Date:         Tue, 5 May 1998 02:40:25 EDT
Reply-To:     SyncroHead <SyncroHead@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         SyncroHead <SyncroHead@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: rim and tire size, what do I do, speedo readings
Comments: To: Modl6971@aol.com, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

In a message dated 98-05-02 05:07:46 EDT, Modl6971@AOL.COM writes:

> I have 215-65-16 tires on my syncro. The ride hight increased about 2.5 to 3
>  inches. The car looks great, like a real 4X4 should. The only problem I'm
>  having now is to figure out what to do with my spare tire. I have a 14"
> spare.

You don't really have a spare.  Using that wheel might get you where you want
to go, but will deystroy the viscous coupling.  You don't want to screw with
this - get 5 wheels/tires that are a matched set.

> I also have a 15" rim that fits vanagon. I'm trying to figure out what
> tires size on the 14" or the 15" rim will match the diameter of the tires on
the
> 16"  rim. That's something to think about. Michael.
>  P.S. On the 16" set up you don't loose power, you gain fuel milage and a
>  little more top end speed. On the factory wheel and tire set up, (at least
>  with my car) with an actual speed of 70 MPH, the speedo indicated 66 MPH...

You DO lose effective power to the road.  This is inescapable.  Taken to the
limit, the van couldn't even make forward motion with giant tires.  With the
smaller, original tires you will be able to accelerate faster and go up steep
grades faster.  Top speed is however likely higher with larger tires.  As for
fuel mileage, it is unlikely that tire size would have much of an effect.  The
"apparent" mileage will raise, but once you account for the larger tire size
it will evaporate.

Regards,
Jim Davis