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Date:         Sat, 22 Aug 2015 16:28:33 +0000
Reply-To:     Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mercedes 16 inch wheels for Vanagon?
Comments: To: "szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM" <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <DEA7D40F-FE7A-4212-A742-E00DF7AC5477@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

Okay, here's a tire diameter-specific question for you folks using 215/65R-16 tires: Do you feel like this tire size's height increase over stock has adversely affected your van's effective gearing?  My '87 with the stock 2.1L engine currently has the stock tire size, 185R-14C with an overall diameter of about 25 inches.  I have a set of 16" CLK wheels in the garage and will need tires before the next trip. My Mopar minivan uses the 215/65R-16 and that tire measures about 26" in diameter.  Is that one inch increase too great an increase over the stock size for the van's stock engine to pull comfortably, or should I consider a shorter tire with a diameter closer to stock, like a 205/65R-16.  I'd prefer the 65 series to a 60 for a little more sidewall height for a given width, and I've read that a one-inch increase in tire height is about the max recommended for a stock driveline.  I'm not anticipating a Sube swap or trans rebuild and regearing at the moment, so nothing else should be changing anytime soon.  The current engine is healthy but it is a WBX so not a powerhouse.  Thanks! Stephen

On Saturday, August 22, 2015 9:16 AM, Chris Szpejankowski <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

Im not sure about 7,5'' wheels. Those may be too wide.

Wysłane z iPhone'a

Dnia 22 sie 2015 o godz. 09:10 Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> napisał(a):

> I cut and pasted the owners info, the correct measurement is indeed 7.5 > inches. I see there is plenty of concurrence that this isn't a good > solution or investment, so I am going to turn the wheels down, purdy as > they are. I have good looking stock alloys with Hankook RA08s on there now > and it drives great, so no big deal. > > Jim > >> On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 8:08 AM BenT Syncro <syncro@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> I've never seen a 7 1/4 wide factory wheel on a MB car. So let's assume >> it's 7.5" which is relatively common. That would mean it's 38.1mm wider >> than Carat alloys. Meaning they will stick out 19.05mm in and out. With the >> ET51 off adding 21mm on the inside compared the factory alloys, you're now >> 40.05mm further inward. No go. So then you start to look at spacers to make >> them fit. A proper 40mm spacer will be expensive. Something in the >> neighborhood of $350-$400. That's not a wise investment, IMHO. You would be >> better off spending that money on something which fits better to begin with. >> >> BenT >> sent from my electronic leash >> >> On Aug 22, 2015, at 5:38 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote: >> >> >> Here's the size that the owner was able to find on the Mercedes wheels I >> >> wrote about earlier: >> >> >> 7 1/4 X 16 ET 51 >> >> >> Thanks for all your help, >> >> >> Jim >> >> >> >> -- >> BenT >>


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