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mandraks
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7050
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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 Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| VirtuallyReal wrote: |
I just checked the tire calculator and found out that a 175/50/15 would actually be almost 2" shorter and 1.5" wider compared to the 135/82/15's i have... As you see on the pics, i do have about 2" clearance to the doglegs, so it looks like i have plenty of room to run a taller tire...
A 185/65/15 would add 0.74" on overall height, and almost 2" in width.
What do you gus think? |
make sure your fronts are not bigger in diameter than the rears...
i have run 165/15s up front and 195/65/15s in the rear, diameter is very similar, very much beetle diameters, very suitable in fact for a straight axle converted bus. will go 80mph all day long
another option is to drop the front, that would eliminate some of the gap
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Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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VirtuallyReal
Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2015
Posts: 249
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:38 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| mandraks wrote: |
1- make sure your fronts are not bigger in diameter than the rears...
2- i have run 165/15s up front |
1- yup, that would be a +.26" diameter difference in the front... So, in won't go that route.
2- you mean 165/80/15's?
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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How is your bus lowered up front?
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VirtuallyReal
Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2015
Posts: 249
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| GTV wrote: |
| How is your bus lowered up front? |
Flipped spindles.
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| VirtuallyReal wrote: |
| GTV wrote: |
| How is your bus lowered up front? |
Flipped spindles. |
Ok. So you have stock suspension travel, this is important. Max tire size with dropped spindles and a stock 15" wheel (lots of negative offset) is 195/60, 24.21" (even that has slight seat pedistal issues). In your case they will need to be shorter and narrower considering your wheels (lots of positive offset). You could go with the same 195 width with a lower profile (say 50), but that will have a lot of fender gap and not look so great. Shorter tires will also ride rougher.
175/60's are roughly the same height as your 135's (which you know work and look good from the side). They fit a 5.5" rim perfectly, giving you a little bit of curb protection as well. They are not too wide so they will catch on the dogleg, not too narrow so handling is good, not too short to preserve ride quality, or too tall so they will not rub the seat pedistal when the suspension compresses. IMO, they are your goldilocks size.
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VirtuallyReal
Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2015
Posts: 249
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| GTV wrote: |
| 175/60's are roughly the same height as your 135's (which you know work and look good from the side). They fit a 5.5" rim perfectly, giving you a little bit of curb protection as well. They are not too wide so they will catch on the dogleg, not too narrow so handling is good, not too short to preserve ride quality, or too tall so they will not rub the seat pedistal when the suspension compresses. IMO, they are your goldilocks size. |
Wow i was just looking at the 175/60's on tirerack.com, and right at that moment i got the notification of your reply.
I Believe you are spot-on, because these are only 0.12" taller than the ones i have (.24" overall), yet 1.58" wider.
I think i have it then:
Front: 175/60's
Rear: 195/60's
Thanks everyone for being so helpful!
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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Glad to help!
A final word on the 195/60's- They are 2.64" shorter, and will lower the rear of your bus by half of that, 1.32", reducing a lot of your rake (reduced rake will also restore front suspension castor, improving high speed stability). They are about 10% shorter, meaning 10% more RPM's given the same gear and speed. As mentioned previously, acceleration will be improved. Just so you are prepared, if you're ok with it then so am I 
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VirtuallyReal
Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2015
Posts: 249
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:46 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| GTV wrote: |
Glad to help!
A final word on the 195/60's- They are 2.64" shorter, and will lower the rear of your bus by half of that, 1.32", reducing a lot of your rake (reduced rake will also restore front suspension castor, improving high speed stability). They are about 10% shorter, meaning 10% more RPM's given the same gear and speed. As mentioned previously, acceleration will be improved. Just so you are prepared, if you're ok with it then so am I |
I'll still have some negative caster, but it will be less than what i have right now... So, all in all, i expect a noticeably improved, safer ride.
...And I can definitely tolerate the extra 10% RPM's (about 82 per mile)...those big rear tires aren't natural to that engine anyway...
One last question:
What about fuel consumption?
Will this new setup be more (or less) efficient?
Just curious...
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:26 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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Possibly more efficient, just from less unsprung/rotating weight. But there are a lot of factors involved.
Post some pics once you get the new rubber on there, from the same angles if you can. Would be cool to see a before and after.
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electronictofu
Samba Member
Joined: May 13, 2009
Posts: 935
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:24 am Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| Nice thread. I also have to remove my spring plate and drop down the axle to get my rear tires off, I can't recall what size I am running. But I will run a tire a bit thinner next time around. Someone brought up lugs or studs, one thing that helped me, and made it VERY close to removing the tire, and may work for you is to take the lug nuts off, then bust out the allen wrench and take the studs off, hell of a lot easier than removing the spring plate and axle. Not sure if you tried that... |
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flemcadiddlehopper
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Joined: December 05, 2011
Posts: 2332
Location: Kelowna, BC. Canada.
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 8:15 am Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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Just thought I would throw in my sizes as I didn't see it mentioned yet.
I am going to be running 185/55r15 fronts and 205/50r15 rears. I am able to get the rears off without any issue. It is a straight axle conversion and flipped front spindles (may end up narrowing the front beam, later if needed).
Gordo.
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20275
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 8:37 am Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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^^^ What wheels?
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:32 am Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| flemcadiddlehopper wrote: |
Just thought I would throw in my sizes as I didn't see it mentioned yet.
I am going to be running 185/55r15 fronts and 205/50r15 rears. I am able to get the rears off without any issue. It is a straight axle conversion and flipped front spindles (may end up narrowing the front beam, later if needed).
Gordo. |
That's a short rear tire!
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flemcadiddlehopper
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2011
Posts: 2332
Location: Kelowna, BC. Canada.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2015 5:42 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| cdennisg wrote: |
| ^^^ What wheels? |
EMPI wide 5s right now, but I am in the process of 944 Wildwood brake conversion,....so I'll let you know if they still come off easy.
Gordo.
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flemcadiddlehopper
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2011
Posts: 2332
Location: Kelowna, BC. Canada.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2015 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: Fat Tires |
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| GTV wrote: |
| flemcadiddlehopper wrote: |
Just thought I would throw in my sizes as I didn't see it mentioned yet.
I am going to be running 185/55r15 fronts and 205/50r15 rears. I am able to get the rears off without any issue. It is a straight axle conversion and flipped front spindles (may end up narrowing the front beam, later if needed).
Gordo. |
That's a short rear tire! |
Yes and it may limit my top speed a bit, but 76mph at 4000rpm will get me up the hills. Or, just over 3000rpm when cruising at 60 MPH....seems about right to me.
Gordo.
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