I recently bought a nice 91 Westy and have been driving it around on short and medium trips. Now I'm
preparing for longer jaunts and want to get better tires before I set out. I plan on driving a lot
of driving dirt roads and probable mountain snow conditions.

The tires I have now are Jupiter SV-820 185R14 C,
and the spare is different - a Michelin MXL 205/70R14

The symptoms I have which I would like to change are:
 - van sways in crosswinds or behind large trucks
 - tread noise when on smooth surfaces
 - lots of noise traveling on dirt roads or Seattle's badly eroded concrete highways

From what I can gather online the Michelin Agilis is highly recommended, although it has poor snow
traction. Bus Depot says the Hankook RA08 is way better than the Agilis (suggesting the Agilis is
the standard to beat?). I can get the Agilis for $127 and the RA08 for $75. So I'm thinking the RA08
is the one to go for.

My questions:
 - how "bad" are my current tires (i.e. will switching tires fix some or all of my problems)?
 - any thoughts on RA08 vs Agilis? especially in snow/mud (I'll be carrying chains, of course)
 - is it important to have a spare that is the same type of tire as the main ones? (is driving with
3 of one and one of another safe?)
 - what pressures should I use - VW recommended or can I go lower for a smoother ride, if I buy
"good" tires with stronger sidewalls?
 - is 185R14 the 'best' size for my needs or would I be better looking for a 205/70R14 (the other
"official" size according tot he tire pressure plate inside the driver's door)?
 - do I need to consider upgrading my shocks as well? (no idea what is on it, but I expect is
original factory gear)

Regards,
Pat Little
Seattle