OK, then you agree with me that Honda Odyssey tires, which are not
reinforced but have a sufficient load rating, will work on a Vanagon
just fine.

On 3/16/09, Mike S <mikes@flatsurface.com> wrote:
> At 11:48 PM 3/15/2009, Chris S wrote...
>>What you folks can't see and refuse to admit is that with today's
>>technology larger diameter tires of proper size can and do handle the
>>weight loads of a Vanagon, a 3400 lb vehicle.  I just looked up OEM
>>tires for our 4310lb Honda Odyssey and the are rated at 1653 lbs at
>>44psi.
>
> It's hard to figure out exactly what you are now arguing.
>
> You started by claiming that "1990 Mercedes 560 SEC...15'' Mercedes
> tires and wheels are just fine," without provide ANY information on
> what tires you were referring to.
>
> Doing a search on tirerack.com for 1990 560SEL tires, the lowest load
> rating shown is a 92-1389 lbs., which is insufficient for a Vanagon.
>
> Now you're listing a bunch of other vehicles, the majority of which
> have tires with a load rating higher than VW specified (100-1764 lbs. /
> 102-1874 lbs.).
>
> Why did VW specify a reinforced tire? Because the Vanagon weighs more
> than a car, and it needs stronger tires.
>
> When the Vanagon came out, tires were spec'd differently - so VW
> specified a 185R14C (load range C light truck tire) or a 185R14
> reinforced (passenger car tire with higher than standard load rating).
> "Reinforced" simply means that it had a higher load rating than normal
> passenger car tires of the same size.
>
> With modern tire markings, the "reinforced" and "extra load" markings
> are somewhat redundant. You look at the load range number and use that.
> For a light truck tire, you use the number directly, for a passenger
> car tire, you should derate the load carrying capacity by 9% when used
> on a Vanagon. (why has already been discussed)
>
> http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=55
>
> The lightest duty tire VW provided as OE on a Vanagon was a 97-1609
> lbs. rated passenger car tire. That derates to 1464 lbs. That is the
> closest match to the Vanagons GAWR (rear) of 2866 lbs. (divide by 2 to
> get per tire requirement). The next step down, a 96-1565 lb. rating,
> would derate to 1424 lbs., too low for the Vanagons actual weight
> rating. That's not a coincidence.
>
> A 100-1764 lb. load range passenger car tire, which derates to 1605
> lbs., is fine, as long as it has a high enough maximum inflation
> pressure (something 40+). A passenger car tire for an MB560, with a
> load rating of 92-1389 lbs, which must then be derated to 1269 lbs, is
> seriously under spec.
>
>

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Chris S.
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