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Fri Apr 08, 2022 2:15 pm

So searched and searched. Bought some 205/75/15 grabber atx for my 61 Kombi. Mounted them up, threw the fronts on. Looks great, getting excited, then go to rears. They do not fit under the lip, no way no how. My fender wells have been replaced at some point, body lines are great.

I have been putting this bus back together from a bare shell. Transmission and redux boxes have been rebuilt. Everything is stock, spring plates set at 20* per manual. Before I scrap these tires for a more narrow set, anyone have an idea. I wrestled from every angle, they for sure aren't going to fit as it hangs.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 2:19 pm

I have that size tire on my 61. They are hard to install, but plenty room when in place.
I think those might be a hair bigger than the tires I used.
I use a plastic garbage bag between the tire and wheel well when installing the m on the bus.
You can also deflate them partially, them re-inflate later.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 2:26 pm

I didn't think about deflating. Sometimes you've just been under the bus too long and need to step away and ask some calm people. Thanks Clara! Have been dealing with some house issues this week, hope to get that down payment sent off to you soon.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 3:09 pm

check the inside lip size since you mentioned the fender wells have been replaced. might be larger than it should.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 4:13 pm

These are 205/75 15s on a stock wheel/axle. There’s no clearance issue at all. I assumed 205/85 15s would all be the same. Strange.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 4:17 pm

One of these things is not like the other.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 4:19 pm

^^^Mine is a 63^^^ Maybe that lip makes all the difference.

Fri Apr 08, 2022 5:32 pm

Burlyhammer wrote: ^^^Mine is a 63^^^ Maybe that lip makes all the difference.

It's not so much the lip on 63' and later, it's that the earlier flat fenderwells actually extend down an extra inch and a half or so than the later ones. Same with the doglegs on earlier buses.

Here are some 215/75 R15 BFG All Terrain mounted on a 59' :

They were a tight fit to get on for the rears. This is with a split case trans.

Switched later to a tunnel trans and I had to deflate them a bit to get them on.

Sat Apr 09, 2022 10:37 am

oakman wrote:
It's not so much the lip on 63' and later, it's that the earlier flat fenderwells actually extend down an extra inch and a half or so than the later ones. Same with the doglegs on earlier buses.

The later rear wheel wells bulge outward so the inner lip on the fender well does not stick inward of the rest of the side sheet metal like the flat fender wells do. Definitely having the early rear wheel wells being lower does not help either. Both equally add up to a harder to get wider tires in there situation.

Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:08 pm

Eric&Barb wrote: oakman wrote:
It's not so much the lip on 63' and later, it's that the earlier flat fenderwells actually extend down an extra inch and a half or so than the later ones. Same with the doglegs on earlier buses.

The later rear wheel wells bulge outward so the inner lip on the fender well does not stick inward of the rest of the side sheet metal like the flat fender wells do. Definitely having the early rear wheel wells being lower does not help either. Both equally add up to a harder to get wider tires in there situation.

True! I've also noticed a number of early bus flat style fenderwells bulged out slightly, likely from folks pulling them out a bit to fit larger than stock tires.

Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:54 pm

If you're not consistent with the OG wheels (I'm not) You can always move the center outboard a little w aftermarket wheels. I'm lowered so I had to in order to fit up bigger tires. This also gave me room as to not shorten the beam in front.
Pretty cheap to do w the right wheel smith. I just stored my OG wheels & tires.
My wheels have better welds, and have been trued. These are 15x5.5, this way they accept a wider bead much better so the tire has the tread where it is supposed to be.

Sat Apr 09, 2022 8:23 pm

Got them on. Clara's trash bag did the trick. Trash bag going to the emergency kit under bench. Glad they fit, look great.