Date: Tue, 21 May 2013 19:06:27 -0700
Reply-To: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: 14" to 16" Wheel Upgrade User Input Please.
In-Reply-To: <CAB2RwfhYrFzqzUb+wO0k6Y_SdWKCQWGjnncVkh8BYWWTkPn9XQ@mail.gmail.com>
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Totally endorse the upgrade to 16" wheels, for many reasons. Better handling in cross-winds? No question! Reason? The aspect ratio. Tires are stiffer to lateral forces. First time you notice it will be when having a steady cross-wind, going under an overpass of shade from the cross-wind, and then back into it again. Huge difference. Next thing you notice is twisting down a mountain road; tracks solid and stable and confident. Next thing is just the robustness of having all that rubber; no more fear of blow-outs (I've had two, one at 65 on the freeway and one at 45 on a country road with the wimpy 14 inchers. The freeway tire exchange was no fun with the semi's roaring by; and the country road one caused a major sheetmetal damage to left rear quarter above and behind tire from the slinging of the tire carcass onto body. Not to mention impossible to find the proper 14" tire when several hundred miles from home in a small town on a
holiday weekend after said events.)
Also....no issues with miles of washboard and some sandy sections, like when going with Mark Drillock to see the whales in Baja. (Can't say the same for my shocks but they were 26 years old. Bus Depot solved that problem.)
Finally.....the look. Love it. Strong. Stable. Solid. Vanagon pride.
Details: mine were the 16" tire and wheel package from GoWesty. Arrives balanced, inflated, proper bolts and nuts for the 2WD mounting.
Downside: the cost....of course...hurts temporarily. Of course those GoWesty alloys add a certain something; again, Vanagon pride. Also.....less "oomph"....tires are slightly bigger in diameter. This has mitigated as tires have worn. Better mileage though. Break even IMHO. But, the tires last and last and last......I haven't checked my records but lets assume 60,000 as a minimum tire life, probably way more.
Yes, I endorse the 16" wheels and tires on a 2WD (tintop is mine) Vanagon with no other suspension modifications.
Rich
San Diego
--- On Tue, 5/21/13, neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
From: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: 14" to 16" Wheel Upgrade User Input Please.
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 1:16 PM
Hi all.
This is for a 1981 Westfalia with 14" wheels, Nokian tires:
http://tinyurl.com/cklr86y
For those with a 2WD Vanagon who've upgraded from 14" to 16" all
season (XL or better) wheels-tires, but changed NOTHING else......
Did this upgrade significantly and obviously improve steering input,
road handling etc. while driving in severe cross winds?
Except for the steering transfer gear box, I've replaced nearly every
part in the front end. All these parts now have relatively low miles.
I realize the Vanagon will always be susceptible to cross winds but at
this point, it almost feels unsafe to drive in severe winds.
Apologies in advance if this has been covered, but searching by
subject, have not found a thread specific to this.
Neil.
--
Neil n
Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca
'88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p
'81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
Vanagon VAG Gas inline-VR Engine Swap Group:
http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej
