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satchmo
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2003
Posts: 285
Location: Crosby, MN
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 Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:15 pm Post subject: Wider tires with Manual Steering |
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Hi All -
I have an 87 Weekender with the stock tires (185R14) and rims. It also has NO power steering. How will bigger rims and tires (like the Rhein rims and 205/65/15 Nokians) affect the steering? Will I be cursing as I try to pull into the grocery store parking space?
Thanks in advance, Tim |
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SteveVanB
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008
Posts: 1645
Location: This side of Daytona
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| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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If you have a non p.s. steering wheel it's not so bad.....the p.s. wheel makes it a little easier to curse 
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91 CARAT |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50338
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| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I have run 215/70R14's for years and have never had a complaint. |
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wbx
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 1254
Location: Monterey, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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I've found that appropriately stiff sidewalls help make turning the wheel while stopped easier (you are not fighting the sponginess of the tire). Once you are rolling at all, it is all about the same.
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'84 Westy (first owner).......but my daily driver has pedals
My "perspective" mantra:
A Volkswagen Vanagon is just a material thing,
As such, it is of the earth,
And if i need to, I can let my Van go. |
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levi
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005
Posts: 5522
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:19 am Post subject: |
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| wbx wrote: |
| .... Once you are rolling at all, it is all about the same. |
That's it right there.
I had an 86 without power steering, and I put on the smaller diameter rabbit wheel, AND I put on 225 section tires.
As long as it was moving at all I actually preferred it to power, especially on the highway. The only time I wasn't crazy about it was parallel parking. Bit of a bear.
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One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way
https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40 |
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satchmo
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2003
Posts: 285
Location: Crosby, MN
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| levi wrote: |
| wbx wrote: |
| .... Once you are rolling at all, it is all about the same. |
The only time I wasn't crazy about it was parallel parking. Bit of a bear. |
That's what I figured and why I asked. I actually prefer the manual steering on the hiway. It's the pulling on the steering wheel while parking or stationary with bigger tires that I don't relish since I do a fair amount of that.
Thanks, Tim |
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vwjoel
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2006
Posts: 205
Location: Seattle WA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:00 am Post subject: |
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| I've got LT215/75R15 light ruck tires on my 84 with manual steering and It's got the Ronal 9 spoke wheels off a Passat. I also instsalled a later dash with and the smaller steering wheel intended for power steering. To top that off I changed the front uprights to the later type for the Audi brake conversion. The Ackerman arms look shorter on the uprights I installed. Of course when it's moving it is fine but parallel parking is a bit of work. My wife is the only one that complains but she can parallel park it down town on a hill if she needs to. |
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MSwart
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2009
Posts: 49
Location: South Africa
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:50 am Post subject: Tyres |
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I have 205's on my van. When going very slowly you sometimes have to put in a bit of extra effort to turn the wheel. My wife drives to the shops and back during the day while I am at work and she hasn't complained about the steering at all, so I do not think the steering wheel is to difficult to turn.
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'89 2.1 |
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