Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2015 13:44:46 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tires & Rims in (Western) Canada - Calgary
In-Reply-To: <55328047.6050506@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Some time ago, at recommendation of Dennis Haynes, I bought a set of 5
General Altimax RT 205/70R14 HD. This is a heavy duty passenger touring
tire. I liked them so well, that since then I have bought sets for all my
other vehicles. It's a perfectly good tire, even for VANAGONS, but there
are some caveats.
Tire inflation per VW IS NOT ADEQUATE. On a Vanagon pressure must be very
near maximum for the tire. Otherwise the van will drive like a snake going
down the highway.
It's not a winter tire. Stay out of snow..
It's not a rough/back country tire.
Pavement only with the ocassional encounter with a good surface dirt road -
ocassionally!
It's a perfectly good tire for Vanagon Tintops.
If you check the weight specs, I think this is an OK tire for WESTY'S ,
DEPENDING on how you have yours loaded.
Syncros - not a good tire under any circumstances.
Get something else.
Ron Salmon Tire FAQ'S at BUS DEPOT had it exactly right. Failure to keep
proper inflation is the cause of most tire failures.
Back in the early day's before I knew much about all this, on a trip up the
ALASKA HIGHWAY, before it was paved, when it was still 1400 odd miles of
gravel road, I blew out six tires. It was mostly because of my own
ignorance. I let the tire pressure get low enough that rocks would
penetrate the side walls. Back then, a radial tire with its side wall belly
simply wasn't the thing to have on that rocky road. I thought muliple
spares were a good thing, and my tires were new MICHELINS. I might have
made it all the way to ANCHORAGE had I routinely checked inflation. What I
really needed were stiff-side walls - truck tires. Those rough roads
worked those tire so hard that they would lose air more rapidly than
normal. After that experience, I keep a tire gage in the van and check
pressure once a week, and after any long run taking more than a tankful of
gas. This is one time inflation pays off. I learned, and in 1971 again
drove the highway and never had a single tire problem
I have never had a failure on the ALTIMAX, and if you can live with these
caveats, it's good tire at a good price. Last set I bought costs me $65/ea.
Balanced and installed. My warranty from my favorite little tire shop is
full tire replacement, no questions asked. But then, I do buy a lot of
tires, and thus far have never had a claim on one of their tires. Though
I've never asked, this MUST be a personal thing. Proof is in the pudding,
however, so to speak.
It's funny - this is a little hole-in-the-wall tire shop, with an endless
string of customers, a great many of whom are repeats. You will initally
have to wait in line here. Dumpy little spot, right in the middle of the
roughest area of the city, but they must be doing something right because
their customer line never seems to end, and they hustle buns to keep up.
While waiting I have seen everything from Grannymobiles to chauffered
Rolls to major tricked out Pimpmobiles. It's all pretty amazing.
Though there might be a drug connection, I have never observed any thing
remotely suspicious. Even so, it's still amazing.
John