Date:         Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:26:08 -0700
Reply-To:     David Vickery <david_vickery@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Vickery <david_vickery@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: TIRES
In-Reply-To:  <CAK8UGbTrz3KrijozL+tF8uA1xpqG0pzHWUhej219tkGokFiu8w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

OK I'll bite. Everyone still thinks the Nokians are available. They discontinued all 14" tires for our vans. You might find a comparable european all weather tire like Vredstein in a 14", but I didn't check to see if they are still available.
There are very few tires in stock diameters (whether it's on a 14, 15 or 16" rim). If you want to go bigger there are more choices, but you compromise when you go larger.
The 215/70-14 is the same diameter as the 185R14 and has several choices. I like the Michelin Harmony and it is a great hiway tire and good in occassional snow. 
In 195/75-14 there are only a couple tires left, the BFG AT is one but an aggressive off road tread and only average in snow. Sears sells the Goodyear Wrangler but is super pricey.
Here is a Toyo in the 215/70 size, just have to make sure it inflates to 44 psi which a lot of them do.
http://www.tiresdirect.net/TOYO_Extensa_AS_P215_70R14_96T-P5227C928.aspx?gclid=CK2p6MmKkLECFWQDQAod1U40fQ
The Hankook is one of the remaining tires, but everyone says it is bad in snow. 
You can jump up in size and get a bit more load rating in the 225/70-14 size but that is 1" bigger and will affect gearing and power. I have the Firestone Destination ATs in that size and they are a nice compromise in all regards. There are a few other choices in a 225/70. Cooper makes a couple.
You will probably have to compromise somwhere to find a stock size tire. Load rating for the 215/70 and 225/70s are good enough but less than what some tire stores want to see. With fewer choices left and not much at all in a real all season tire, the inflexible tire guys are going to have to relax a bit. Even in 15" or 16" tires the choices are few in a stock size because the standard load rating is based on the volume of air in the tire and that doesn't change much regardless of rim size.
If you want to stick with a stock size I would recommend the Michelin in a 215/70-14. If you are o.k. going up in size I would recommend the Firestone Destination AT in a 225/70. They also sell the Destination LE for less but it is not the same quality I don’t think.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Harmony&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=17SR4HARMONYV2&tab=Specs
http://www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/tirecatalog/Firestone/DestinationAT?article=26682
 


--- On Mon, 7/9/12, Paul <wognacious@GMAIL.COM> wrote:


From: Paul <wognacious@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: TIRES
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Monday, July 9, 2012, 6:41 PM


Check out the Nokian Tyres that Van-Cafe sells. I'm on my 2nd set, I used
to run the Michelin Agilis and these are more quiet than my sets of those
without a doubt. And they are less expensive too.
Just my $.02,
Paul in Tracy

On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 7:56 AM, pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@gmail.com>wrote:

> Ignoring snow performance I think the RA08 is a solid choice.
>
> I looked very hard and didn't find any vanagon-suitable all-weather tires
> in a 14 inch size that actually had reasonable snow performance. (I want to
> see the alpine severe service emblem on the side.)
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 10:29 AM, Gab and Em <shoesandbikes@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Can anyone recommend the best, or quietest or best all-round (in case of
> > occasional, unexpected snow) tires from the list:
> >
> > http://www.nextag.com/tire-185r14c/stores-html;
> >
> > --or some other tire that I can actually purchase?
> >
> >
> > Sorry to re-hash the oldest question in the book, but I would appreciate
> a
> > leg-up on this.
> >
> > Rolling and shimmying on my passenger balloons,
> > Gabby
> > 1986 Vanagon GL Westfalia
> >
>