Date:         Mon, 13 May 2013 12:58:07 -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: Tires and Wheels
Comments: To: James Ogul <jimogul70@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <884997B0-7539-4E9E-B627-527D1876F911@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

uh oh .....tire/wheel thread !

I recommend Van Cafe's steel vanagon wheels ..
in 15 or 16 inch.
It's around 95 to a hundred bucks or so to buy new vanagon-rated steel
wheels.

there are lighter wheels that will fit.  I wouldn't run them myself.
About 2 yrs ago Tirerack was selling Mercedes ( same bolt pattern )
steel 15 inch wheels ..
made in Italy, intended as winter extra rims I think for mercedes cars
..they were only like 25 bucks each .
Might check with smallcar ...I heard that they bought a vast quantity of
them.

being as wheels and tires are so cricital to safety ..I only like to run
'real' vanagon wheels, or ones rated to be strong enough for vanagons.
tires ....LT or C load rating is what I like a lot ..
and you can study on tire ratings and sizes for the rest of your life
almost...there are so many variations and nuances.
to make it simple..
one 15 inch tire I just *love* on a vanagon is the Michilin Agilles
205/65 R 15 LT ..
expensive and hard to find .
but they really stick a vanagon to the road nicely ...if shocks,
suspenion and alignment are all good.
Pretty 'magic' tires in my experience.

I also really like 65 aspect ratio tires.
that's a really sweet width to height ratio, IMO.

have fun, be safe !
Scott


On 5/13/2013 12:28 PM, James Ogul wrote:
> Been reading the posts recommending going to 15 inch wheels.  I was looking at the ones at Go Westy.  They list them as 15 x 7.  How do I determine the tire spec?  Also is there a lower cost steel wheel that will work on the Vanagon?
>
> Jim
> 85 Westy