Date:         Mon, 17 Mar 1997 09:56:25 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         KENYON FAIREY <kfairey@oit.umass.edu>
Subject:      Re: Alloy Wheels

Lloyd -

You asked:

> 
> Does anyone know which alloy wheels by other manufacturers work on
> vanagons.  I have seen pictures of vanagons with Audi rims: which ones
> are these?  The vanagon alloys are difficult to obtain at a reasonable
> price.  Many thanks
> Lloyd Perkins    dad@together.net
> 

Go to the Tirerack and check out the Borbet Replica II wheels:

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/borbet/bo_rep2.htm

These "Mercedes only" wheels are supposed to be a direct match for the Westy.

Kyle Wade
  Keeper of the volks-motorsports page
  www.volks-motorsports.com  home page
  Pengi@cruzio.com

Has told me that he has installed these wheels on a Vanagon and that they are
strong and look great. I am considering them for my '91 Westy. 

They take a "low profile" tire, 205/65 R15 which is supposed to result in an
overall gain of .2 inches in total wheel/tire diameter. This supposedly 
provides an accurate Odometer reading.

Kyle recommends a reinforced tire on these. I am having a little trouble 
getting the straight scoop on appropriate tires.

Michelin MXV Energy tires is what Tirerack recommended. These are a 94 H rated
tire. That's 1477 lbs/wheel at 130 mph. They are a max 44 psi rated tire.

This is a summation of what I have found over the past 2 weeks.

Kenyon 
-- 
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  Kenyon Fairey, Re.D.                            Adjunct Assistant Professor
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