Date:         Thu, 23 Oct 1997 14:17:16 -0400
Reply-To:     Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>
Subject:      Re: /syncro/ tires
Comments: To: Tim Smith <smitht@unb.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Yea, 16" trailing arms is the ticket.

At 02:06 PM 10/23/97 -0300, you wrote:
>>Wow. So this is 2" taller tire than the 27 x 8.50 14!
>
>yup, as big as a stock Syncro-14 will ytake I think.  Don't know how that
>German lightweight Syncro got 30x9.5's on.
>
>>
>>This must kill your acceleration!? and mess up your ability to creeper crawl
>>in a bolder field!?
>
>Cuts accel. in 2nd/3rd at 2000RPM, I have to hold the RPMs to about 4000 to
>get a clean shift onto next gear at 3200 RPM.  In low and 1st it's still
>quick enough.  1st. has become a good gear for loafing about on trails. Can
>still spin all 4 wheels in low on the loose stuff.  Works out to 15% change
>in diam. thus torque drop.  Rock crawling would be poor, I haven't any
>experience there!!!  Occaisional rock or three, no crawls.
>
>
>>Can you get that clearance back by using cable chains, or by trimming away
>>metal from the van?
>
>Nope, it's at the 'corner' of the rear trailing arms, tire is right into
>that area <1/4" gap.  Big mud buildups on the arms now :(.  Up front the
>upper A-arm is only 1/4" away from sidewall and yup I'd have to clip the
>bottoms of the front fender lip.  BFG make a 215/75/15 Mud Terrain, but the
>tread wasn't _quite_ as aggressive in the centre, and they were only $5 less
>each. 28.3" diamx8" section width would likely be 'just' enough for cable
>chains.
>
>Getting Syncro-16 rear trailing arms would be nice (if they really exist/are
>different) Their 205/85/16 tires give the same 29" rolling diameter I think.
>
>bye, Tim
>
>
>
___________________________________
Derek Drew                           New York, NY
drew@interport.net