Date: Sun, 09 Oct 94 00:33:35 CDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "J. Walker" <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject: a Tyre, a Tyre! My Kingdom for a Tyre!
ok. this is what i've "collected" so far. one thing that seems to be showing
up is that camper-folks do NOT like the reinforced car tires, but seem to
like the Light Truck tires. makes sense: campers weigh more and are more top-
heavy. also personal driving 'style' (as Gallagher would say) likely has
a lot to do with how 'good' a set of tires 'feels' as the Good Bus Bollytrop
careens around yet another corner.
so maybe we ought to separate this by camper and non-camper? at the very
least, it is a starting point for someone looking for tires ... at least
they know the brands/size/models of some tires that fit the buses and that
other people have used. but other than that, it's somewhat like "what's the
Best Year for a VW Bus?" ... and we all know how THAT goes. :)
Microbuses, 1963-1967 (from Bentley book)
3/4-Ton Payload
4-1/2 K x 15 Rims
6.40-15 Tires, 4 ply rating
1-Ton Payload (including Firetruck)
5 JK x 14 Rims
7.00-14 Tubeless Tires, 6 ply rating
--------------------------------------------
(All Models, Buses and Vanagons, 1968-1991)
Plies/
Load Range/
Tire Size Max psi Comments
---------------------- ---------- ------------ ----------------------
Sears Trailhandler ? 6/C/50 Horrid
Sears Trailhander APT 195/75R14 6/C/50 Good+ (so far)
40k warranty
Michelin XZX Reinforced 185/70SR14 6/?/40 Good (imho)
Michelin MXL Reinforced 205/70R14 6/B/40 Good
Michelin MXL Reinforced 205/70R14 6/B/40 Horrid (squirrely)
Dunlop SP LT5 Tubeless 185R15 6/C/?? ???
Kelly Safari All-Terrain 850x27R14 ?/?/? ???
Bridgestone RD-603 LT 185 R 14 6/D/65 Nice and stable;
(marked "8 PR") Too early to know
wearing qualities
Uniroyal Laredo 195/75/R14 6/C/50 open tread all-season
OK (lowish) noise
Handling ??, only 1
mounted, doesn't wallow
this is all the owners manual/bentley book specifies for vanagons:
185 R 14 C
7.00-14 8 PR
185 SR 14 Reinforced
205/70 R 14
joel
