Date:         Thu, 18 Oct 2018 10:35:52 -0600
Reply-To:     OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: 16" tires? Long
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAHTkEu+x1P3b5BoqZi2OEs615hbXwVBQaYNawY9BvhJePed29w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

1st posted this back in Mar of '09 before My '90 Westy 2wd4mt had been Subarued >

        ORRs 2cents on tires & revs & MPGs  -->  I'm running 205/65R15s on the front to keep the same 25.5in Dia' as orig'

& 235/75R15s / 28.9in Dia on the rear to get the RPMs down & MPGs up. I get 70mph @ 3500rpm & 20-22mpg with the

Orig' 2.1L MT4 in my 90Westy. 

                                                                                        ORR ~ DeanB


In 2010, a few mo's after it Became VDubaru, I replaced the Orig' 0.85 4th Gear with a 0.77 & now I get 70mph @ 3150rpm ~
On 18 Oct , 2018, at 8:42 AM, Don Hanson wrote:

>  I'm about due for more tires and I've spotted some appropriate 16" wheels
> at a good price.  I'm currently on Vredistein Comtrac 195 r 14 on stock
> wheels
> 
>   I'm actually wanting to try a bit larger diameter tire, to see if I can
> get along with a taller final drive.  I'm thinking this way... Currently, I
> cruise flat ground at about 65 at 3300 rpm in my 5th gear.  My motor's
> happy down to around 2300 rpm, but it's power (270° cam, ABA 8 valve head)
> comes on at about 3700... When the road pitches up to much above 5-6°
> grade, the van can't maintain it's speed in 5th and I shift down to 4th at
> around 50.  That puts me at my 3700 rpm, but with plenty of throttle left,
> so I usually back off agaon at around 55mph (4000 rpms in 4th) to go a bit
> easy on my motor.
>   I think I would like to run uphill at 65 in 4th and keep below my
> arbitrary ~4000+/- rpms.  I don't mind flicking gears ahead of time to
> negotiate mountains effectively, I enjoy it.
>  So anyone care to suggest a starting point as far as diameter/size in
> 16s?  And perhaps inexpensive all season tires I could put on to try for
> 20-30 k miles?  Thanks, Don Hanson