Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 19:22:08 -0400
Reply-To: KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....
In-Reply-To: <532b39ec.c9c9440a.770d.ffffc7b3@mx.google.com>
Content-type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Most wouldn't include me. My WV place driveway is 1 1/2 miles of (sort of) gravel. And very interesting to drive in the winter. Washouts on it happen every summer. One of the roads I use to travel there only got paved last year (through the GW National Forest). That one is even more interesting (no guardrails, narrow road, VERY steep terrain, both on and off the road) Also not plowed in winter.
Here in Northern Virginia, I use my Syncros for utility work all the time, hauling materials and trailers. 3 pinball machines fit inside a passenger Syncro. Trailer holds 6 pinball machines. The passenger syncro is also great for manuevering to folks backyards to make it easier to load (or unload) said pinball machines into basements.
I love being able to stick a 4x8 sheet of plywood entirely inside the Vanagon.
On Mar 20, 2014, at 2:56 PM, Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> I bet most Syncro owners only drive on paved roads... Seems like owning a
> Syncro Westy is more of a fashion statement these days. Fewer people own
> them for their utility.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alistair Bell [mailto:albell@shaw.ca]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 7:35 PM
> To: Jeff Schwaia
> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....
>
> Jeff,
>
> Yes, there is middle ground. And even on that middle ground I would not
> choose a 55 profile tire on my syncro.
>
> You what fire roads and logging roads are like, they can be pretty nice and
> well graded then you hit a hole.
>
> Everything is a compromise, and I can see the benefits of a stiff low
> profile tire when you are on the highway. And if that is all yo rive I your
> syncro then fine. But who the heck has a syncro and only drives on paved
> roads?
>
> Alistair
>
>
>
>
>> On Mar 19, 2014, at 7:27 PM, Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> There is a middle ground between highways and rough rocky roads...
>>
>> Perhaps fire roads or graded roads? Also, snow?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>> Behalf Of Alistair Bell
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 7:16 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....
>>
>> For a syncro that is actually used on anything but highways I think it
>> is folly to use 55 profile tires. You need sidewall depth to reduce
>> the chance of rim damage when you use your syncro on rough rocky roads.
>>
>> Alistair
>>
>>
>>
>>>> On Mar 19, 2014, at 4:04 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Again,
>>> If going for the expense of new heels, I would go right for 16 or if
>>> handling real important 17 inch wheels. Many more handling and
>>> performance tire choices including XL versions. To get more rubber on
>>> the road you need to wider and to get a better footprint you need to
>>> go softer. The 225/60-16 is amongst my favorite compromises. Due to
>>> ready availability of the AR95T wheel I have been installing some
>>> 225/55-17XL tires. Awesome handling. For Syncros I have also used the
>> 235/55-17XL.
>>>
>>> Dennis
>>>
>>>
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