Seriously doubt tire size is much of a factor in CV joint boot failure.
Suspension still moves the same amount.
If you were to talk about custom long travel suspension ...that would be a
factor for sure.

re
........"over-sized tires that the VW engineers  were too stupid to put on?
"

over-sized tires are 'good' ?
what fer ?
it depends of course.
Dozens of things to consider in tire size and type.
'bigger' by itself is not automatically 'better.'
Maybe your mean 15 or 16 inch wheels , not 'over-size tires.'

I'd say for the era ........VW engineers nailed it on tire size ..and wheel
size ......for the  *era* that is, in which they were desinged and built.*
............and for the cost, as that was likely a consideration back then
too...............'Volkswagon' does mean  litterally 'people's car' after
all.
These days  ......generally ..........14 inch wheels and tires on vanagons
are not optimal.

I do find  that a good 15 inch wheel and tire on a vanagon can definitely
perform better overall than a 14 ..
and that is a broad generalization of course, and generally true.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Riley" <mkriley@FUSE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 5:54 AM
Subject: clamps for cv boots, ridged washers for cv bolts

> leather is a no go. petroleum products rot it.
> the answer is obvious get OEM ones, not ones from our great trading
> partner from across the sea.
> I am still running all 4 originals I never have had  a original split
> without gross failure of the cv joint.
> I wonder if failures are connected to the use of over-sized tires that the
> VW engineers  were too stupid to put on? don't reinvent the wheel here.<G>
> mike