At 11:24 AM 3/8/2011, The Bus Depot wrote...
>For your own safety and education, please take a moment to read this
>primer
>on safe tire choices for Vanagons before making any tire purchase:
>
>http://busdepot.com/details/tires.jsp

That's only correct for Synchros.

Your site claims: "based on the GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) of a
Bus or Vanagon you get the following minimum acceptable load ratings:
1520 lbs (load index 95) for a light truck rated tire, or 1670 lbs
(load index 99) for a standard Passenger car (P) rated tire," which
implies a GAWR of 3040. You offer no source for "the 6% safety margin"
you say is required in addition to the 9% derating for a passenger tire
used in a light truck application. There's no mention of the additional
6% here: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=70

A light truck tire rated for 1520 (1/2 the Synchro rear GAWR) would be
load index 95. A passenger car tire rated for 1672 after derating 9% is
load index 99, which agrees with the load indices given on the busdepot
site. Interestingly, if a passenger tire had to be derated 9%, then an
additional 6%, as claimed, one would require a passenger tire rated for
1914 lbs, or load index 103. So, the busdepot site doesn't even follow
the rules it claims to use.

But, a 2WD has a rear GAWR of only 2866, so tires need not be rated to
the same capacity. As I said in previous posts, tires suitable for
normal Vanagon must be rated 93 (if light truck) or 96 (if passenger)
or better.