Date:         Mon, 13 Sep 1999 09:49:06 PDT
Reply-To:     Mark McCulley <transporter99@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark McCulley <transporter99@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Drivers Report: Yoko 370 vice BFG AT
Comments: To: Thomas.Forhan@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

I've also relegated my BFG 28x8.5x14 to winter and to excursions where I
know I will going offroad. The rest of the time I run a set of smaller MXT
205-70-14 which are superior for normal driving conditions, especially on
the highway.

Mark McCulley
87 syncro Westfalia


>From: "Forhan, Thomas" <Thomas.Forhan@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV>
>Reply-To: "Forhan, Thomas" <Thomas.Forhan@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Drivers Report: Yoko 370 vice BFG AT
>Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 09:46:57 -0400
>
>         When I bought my 90 Syncro Westy I had BFG 27x8.5x14 AT tires
>installed even before I drove the van. I've put about 25K miles on them,
>and
>after that they certainly feel fine (i.e. normal) to me. On the other hand,
>my 83.5 9 pax has Yoko LT370s with about 5000 miles on them, mounted on
>stock steel rims. I run them at 48psi front, 53 rear. Because the weight of
>the two vanagons  is so different, and the 9 pax has a stock 1.9 and no
>power steering, they have very different driving "feels".
>
>         Getting ready for a 500 mile highway trip in the Syncro, Friday I
>decided on a whim to swap rims and tires with the 9 pax.
>
>         What a difference! Highway noise was way down, tight turns in
>parking lots were easier, and better acceleration was noticeable, at least
>in the seat-of-my-pants.  The big difference was top end. While the BFGs
>have a larger diameter and so will cruise at slightly lower rpms, the
>smaller Yokos seemed to have more passing punch and we found ourselves
>cruising at 80+ (just at the top of the green on the tack) much more often
>.
>With the BFGs the Syncro seems to be more comfortable below 80.
>
>         Anyway, the bottom line was that the Yokos seemed like a real
>improvement for fast trips on the nice dry Interstate. Maybe the difference
>was all in my head :-).
>
>         Tom F.
>         90 Syncro Westy
>         83.5 GL 9pax sunroof

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