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Subject:Re: Tire Performance Difference: 185 vs 205
From:craig cowan
Date:Tue, 9 Dec 2008 21:17:30 -0500

The 195 is a good in between size.....
I have 195 hankook RA08s and i'm very happy with them. The taller sidewall
gives the vehicle a more robust stance and i feel more confident off road
with them, and as i just found out.... they work pretty well in the snow. I
made it home past a ton of cars spun off in ditches, if that's any testiment
to their snow ability. The Hankook is a really nicely handling tire that's
pretty quiet and stable (i've driven in 80mph cross winds. It wasn't a good
idea, but i lived to tell about it). Furthermore, the price is really nice
for these tires, and i have been told they last well. Everyone is going to
have their own preference and i think if you don't have power steering in
particular, stick to the 185. All other things aside, i'm a big fan of the
195 tire size.

-Craig
'85GL turned WESTY

On Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 8:25 PM, mdrillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:

> The load index minimum is dependent on a couple of factors. Tires come
> in LT Light Truck models as well as P Passenger models. An LT tire of
> index 93 is much stronger than a Passenger tire of 93. An LT 93 is
> considered equal to a Passenger 96 when in light truck use. A tire of LT
> 93 is often also labeled Load C, a designation that means the tire is no
> ordinary tire but one meant for constant higher weight load
> applications. A P passenger tire is allowed to be loaded to near max
> only rarely.
>
> Another factor is the GVWR of your van and how loaded down you ever
> intend to run it.
>
> These 2 links explain how to adjust P tire ratings down for use in light
> truck applications like our vans and give the index/weight associations.
>
> http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=70
>
> http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
> Matt Drew wrote:
>
>> Is the minimum load index that I should be considering 95?
>>
>> Current tires are 93 (1,433 lb / tire), but that seems low to me - not
>> that
>> I ever have anything of particular weight in there . . .
>>
>> Still, the current tires have performed relatively well . . .
>>
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