Date:         Mon, 22 Aug 94 21:01:26 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: tire diamaters

On Mon, 22 Aug 94 17:51:11 CDT David Carment said:
>the back. I am curious if
>a) the mismatched tires would have had a bizarre affect on the engine or
>suspension (they were well worn) and
>b) apart from affecting the speedometer slightly if running the 195's at
>the front and the 185's at the back would create a problem (none so far
>I think after 10K).

a) i would guess that mismatched tires WOULD have an unsettling effect on the
   handling. and that might reflect back to the tire in strange or increased
   wear. especially if one of the mismatches was a bias-belted tire and the
   others were radials. i've always heard this is very dangerous (mixing the
   two types). i don't think it should affect the engine at all, however.
b) problem? as long as the two tires on the front axle are the same, i think
   you'd be ok. the mismatch on the rear might cause some handling 'quirks'
   as you go straight down the highway, or especially as you go round curves.
   what exactly you should expect, i can't say. i've always 'heard' not to
   mix up tires. but if all four are radials, it should be ok. maybe not the
   BEST way to do it, but probably not dangerous.

>BTW the 195's were not reinforced so I elected to leave them up front.
>I guess the previous owner was persuaded that a larger diam. tire
>would make up for its lack of reinforcement.

i wouldn't think that way. the reinforcement gets rid of 'sidewall wiggle'
as you corner, (and keeps the tire in one piece when people like me scraped
against the curbs).

me personally, i wouldn't want to run that way, but i cannot think of a valid
reason NOT to ... it SHOULDN'T make any difference (unless one tire is a
bias-belted). if it drives ok, and doesn't 'track' funny (trying to wander
toward one shoulder or the other), and doesn't corner oddly, go with it. :)

joel