There is a middle ground between highways and rough rocky roads...

Perhaps fire roads or graded roads?  Also, snow?

Cheers,

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Alistair Bell
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 7:16 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....

For a syncro that is actually used on anything but highways I think it is
folly to use 55 profile tires. You need sidewall depth to reduce the chance
of rim damage when you use your syncro on rough rocky roads.

Alistair

> On Mar 19, 2014, at 4:04 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
wrote:
>
> Again,
> If going for the expense of new heels, I would go right for 16 or if
> handling real important 17 inch wheels. Many more handling and
> performance tire choices including XL versions. To get more rubber on
> the road you need to wider and to get a better footprint you need to
> go softer. The 225/60-16 is amongst my favorite compromises. Due to
> ready availability of the AR95T wheel I have been installing some
> 225/55-17XL tires. Awesome handling. For Syncros I have also used the
235/55-17XL.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Jack R
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 7:00 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....
>
> I'm running the Heavy Duty Bilstenis on my 84 Westy.  With the Yoko
> 185/14's "D".
> Ride is not good, cross winds are still a big issue.  Camber is off
> slightly, negative.
>
> Everything is solid, shocks have less than 10k miles on them.
>
> So, are you saying the 15" GW tires would be the best for my rig?
>
> Thanks for the guidance on the Tirerack "Passenger" tires!
>
> Jack R.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of SDF ( Scott Daniel Foss )
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 1:18 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....
>
> what shocks do you run ?
> very significant factor.
> I never thought Heavy Duty Bilstenis were 'magic' ( like they can be )
> on a vanagon until I ran them with 15 inch wheels...then they got more
magic.
>
> I don't think 14's can work very well on vanagons, in general.
> my fav size is 27 X 8.50 R14 LT.
> a guy owes me a full set of four ..
> my good vans run 15's with dedicated front and rear sizes. ( 2WD of
> course ).
>
> I make do with stock springs , though I've had to juggle things around
> here and there.
>
>
>> On 3/18/2014 5:49 PM, Ralph Meyermann wrote:
>> My stock westy springs with the 185/75/14 D tires were very harsh on
>> pot holes, smooth hwy ran nicely. So far with the 1.5" lift
>> progressive springs and LT 215/75/15 bfg all terrain KO are a huge
>> improvement. Making the 14's seem like solid rubber. We'll see more
> further down the road.
>>
>> Velma 82 1.9L AAZ TD Westy
>> On Mar 18, 2014 7:37 PM, "SDF ( Scott Daniel Foss )" <
>> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>
>>> ditto ..
>>> all the 14 inch tires I have seen with either C or D load rating
>>> have had max cold pressures of 55 or 65 psi..repsectively.
>>>
>>> I don't think you are in 'real danger' actually.
>>>
>>> and it would really be neat if list members could drive various
>>> vanagons with various tires on them, to feel the difference..
>>> and The Difference in how vanagons ride and handle can be VAST.
>>>
>>> Members who own and operate a couple or more vanagons have an idea
>>> wut ah'm talkin' 'bout.
>>>
>>> Some vanagons are desperately understeering pigs.
>>> Some ride way too harshly in the front due to D load tires there.
>>> some 'change direction on pumps' way too easily due not having
>>> proper front-rear tire pressure ratios, and so on.
>>>
>>>
>>>> On 3/18/2014 4:22 PM, Jeff Schwaia wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Those tires are not for a Vanagon.
>>>>
>>>> Passenger tire, 93 rating for the sidewall.  Not safe.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>>
>>>> Jeff
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>>>> Behalf Of Jack R
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 3:54 PM
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Re: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and
Men.....
>>>>
>>>> Tires are good for about 10 years... give or take, depending on
storage.
>>>>
>>>> I'd opt for fresh tires.  My current 185/R14 D Yoko's are not very
>>>> smooth on the road, and 7 years old.
>>>>
>>>> Tossup between going to the GW 16" or just replacing the 14" with
>>>> the tires below.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone try these from the Tire Rack... after rebate, seems like a
>>>> great deal.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&
>>>> tireModel=Defender
>>>> &partnum=07TR4DEF
>>>>
>>>> Load rating should be enough, pressure good to 44 psi.
>>>>
>>>> Jack R.
>>>> 84 Westy
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>>>> Behalf Of JRodgers
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 4:41 PM
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Tires and Wheels - The best laid plans of Mice and Men.....
>>>>
>>>> Well, I've been planning an upgrade to 15 or 16 inch wheels and
>>>> tires for my Carat restoration - but my main priority is getting
>>>> the thing on the road
>>>> -
>>>> not so much having the bigger wheels ad tires - but I was going to
>>>> go for it
>>>> - in part because it's getting to be a hassle to get the 14 inch
>>>> tires in my area without having to ship them in, paying freight in
>>>> addittion the tires, and ultimately having to pay someone $20 or so
>>>> to mount each one.
>>>>
>>>> Well - yesterday I learned I could still get my fav tire - the
>>>> General Altimax RT 98C in a 205-70/R14. So, I opted to get one more
>>>> set and wait until the next round of tires to upgrade to a larger
>>>> size. Given I'm dropping a bundle to get the engine and tranny
>>>> working, plus some other stuff, I ordered the tires. I just picked
>>>> them up. Installed, mounted and balanced -total cost of a set of 5
>>>> (4 on the road and one spare) included
>>>> -
>>>> taxes and all - $430.00. or $81/ea, I could not beat that with a
>>>> stick anywhere.
>>>>
>>>> Hip! Hip! Huzzah!!   Dennis Haynes for putting me onto the General
>>>> Altimax in the first place!!
>>>>
>>>> And one more thing about Dennis!
>>>>
>>>> I have a Dennis Haynes receiver hitch on my '88 GL - and that thing
>>>> makes one heck of a fine jacking point for getting the rear end up
>>>> off the ground with one Jack.
>>>>
>>>> Careful there Dennis - let;s not get the bighead over this.
>>>>
>>>> But seriously  - it worked great for that purpose.
>>>>
>>>> Happy Motoring Everyone,
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>>
>>>>