TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:02 am

I'm sticking with the 14 tires for now. I'm trying to understand if radial trailer tires can be used on the vanagon. They come in the correct size of 205/70/r14 with load range C or D., load index of 100+, Stiff side wall with 6-8 play rating. Speed range is 65-75 mph, which works great for my driving comfort and the van has never seen 80mph with me behind the wheel.

SO... are trailer tires dangerous on a vanagon?

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:05 am

I bought a Syncro with them once....immediately removed them.
Hard, loud and drove like crap.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:29 am

•Trailer tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not built to handle the loads applied to, or the traction required by, drive or steering axles.

They are stamped "For Trailer Use Only".

That is why. :wink:

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:48 am

I Still don't know why people feel it's difficult to get 14in rated tires.

Hercules Power CVs are available delivered to your door for $99~$105 ea
the 185R14C/8 are rated 102/100 @ $99ea delivered
the 195R14C/8 are rated 106/104 @ $105ea delivered
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m5...;_from=R40

there are other tires/brands/suppliers out there. you can get the RA08s shipped to store by Walmart
but I like to point out the Hercules power CVs on fleabay when I can. a little known option for the 14in people.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:52 am

Don't Do it.

http://youtu.be/F54rqDh2mWA

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:55 am

BFG 27"s are sweet on Carat alloys.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:27 am

insyncro wrote: BFG 27"s are sweet on Carat alloys.

Discontinued many years ago. General Grabbers are the only 27x8.5x14 tire still available.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:28 am

PDXWesty wrote: insyncro wrote: BFG 27"s are sweet on Carat alloys.

Discontinued many years ago. General Grabbers are the only 27x8.5x14 tire still available.

Didn't they revive them in 195/75/14 or something like that?

ETA: Answered my own question:

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/size/LTMetric/195/75/14/tires

Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:31 am

joetiger wrote: PDXWesty wrote: insyncro wrote: BFG 27"s are sweet on Carat alloys.

Discontinued many years ago. General Grabbers are the only 27x8.5x14 tire still available.

Didn't they revive them in 195/75/14 or something like that?

ETA: Answered my own question:

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/size/LTMetric/195/75/14/tires

Yes, in 14", but it's 25.5" tall. Not 27" like the earlier version. A much smaller tire.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:43 am

PDXWesty wrote:

Yes, in 14", but it's 25.5" tall. Not 27" like the earlier version. A much smaller tire.

duh...I missed the "27" in Dylan's comment. My bad. On a side note, I can't believe how expensive the 195's are.

Oh, and trailer tires are made for trailers. (Although there's a thread on here somewhere about a Hankook tire that shows as a trailer tire on Discount Tire's site and a regular tire on somebody else's site.)

ETA: Found the thread about trailer tires, it was Kumho, not Hankook:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=531882&highlight=hankook+trailer

Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:02 am

PDXWesty wrote: joetiger wrote: PDXWesty wrote: insyncro wrote: BFG 27"s are sweet on Carat alloys.

Discontinued many years ago. General Grabbers are the only 27x8.5x14 tire still available.

Didn't they revive them in 195/75/14 or something like that?

ETA: Answered my own question:

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/size/LTMetric/195/75/14/tires

Yes, in 14", but it's 25.5" tall. Not 27" like the earlier version. A much smaller tire.

I have the new smaller ones too.
I just purchased 3 of the 27" BFGs on close out.
The manufacturing date is 2012.
Guess I'm just lucky :wink:

Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:09 am

insyncro wrote:
I just purchased 3 of the 27" BFGs on close out.
The manufacturing date is 2012.
Guess I'm just lucky :wink:

I've been looking for those for a couple years as replacements. Nobody was able to track them down. Where did you find them?

Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:47 am

PDXWesty wrote: insyncro wrote:
I just purchased 3 of the 27" BFGs on close out.
The manufacturing date is 2012.
Guess I'm just lucky :wink:

I've been looking for those for a couple years as replacements. Nobody was able to track them down. Where did you find them?

I am friends with the owner of Town Fair Tire in CT.
They supply most of the East Coast with rubber.
They find me whatever I need from worldwide warehouses.
Not sure where these came from as the inventory said zero, but three showed up.
Not bad for $68 a tire :wink:

Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:51 am

My local tire store in taos sold me the new BFGs for under 650 including tax.
They are not a small tire. Just not oversized. Very close to factory.
Love mine.
For cheaper non off road radials I have champiro on my other van.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:54 am

davideric9 wrote: I'm sticking with the 14 tires for now. I'm trying to understand if radial trailer tires can be used on the vanagon. They come in the correct size of 205/70/r14 with load range C or D., load index of 100+, Stiff side wall with 6-8 play rating. Speed range is 65-75 mph, which works great for my driving comfort and the van has never seen 80mph with me behind the wheel.

SO... are trailer tires dangerous on a vanagon?

As others said true (marked as) trailer-only tires don't belong on any vehicle. There are some, however, that are dual purpose cargo van and trailer tire like my thread on the kuhmo radial 857 linked to above. These are mistakenly listed on Tirerack as trailer only tires when they are not (read the thread and the Kuhmo website). These are not nessasarily an amazing tire but perfectly safe and very well load rated for a heavy westy. I run them on one van and like them, but I do like my 15" continental Vanco4s on my other van better. Unless you're getting a deal then for the price there are better tires around. The load rating and heavy sidewall is nice though.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=531882&highlight=hankook+trailer

Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:59 pm

I'm having good results from predominately asphalt driving with the Herc Power CV 195's. Getting a second set for some alloys

Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:39 pm

Part of the design of a "trailer" tire is to handle scrubbing when turning a trailer quickly.
To help keep the tires from falling apart, the durometer of the rubber is harder and most have limited syping or grooves in the tread for traction.
Most I have come across are very loud on pavement.
I prefer softer tires with plenty of syps for all weather traction.

Fri Feb 07, 2014 7:09 pm

we got tires from wally world.
goodyear viva II's

they are not quite to the load rating that the "experts" on here want, but they are rated to 1200lbs more than lucy weighs, and i'm very happy