Date:         Mon, 7 Jan 2013 13:04:52 -0600
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: 14" Alloy and 195R14
Comments: To: JordanVw@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <73b4.647c50df.3e1c6ced@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

---- JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
> In a message dated 1/7/2013 12:59:36 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> jim.felder@gmail.com writes:
>
> I've  been using 185s for a long time, and know other have as well. What
> problem am  I having that I don't know about?
>
>
>
>
> i used to run 205's  when i used to run 14"s .. the 185s are a  car sized
> tire.. the same as on a Golf..    i know vanagons came  with them but ...just
> not for me.. that's why i said " IMO"     :)
> ( would never run 14" wheels on a vanagon again...all mine have 15" and 16"
>  now)

So your "concern" is with 14" wheels in general being on the van.  Well, that is the wheel that the automotive engineering staff at VW thought was proper.  What in particular is problematic with the 14" wheels?  It seems your objection is not as you originally stated to 185s matched with 14" alloys, but with 14" generally.  I've been running original 14" steel wheels with 195s for 35k miles, no problems.  Tracks well, steers well, rides as well as I would want a high clearance vehicle to ride, does well on back roads.  I too would like to know what problem I am experiencing that I haven't observed myself.  The tires I have are Kumho 857s, marketed in the U.S. as trailer tires though the same tire is sold in other countries as a van/bus tire, and does not carry the trailer mark on the sidewall.  As reported before on here, Kumho states that the tire is marketed in the U.S. for trailers simply because there is so little demand for a 14" or even a 15" truck tire.  mcneely
--
David McNeely