At  5/14/2007 06:24 AM, Greg Potts wrote:

>Safety and proper control of the vehicle should also be a concern.
>Also be aware of the fact the 3020 was the UNLOADED weight, not the
>weight you went into the dump with. Care to share that number with us?

3070 pounds, it was bulky stuff not heavy.

>Are under-rated tires really more affordable if you wind up
>replacing them prematurely due to sidewall failure?  I'm a very
>frugal person, but in  my opinion, tires are not appropriate area to
>try to save $$ on a bus or vanagon.

This is not my first VW bus-van-Vanagon it's my 7th
(59,59,63,71,79,86 syncro,87), some of them were heavy sob's (the 71
was a camper and tipped the dump scales at over 7k# leaving) and I
have NEVER bought special tires for them, just tires that fit & I
could afford. I have not had tire problems either.

There are those who are going to say I have just been lucky, I'll
probably get the "right tires are like seat belts".  I can't say I'm
right but I can say what has worked for me over the years.

I can also say there are other out there who will never bring up
tires again on this list after doing it once.

It would be real nice to have $400 to spend on new tires but I don't
have it <shrug>. The tires I do have are still round, they still hold
air, they do fit the wheels, as a bonus they even have tread left!

I do appreciate all the people who have taken the time to study the
tires and offer their advice, the next time I need tires I will again
read up on it before I buy.

Rob
becida@comcast.net

>And a bus or vanagon will handle MUCH better with the correct-rated
>tire on it.
>
>Visit Larry Chase's tire review page, and shop around. There are
>affordable tires out there that meet your vanagon's specifications.
>
>www.roadhaus.com/tires.html
>
>Happy Trails,
>
>Greg Potts
>1973/74/77/79 Westfakia "Bob The Tomato
>www.pottsfamily.ca
>www.busesofthecorn.com
>
>
>
>
>
>On 13-May-07, at 3:53 PM, Rob wrote:
>
>>Seemed like it's time for tire talk here on the Vanagon list,
>>actually there was a discussion going on on the wetwesties list and
>>this list seemed a better place for it.
>>
>>My Vanagon weighted 3020 pounds the last time I left the dump, that's
>>me and the van as I drive it.
>>For me good tires need to be round, hold air, have tread, fit the
>>wheels I have, not rub and be affordable.
>>
>>That statement ought to be enough to get the discussion started.
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