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Date:         Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:52:47 -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: Tire pressure '86 Westy
Comments: To: Art Ames <awa0330@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <DED6E237-577F-45EF-B489-EE9BEC3947E9@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

oh boy .. this can be as 'bad' as 'what tires to use' .. or 'which oil' etc.

and ...say you are running these LT's at 38 front, 48 rear.

I like that just fine. Very much so ..and I recommend going by the tire sticker on the van's door frame.

I adjust tire pressures for handling first, load second. I think that's what VW had in mind with their tire pressure recommendation.....best handling. If carrying a big heavy load .. sure, add some pressure, and of course never exceed the max pressure cold, shown on the side of the tire .

other vanagon owners though .. see their vans as trucks and adjust tire pressure according to load. I've been driving almost 50 years .. and I have never thought ..'let's see.....max load on this tire is say 1,720 lbs at 55 psi .. and I think I have 1,400 lbs on that tire, so I should adjust pressure to whatever that percentage is of the max tire pressure .. not how I think I'll tell ya .. perhaps for tires on a load-carrying utility triailer, but for a rear wheel drive 2WD vehicle ..I adjust for handling.

Having been a car and motorcycle racer in parts of my life, and always a performance/handling focused driver, I adjust for best handling .. which will always be more in the rear, relative to the front, just like VW says.

I've started many trips with rear tire pressure in the high 40's .. an hour or so out on the freeway ..things well warmed up ...man that feels harsh. so I let some out ...get the rears back down to say mid 40's ...like it much better. I run fronts in the mid to upper 30's, rears in the 40's ..just like you are.

re 'sway' .. do you mean 'handling like a boat' ? whole other discussion. this is getting plenty long already. just one story.. 85 Westy ....and 85 westy's and weekenders are noticeably too high in the front. guy says his handles like a boat ..and it does.......terminal understeer and leaning over in turns. the way I fix that .. I get the front down with 'normal springs' ..85 GL front springs are perfect. If I can .. I run dedicated front and rear wheel sizes and tire sizes. my nicest handling vans run 205/65 R15LT's on the front, 215/65 R15's on the rear. They don't handle like boats .

you may hear many other opinions ...lol !

Scott

On 3/13/2012 1:30 PM, Art Ames wrote: > Probably been asked but I have virtually no Internet to check archives. Apologies! > > Hankook LT215/75R15. > > Currently inflated to just under 40 on front and just under 50 on back. Matches sticker on van recomnendation for 14" tires. > > Is this the best ( or right) pressure to use. Would there be a bit less sway by reducing pressure a tad? > > BTW, 4,400 miles on maiden voyage( for me) so far for me and so far... knocking on wood. > > Art > > Sent from my iPhone and consequently not responsible for typhos.


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