>About the blowouts, did you mean Ford
 > Explorer/ Firestone or was there a Bronco/Bridgestone fracas that I
somehow
 >missed? Seeya, Jake

It was all part of the same problem Bridgestone-Firestone is the same
company now (and when the tire blowout issues first came to light).
While Ford Explorers were the first reported, they were not the only
vehicle involved. Rangers, Broncos, F-150's Toyotas, Isuzus also
experienced blowouts.

These were "modern" tires (this was 2000 when these incidents
occurred.) I don't have the specifics, but at least some of the tires
involved were PASSENGER tires, not Light Truck tires. And some were on
larger rims than the Vanagons use.

Get the RIGHT tires. Catastrophic blowouts are to be expected if you
use a Passenger tire on a Vanagon. The fact that it has not happened
yet, is not a guarantee that it can't or won't happen in the future. As
Ron said, get the peach of mind and use the right tires.

Kim Brennan
86 Syncro. 91 Westy Syncro. 90 Tristar
Vienna VA. Sugar Grove WV.