Dixie's a Weekender with no kitchen - full Westies run 3 - 400lbs more and
judging from the lists of gear that folks pack along, I'd bet the average
Westy goes over 5200 ready for a week's adventure.

I'll run car tires no problem but Passat wheels?  No way!  ;)

You, of course, can suit yourself - its only my opinion.

On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 11:03 AM, Thomas Buese <tombuese@comcast.net> wrote:

>
> On May 9, 2010, at 11:27 AM, Jake de Villiers wrote:
>
>  Its not a guessing game.  Turn over the Passat wheel and read the load
>> limit.  I was considering a set until I read "Max load 1290 lbs"
>>
>> That's not enough for ANY Vanagon - we have no trouble getting Dixie up to
>> 4500 LBS for a trip.
>>
>
> Hmmmm,
>
> 4 x 1290 = 5160# > 4500#???
>
> Yeah, I know the tires need to be rated higher!
>
> YMMV,
>
> Mr. BZ-tires, wheels, oil, batteries, antifreeze, happy Mum's Day!
>
>
>
>> On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 10:15 AM, Jeff Davis <panoptagon@telus.net> wrote:
>>
>>  Wow some strong feelings on the subject. There definitely seems to be
>>> 2 camps.     Without real  data on the load tolerances on these wheels
>>> it's a guessing game.   Though I still haven't heard of any Westy rim
>>> failure horror stories.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 9-May-10, at 8:08 AM, Bob Stevens wrote:
>>>
>>> It's already been said by someone here (Dennis, I think) .... why
>>>
>>>> would
>>>> someone
>>>> consciously put a wheel (rim) on a vehicle that weighs between 3600
>>>> and 5800
>>>> pounds, that was designed by engineers to accommodate a 3100 lb.
>>>> curb-weight
>>>> vehicle?
>>>>
>>>> Just my own opinion .... that doesn't even begin to take into
>>>> consideration
>>>> the
>>>> side-loading the vanagon endures by environmental considerations,
>>>> which get
>>>> directly translated to rim and tire stresses (cross winds, driving
>>>> down
>>>> mountain
>>>> passes through curves and turns "at speed"). The Passat by its design
>>>> nature,
>>>> cannot begin to endure those same loads.
>>>>
>>>> Sometimes economy and safety are not bed-fellows to be combined.
>>>>
>>>> bob
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Jake
>>
>> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
>> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>>
>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>
>> www.thebassspa.com
>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>
>
>

--
Jake

1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27