NEW Tires!

[HarryFD]

2 weeks ago, I drove my bus to a meeting of friends.

The roads were damp and each time I started from a stop the rear tires slipped like I was trying to do a burn out. I looked at by the tires (Nokian Hakka C) and they were barely worn. I then checked the dates. They were made in 2014!

I called my tire guy and told him what was happening. He told me I needed new tires. Sadly, the Nokian’s were no longer available. He offered a choice of Continental Vanco or General Grabbers. I opted for the grabbers.

They were installed today. My drive to the tire shop was tense due to the heavy rains. The new tires were installed and there was a noticeable improvement to the handling of my bus.

I should not have waited so long.
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1970 Deluxe Sunroof Bay Brilliant Blue/Cloud White
1971 Jaguar XKE 2+2 V12 Coupe
1973.5 911 Targa
2009 MB C300

[Buggeee]

Nice! Enjoy
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Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)

[Abscate]

Are you finished with those 10 year old tires?
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🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[HarryFD]

[Hoppy Camper]

[aeromech]

I once waited too long to replace the tires on my suburban. I paid the price when they caused a fender bender in misty rain. Today I have another car that needs tires. It’s just that the price is around $1000 these days but I need to do it.
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Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[HarryFD]

[HarryFD]

[richparker]

I run the Grabbers on my Westy, I really like them. The offer an excellent ride on and off road and in inclement weather. They’ve seen many Highway miles, as well as many miles on snowpacked Roads and have performed excellent. I was so impressed with them, I now run them on my Nissan frontier pick up as well.

I run 35psi in all four tires on my bus, I find this pressure produces a comfortable and quite ride. Some guys prefer 35 on the front and 40 on the rear.

Enjoy the ride!
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’71 Double Cab

[Abscate]

Rubber is fickle stuff. I have had trailer tires , bought together l where one is compound hard, cracked , amd done..the other still pliable and good to go. I replace them at 10 years on small trailers and 5 years on the big one , since those are run at limit.

I just got a set of Michelin tires donated for cars for kids and they are 20 years old stored indoors, and the rubber is still out gassing.
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[Bobs67vwagen]

Here is a photo of a 40 plus year old Michelin xzx that has been on my bug for many years, including the last 10 in hobernation.i would not drive on it anymore but look at the condition of the rubber. They do not make tires of this quality anymore.

[superman73]

i bought these from walmart.com for 75.00 each. seem like good tires. my bus is not currently drivable due to a broken cv or stripped axle flange. my wheels are 15".

Iris Stormy Commercial Van 195/70R15C 104/102S D Light Truck Tire
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Chuck

Jesus Saves

70 deluxe bus
67 manx clone
various other parts cars.


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=228364&highlight=superman73sb+bellsouth

[SGKent]

bought a set of Vantra LT 185R14 RA018 8ply for the bus since the tires on it are 15 years old. From a Michelin dealer I have been buying tires from and fixing flats for 35 years. Kinda of strange in a way. The owner in 1990 was the son of the original owner. He was in his 60's. His son was in his early 20's with long hair. The father passed away a few years ago and the business went to his son, now a balding businessman about his father's age when I started there. And me an old man now too.
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Canned Water - the new California approved parts cleaner (except in a drought in which case rub it with sand).

George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."

Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice"

[superman73]

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Chuck

Jesus Saves

70 deluxe bus
67 manx clone
various other parts cars.


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=228364&highlight=superman73sb+bellsouth

[superman73]

they are on the rear in this pic from a few years ago. i recently replaced the fronts with the same size and brand commercial tire.
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Chuck

Jesus Saves

70 deluxe bus
67 manx clone
various other parts cars.


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=228364&highlight=superman73sb+bellsouth

[orwell84]

I really like my Grabbers. They look cool, handle well and are quiet on the highway.

[70bus]

The 70 has the Vantras (3 are getting old. :P) but the 65 has Grabbers. Agree with all comments above... EXCEPT I have found them to slip a bit on dry, steep pavement. Also everyone tells me that after rebuilding everythiing that the sloppy steering is caused by such wide tires on the bus.

Will drive the Vantras til they get dodgy and then see what the Grabbers do on a "modern" car like the 70!
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Craig K
70 Neunsitzer
65 Pritschenwagen
"If Von Dutch was alive, he'd walk in there with a pistol and shoot these people." - Robert Williams

Raoul the 65 singlecab

Karl the 70 nine-seater

[Buggeee]

[Xevin]

Just sharing a previous post for alternative tire options.

[richparker]

Just order 27x8.5 Kumho Road Venture AT tires for my DC off eBay. They were the best priced name brand AT I could find.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’71 Double Cab