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
>>
>>