Not to start a tire thread BUT if you are looking for a high
performance vanagon tire Pirelli maskes a 215/65-15
reinforced tire in it P6000 line. I breifly consideredthem
over the Agilis 51's I am running in the same size... but I
yeilded to the Michelins because the Pirellis are a summer
only tire (OK if you live in California though Ben)

Thanks,
Chirs

---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 20:33:03 EDT
>From: Ben T <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
>Subject: Re: Getting a Handle on the Handling of the
Vanagon
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>Robert,
>
>I am disappointed to find out that you had such trouble
with the H & R
>springs with the KYB's. I was contemplating them since our
last discussion of
>the set-up. I have since had the H & R's installed in my 87
2wd Vanagon
>(non-Westy). I retained the existing Boge shocks to
experiment on ride. I was
>intending on trying the KYB's for cost reasons. Now I don't
think I will need
>to.
>
>The ride on my H & R equipped van is quite comfortable. Bu
then I do not have
>the stiffer gas shocks. I did notice that the shocks
require updated
>dampening. I am considering adding Bilsteins to improve the
dampening. The
>ride is firm but compliant. I don't experience the pitching
that you are
>describing. Even with the stock anti-sway bar, she turns
much flatter around
>the corners. Perhaps I am just not pushing it as hard as
you are. Or perhaps
>the softer oil shocks help. I don't really know at this
time.
>
>I will upgrade the anti-sway bar but want to resolve the
dampening issue
>prior to adding further complications. Rear bar will be
added as well.
>
>Does anyone have any recommendations for shocks with
additional dampening but
>not added firmness? An adjustable shock would be ideal but
would probably be
>cost prohibitive for my project. Maybe an outboard 2nd set
of shocks?
>
>Once this is all said and done, I will start looking at low
profile tires
>with stronger sidewalls. The Toyo Proxes from a Porsche are
just too soft in
>the sidewall area. I got them used but in very good shape.
Within 2 months of
>hard driving while testing my new springs. They have
started to show cracking
>on the sidewalls. These are VR rated tires. I have used ZR
rated tires with
>the stiffer sidewalls w/o any noticeable sidewall problems.
Cost makes them
>slightly less desirable. Does anyone make load rated 50 &
60 series tires?
>
>This brings me to one more point. I don't know what tires
and rims Robert was
>using on his van. I am using 15"X8" Porsche Fuchs are et23
front and back. I
>would have liked to use 7's in front but had these handy.
It is most likely
>that my new track is much wider than Robert's van. For
those who want to
>know, the Porsche Fuchs I am using have been redrilled to
Vanagon pattern.
>
>I will be bring this van to the September Van-O-Rama in San
Francisco along
>with my Syncro 16 Doka.
>
>BenT