Date:         Fri, 16 Oct 1998 00:03:59 -0500
Reply-To:     Sami Dakhlia <dakhlias@MAGELLAN.UMONTREAL.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Sami Dakhlia <dakhlias@MAGELLAN.UMONTREAL.CA>
Subject:      modern wheels & tires: some thoughts and many questions
Comments: To: type2@type2.com, vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

As my conversion to mild 911 power (only 125 hp) is coming closer to
completion, I'm now thinking about the next steps: improving braking
ability and increasing the gear ratios. A simple way to obtain both is
to switch to wider and taller wheels and tires.

Some thoughts:
If VW produced the breadloaf today, what wheel and tire size would they
go for? Let's also assume that the new engine would have decent power so
that rolling resistance would no longer be an issue. Then one might be
tempted to look at a Eurovan MV: the stock tire is a 205/65/15 Michelin
G64. (That particular tire did not get a particularly good review on the
vanagon list, though; it's also expensive and very hard to find.) I've
seen the recommendations for the Yokohama 356 or 370 or the Michelin MXL
on the archives, but those looked like constrained choices: width had to
be 195mm or under and rim size had to be 14". And so I'm still
looking...

Many questions:
(1) Anyone know the minimum "max load" for a (rear) bus tire?
(2) If a passenger tire has a sufficiently high max load rating, does it
really matter if it's "reinforced"?
(3) Any thoughts on the Goodyear Aquatred II or the Goodyear Integrity?
I'm looking for a nice street tire, with good grip and quiet.
(4) Anyone know the rim size on Eurovans?
(5) Anyone know the correct offset for a bus as a function of rim size?
(6) Any thoughts on the use of original 6J15 Fuchs wheels on a bus (I'm
looking for comments of a technical nature...)?
(7) Any thoughts on the use of wheel adapters? (Fuchs wheels have a
different bolt pattern, so adapters would be needed)
(8) Any know of a good source for said adapters?

I think I'll stop here for now. TIA for any and all replies!

Sami
'75 Westfalia
'79 convertible
'95 Passat VR6 Wagon