I have followed the many posts on tires and load range since I've been on
the list.  Something I don't understand but maybe it's my assumptions that
are wrong.  I 'thought' [in quotes because sometimes I don't think] that the
vans weigh around 4000 lbs.  If that's true then the load range is no
different than a passenger car.  My brother has a F*rd that weighs about
that and uses about the same size tires, as recommended by the manufacturer.
So either the vans weigh much more than I thought, or this load range thing
is not pertinent.

Any listees with real information on van weights?

Mike
'85 Westy

----- Original Message -----
From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2000 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: slashed tires, used tires

> Douglas:
>
> PLEASE be careful of the load range of whatever tire you end up with.
> Regular passenger tires are not built to handle the load of the Vanagon.
If
> that BFG tire you have has a maximum inflation pressure of 35 psi or less,
> chances are that it is a passenger tire and really shouldn't be used.
Look
> for a Load Range C tire (or LT  - Light Truck)
>
> As to using mix & match tires, there's really no big problem AFAIK (except
> in a Syncro) as long as they all are rated to handle the load.  You may
get
> less than ideal handling characteristics, but I doubt any safety problems.
>
> Brent Christensen
> '89 GL Syncro Westy
> Santa Barbara, CA
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Douglas Demarest [mailto:Dldemarest@AOL.COM]
> > Sent: Friday, March 17, 2000 2:09 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: slashed tires, used tires
> >
> >
> > So I'm still driving on one of the tires that got slashed in
> > Mexico, about
> > 3,000 miles ago.  Everyone says this is dumb, and I agree.
> > But the rest of
> > the tires are in ok shape.  I priced new michelin LTX at $470
> > for a set,
> > installed.  Then I thought, hey, couldn't I just get one used one?
> >
> > Obviously this isn't ideal, but how stupid is it, really?  Do
> > I need to match
> > it closely to the ones I have?  Or is it enough that the
> > sizes printed on the
> > tire match? I already have one odd tire that used to be my spare ( a
> > Continental).  The other 3 are michelin XZX.  I found a
> > single BFGoodrich (no
> > model name that I saw) 185 R14 for $25.  It had almost full tread.
> >
> >
> > Doug Demarest
> > Minneapolis, MN
> > 86 Vanagon "kombi"
> >
>