Date:         Thu, 18 Oct 2018 07:42:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      16" tires? Long
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

  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