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Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:59 pm

These http://portawalls.com/ and rubber cement..... :lol:

Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:00 pm

cr@M wrote: Just use some white wall tire paint and make your own!
http://www.mbzponton.org/valueadded/other/tirepaint.htm

Hey, it's German. :P

Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:44 am

I have been running Wynstar Phasers on 2 of my busses and have been really happy with them. Best part was that I could get them local and liked the shop. I have bought three sets off of them in the last two years. I go to order some this week for a project bus and they say they can't get them anymore. :( I call around and its the same old story, no one can get 185R14s with a D rating or they are just too lazy to try. After shopping around, I went with the new Continental Vanco2's from the tirerack.. They look just like the Vanco-8s (which a NLA as far as I can tell) and have the same specs. They are also made in S. Africa. Cool thing was I ordered them at 3pm on Mon and they were on my front porch when I got home from work the next day. Total was $319 with delivery. I will get them mounted Friday. Anyone else tried these new Vancos??

Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:17 pm

ok this does not invole a tire but close.. i'm haveing trouble whit a hub cap comeing of while i'm driving how could i fix this problem?

Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:34 pm

You could maybe bend the hubcaps in so they stay on better, or just buy some new ones.

Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:06 pm

marco_s wrote: ok this does not invole a tire but close.. i'm haveing trouble whit a hub cap comeing of while i'm driving how could i fix this problem?

make sure you have the clips that are riveted onto the wheel.

Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:41 pm

marco_s wrote: ok this does not invole a tire but close.. i'm haveing trouble whit a hub cap comeing of while i'm driving how could i fix this problem?

What year? 68-70 or 71-79?

Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:05 pm

Well my Vredestein Comtracs are on 205/65/15 Load Index 102 in place of those Michelin "The One" that came with my GoWesty wheels (load index 95 max pressure 35 psi).

WOW!

I should have done this years ago. If you have never driven MA Route 128 before, it is a challenge in driving any day. These make it almost bearable.

If you have never driven in MA, they have no speed limits down there and there is no way to "out rude a MA driver", they make even New Yorkers look polite. It is sort of like roller derby with cars.

I am running them at 30 front and 44 rear (since the bus is loaded and headed for Cape Breton tomorrow).

Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:25 am

Man so many oppinions out there on this subject. I'm one of those uneducated guys that sold alot of tire/wheel combo's in my time. I still consider myself a tire nerd. Heck, I can still look at any off brand or "house brand" tire and tell you who made it. The "C" does not designate commercial as a lot of folks here believe.
C is just a load rating given to tires being typically made of 6 plys.
These are necessary because busses are tall and on cornering, exert a lot of side force on the tall (75 series) Sidewalls. To settle the debate and make everyone right in a way-

STOCK WHEELS= c load 185/75/14 neccessary
PLUS SIZE= 15, or better 16 inch wheels require lower profile (60, and 50 series tires respectively) and though the ride will suck you eliminate the sidewall flex that a P-Rated 185/75/14 will have

If you corner slowly you'll probobly never have a problem with the P-rated factory sized tires. It's always the quick swerves to miss a dog at 50mph that I'd worry about.

For a first post, I thought I'd try and be right about something.

Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:23 pm

185/75/14 is NOT the stock size. 185R14 with NO middle aspect number is the CORRECT stock size. That will make it a 82 series tire.

Go back to page one and read.

There is a BIG difference between a C load rated tire and a C as in a Commercial tire. Yes, there are 185R14C tires out there. And you will find that some of them are D load tires.

Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:51 pm

chazz79 wrote: For a first post, I thought I'd try and be right about something.
Hows that working out for you so far?? :P
Karl wrote: There is a BIG difference between a C load rated tire and a C as in a Commercial tire. Yes, there are 185R14C tires out there. And you will find that some of them are D load tires.
The new Vanco-2's I got are a perfect example.. 185R15C is on the sidewall but they have a load rating of D (1870lbs or so) with 8 ply sidewalls..

Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:25 am

every letter signifies 2 ply's a=2 b=4 c=6 and so on C most definitely does not stand for commercial. 185/75/14 is the correct replacement for the van given the standard 5% allowance in diameter variation. The size you insist on staying with is difficult to find and when you do there's just a few brands to go with. The Pic in you sig does not denote you to be a purist, you know-the type of douchebags that need everything to be concourse correct? Soooooooooooooooo if being a dick makes ya happy, who am I to stand in the way of another mans happiness. My bus will be driving @70+mph on 205/60/15 (p-rated no less) I'll post up some pics sometime in case you feel in fear of your life by being in the lane next to my "deathtrap" otherwise know to my family as Fred, you can stay a safe distance behind me that way. Peace love and fruitloops-

Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:31 am

If you look in your owner's manual or on the door jamb it is WRITTEN what is the correct tire size as determined by Volkswagen AG. There is no controversy about this.
If you want to disagree with Karl and call him a dick, it's your business. But Karl is about the sharpest, most experienced guy on this list. He may have been wrong sometime, but I can't remember it.
The number is just like Karl says: 185r-14C. (1970 and earlier is 7.00-14, before radials were fitted)
It doesn't make any difference if you can find that or not. There are at least 5 different manufacturers supplying that size and available on line. And the Hankook's seem so good to me (and the price is so good!) I need look no further.
But the real answer is what Randy says:
WOW.
Luckily, I was able to make that discovery myself when I bought my first type 2 in 1982. Probably 800,000 miles ago. Quite a few of those miles in my old 78 (when fuel was cheaper) at over 85mph.
( I had a tire blow in a Vanagon last week -same exact tires and wheels as in this discussion- it was a car I just bought and had incorrect tires on it. I got to thinking. That was only about the 3rd time it has ever happened to me. And the other 2 times were extremely cold 20 below.)
So, I've had a pretty good run SO FAR using 185r-14C size.
Al

Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:59 pm

chazz79 wrote: every letter signifies 2 ply's a=2 b=4 c=6 and so on C most definitely does not stand for commercial. 185/75/14 is the correct replacement for the van given the standard 5% allowance in diameter variation.

Let me guess, you work behind the counter at Tires R Us? :roll:

Load range letters correspond to ply _rating_ not actual number of plys. Those numbers have been different since WWII.

C does stand for commercial, in Europe and Asia. In the US we use load range letters that correspond to the relative load-carrying capacity of the tire. Unfortunately, the same load range letter designates lower capacities for low-profile tires. A 185R14 Load Range C tire is strong enough for a bus, but a 185/75 or even a 195/75 tire must be Load Range D.

Bus minimum load rating: 1545 pounds
Load rating of 185R14, load range C: 1600 pounds
Load rating of 185R14, load range D: 1850 pounds

Load rating of 185/75R14: 1279 pounds.

Gee, that's only about 17% low. You may have made the diameter variation (barely) but you've missed the load variation by a mile.

chazz79 wrote: My bus will be driving @70+mph on 205/60/15 (p-rated no less)

I feel sorry for your bus. It's running on weak tires and if your driving skills are commensurate with your tire knowledge you probably won't be able to keep it on its wheels after the blowout.

I used to think the same as you. I ran passenger tires and was perfectly happy with them. That was until I went on a trip and had two tread separations in less than 100 miles in the middle of the Mojave desert. The time I wasted getting that situation fixed far exceeded the time I would have spent finding and installing the proper tires.

Oh, and attacking Karl was just plain ridiculous. He's forgotten more about German cars than most of us will ever know. I'd wait under your bridge for a better target.

Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:20 am

This is crazy. Way too much new information to weed through and deal with.

I never knew that purists who like things correct are douchebags. And someone who prefers to follow VW's requirements is a dick. Or that someone who can identify a tires manufacturer just by looking at it has the supernatural ability to pull some magic number "75" out of the air. Maybe that's a winning lotto number. We shouldn't select our tires based on tire ratings but rather which tires are overflowing on all the tire racks. And evidently it would be good to follow the example of an experienced tire nerd and put on some passenger car tires. That's where it gets a bit confusing. I stand back and look at my bus and it really doesn't look like a passenger car. Then when I get in and drive it, it clearly doesn't feel like a passenger car. Actually it feels and drives more like a truck. It must be because I have those "R" reinforced tires with big sidewall ply ratings on it. Volkswagen really messed up with those requirements. They must be dicks also.

Next time I might just go with the "Pee" tires. K-Mart or The Dollar Store probably has tons of them. Since we don't have any dogs in the road here, do you think my family will be safe?

Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:35 am

MrBreeze wrote: Ok, it's all yours......debate, argue (be nice), and inform. Anyone asks about tires, send 'em here

MrBreeze wrote: steponmebbbboom wrote: Continental CR21 185r14 reinforced

Thread done, lock er down. :P
Somehow I don't think it's gonna be that easy :-)

Our old bud Steppy is really missing out. :lol:

Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:15 pm

Can anyone recommend a common brand tire for my 1974 Westfalia that is not a crossply (Horrible truck looking tire) nthat is a common brand such as Hankook, Dunlop etc.

I don't want low profile tires because I require a comfortable ride but I would like a nice racey looking tire.

Thanks in Advance

Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:10 am

dazanz wrote: Can anyone recommend a common brand tire for my 1974 Westfalia that is not a crossply (Horrible truck looking tire) nthat is a common brand such as Hankook, Dunlop etc.

I don't want low profile tires because I require a comfortable ride but I would like a nice racey looking tire.

Thanks in Advance
I'd say Hankook RA08's. Oh, I already said that.
NONE of these are crossplies, BTW.
Al

Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:17 am

Or if you don't agree still, you could go to a home depot or the like, and put about 6-8 bags of concrete in your bus..and see if it makes it home. When I bought my first bus I was ignorant of tire loads and got a flat tire before I even left the parking lot. Note: the three tires that held the extra load were hankooks and the 4th (mismatched) tire was some street tire sold by michelin.guess the size of it..185/75/14

Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:00 pm

question...if I want to put 15" rims (width 4.5") on my 1970 bay what tyres would I need or would this just be plain mental? ta