons, Type 3 and 4, and even the Eurovan used that tire size. At one time busses did have 15" wheels. Back in the 60"s when increased capacity was needed they went to the 14" wheel to get increased load capacity within the 25.5" diameter tire envelope. Back in the old days this was the 7.00 or 7.35-14 load range C or D tire. When letter sizes came out the fit was E-78-14. The P-metric equal is now the 185/80-14. Coinciding with the introduction of the 2.1L I guess VW realized that this really was a poor choice for ride and handling but didn't want to do the re-engineering for a larger diameter tire so they went with the 205/70-14 XL or reinforced sidewall tire. There are many vehicles that require this type of tire especially in the lower profiles. When the Eurovan came out they went to 15" wheels most likely due to the larger brakes and front wheel drive high offset wheels. They still stuck with that outer diameter though and proper tire choice is now a custom event. Later they realized the error of their ways and went to a 225/60-16XL tire.

The 226/60-16 is probably the best normal use size for these vehicles, especially the Vanagon. The native load index is 97 or 98, XL will be 101. Both are sufficient for the van. You have almost an additional 1' of with and slightly increased tire diameter which helps the gearing a little but NOT enough to be problem. Ride and handling is exceptional and there are so many tire choices in this size. The down side for Vanagons is the spare will not fit in the tire carrier.

For the Syncro owner that wants a bit more height the 215/65-16 is 27" tall and with some work can get into the tire carrier. If we want to do the "staggered" look you can use the 215/65 in front and 235/60 in the rear.

17" tires have now come a long way and I am looking to do some experimenting there. 225/55-17 is available in XL ratings of 102. I may even try 245/50-18 someday. Who needs to open that sliding door?

Point is all the brake and suspension upgrades don't mean anything if the tire cannot maintain the traction. Except for a few flaws the Vanagon really has a great suspension. Not many vans have 4 wheel independent. If you going for rims, go for 16 or 17. Avoid the 15 unless tall off road is part of the goal. If winter use is part of the plan be sure to get the M+S rating. In many no M+S, illegal to drive during snow emergency. Look at the tread and rubber compounds. Will the tire even flex below freezing? Can the tread deal with snow and slush. If mostly dry highway, ribs type tires offer quiet and directional stability.

Dennis


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