Nothing like a nice tire thread to get people worked up. Let's please TRY to keep the discussion civil.

Smile a little when you crack the whip.;-) it feels better that way.

BenT
Mod

sent from my electronic lash

On Mar 9, 2011, at 11:50 AM, Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> Well no Ron, MY standard load is as I specified, as is MY maximum load.  You
> don't need to drag Syncros or 267 lb drivers or passengers into the
> equation, they don't apply to MY load.  Stop trying to frighten people into
> buying your tires.
> 
> Driving on a Korean truck tire with a 25 year old tread design and compound
> and a 5.1 inch tread width is not as safe as driving on a German or USA made
> 3 year old tread design and compound with a 7.5 inch tread width.  There is
> a reason that some of us are paying more for better tires and its not
> because we're stupid.
> 
> I understand that you are just trying  to sell tires but I don't care for
> your fear-mongering sales pitch.
> 
> Jake
> 
> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 11:21 AM, The Bus Depot <vanagon@busdepot.com> wrote:
> 
>>> So the published data says that I need a tire that's rated
>>> for ~6% above the normal load for my van which is ~3990 lbs.?
>>> And that passenger tires are good for my maximum load (5000
>>> lbs) plus 9% (450 lbs) ie 5450 lbs.?
>>> 
>>> Good to know!  That means my 1709 lb winter passenger car
>>> tires and 1521 lb summer passenger car tires should be just
>>> fine according to Chicken Little?
>>> 
>>> I made that decision all by myself some twenty years ago but
>>> thanks for the validation.  ;)
>> 
>> 
>> I'll ignore the childish name calling and just answer your queston
>> factually.
>> 
>> No, you are misunderstanding how to calculate this. If your passenger car
>> tire is rated at 1521 lbs, then it must be derated by 9% as per the D.O.T.
>> So you are starting off with 1384 lbs, not 1521.  That number must be
>> higher
>> than the gross weight of the vehicle. Actually this is determined by axle
>> weight divided by two. On a 2 wheel drive non-camper the GAWR of the rear
>> axle is 2866 lbs, divided by two is 1433 lbs. If you have a Syncro it is
>> 1521 lbs.  At 1384 lbs your summer tires are underrated. Your winter tires
>> at 1709 lbs (load index 99) minus 9 percent are adequate.
>> 
>> In ADDITION to this - not as an alternative to it - the standard load of
>> your van cannot exceed 94% of the above capacities - so 1301 lbs on your
>> summer tire and 1461 lbs on your winter tire.  The standard load is defined
>> as you plus two passengers plus a nominal amount of contents, assuming that
>> you do not exceed that weight on a regular basis. It would be higher on a
>> camper or Syncro due to supplied equipment.  According to Roadhouse.com,
>> the
>> actual unladen rear axle weight of various measured Vanagons was around
>> 2000
>> lbs (going up to 2600 on, for example, a Vanagon Syncro Camper).  Allowing
>> for, say, 800 lbs for 3 people plus belongings, which is slightly generous
>> but not over the top, this would be around 1200 lbs per tire for a standard
>> Vanagon  Your summer tire meets that condition if you have a non camper.
>> But
>> it doesn't matter, because the tire must meet BOTH conditions, not just
>> one,
>> and it falls far short of the first one.
>> 
>> I hope this clarifies things for you.
>> 
>> - Ron Salmon
>> The Bus Depot, Inc.
>> www.busdepot.com
>> (215)  234-VWVW
>> 
>> _____________________________________________
>> Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Jake
> 
> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX - 'The Grey Van'
> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Subie - 'Dixie'
> 
> Crescent Beach, BC
> 
> www.thebassspa.com
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27