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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:36 am Post subject: 16"-15" |
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I have done a search and now am more confused with the information I received/read.
I have a syncro, bought some used 16" sprinter wheels, with BFG's. They are great. I live at 7000' and feel that they "slow me down" a bit. I want to go with a 15" wheel and BFG set up now, because I feel that they will not slow me down. For example, in the winter time I run 14" studs on the syncro and the syncro feels zippy, when I switch to the 16's I can not drive the same speed and it does not feel so zippy.
I am not running and spacers or different lugs on the 16's, and everything ha s been fine. I want to find a pair of 15's that will not need spacers or longer studs. Eventually I may do the big brake kit, but for now I will not.
will these fit by just putting them on?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=782238
I also have OME shocks and springs. I really want an easy swap.
seems like these fit easily: http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1572_1256/carrot__alloy.html
and these seem to fit:
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_845_1256/mefro_15_inch_steel_wheel.html
I deally looking for a used pair for the syncro. Thanks
I'd be willing to trade if anyone wants the 5 16" wheels for 5 15" wheels _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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SteveVanB Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1645 Location: This side of Daytona
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Just get shorter tires for your 16" wheels. Rim size doesn't matter. A 26" tall tire on a 16" rim is the same as a 26" tire on a 15" rim wich is the same as a 26" tire on a 20" rim wich is the same as a ....... _________________ 91 CARAT |
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joseph928 Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 2114 Location: flagstaff az.
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:46 am Post subject: 15 or16 |
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Ha! topbud I have some parts to give back to you. And on the 15 yes that is the way to go. Got my van running great, have all the parts on it you want, come over try them out. Can take my wheels off and try them on your van. 15" SA with BFG AT. And I love the big brakes. 15" side wall clearance baby! _________________ 1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug. |
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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:47 am Post subject: |
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Joe- I'll get in touch with you in a day or two, Today is crazy
Right now I am running the 225/75/16
I am not sure what would be a shorter tire that the BFG makes. I guess I'll head to a tire ship and look at options _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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Altoona Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011 Posts: 505
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:01 am Post subject: |
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TopBud wrote: |
Joe- I'll get in touch with you in a day or two, Today is crazy
Right now I am running the 225/75/16
I am not sure what would be a shorter tire that the BFG makes. I guess I'll head to a tire ship and look at options |
BFG's come in 225/70/16 and 215/70/16 which are 0.8" and 1.3" shorter than your current tires, respectively. |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:42 am Post subject: |
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see
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=All-Terrain+T%2FA+KO
195/75R14 = 25.5" = equivalent to stock
215/75R15 = 27.8" = 9% taller than stock
215/70R16 = 28" = 10% taller than stock
225/75R16 = 29.3 = 15% taller than stock
I dont recommend any tire larger than 10% over stock, with a stock motor.
the best tire for your power, altitude, and gearing is the stock 14" size
the 215x75x15 has a significant power penalty. If after you try it, you think it is OK, you can get very close to that size with a 215x70x16
225x75x16 is a great tire, but not for a stock motor and transmission.
You absolutely do not need 15" rims. _________________ My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco |
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joseph928 Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 2114 Location: flagstaff az.
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 3:36 pm Post subject: tires |
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TopBud wrote: |
Joe- I'll get in touch with you in a day or two, Today is crazy
Right now I am running the 225/75/16
I am not sure what would be a shorter tire that the BFG makes. I guess I'll head to a tire ship and look at options |
top bud I'm running 215-75-15 I like to stay with a 75 side wall, save my rims when I'm going off road. _________________ 1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug. |
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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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I was wrong on the tire size they are 225/70/16. I went to a locl tire shop to check the next shortest tire that BFG makes and they said it was the 215/70/16. Should I get them, it'd be cheaper than wheels and tires. _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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SteveVanB Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1645 Location: This side of Daytona
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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Dude, are you hell bent on the BFG's ? Lots of other shoes out there...... _________________ 91 CARAT |
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outwesty Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2006 Posts: 1074 Location: Tahoe City
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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215 70 16 is still pretty tall. (10% bigger than stock I believe) I ran this size on a stock 2.1 for a while and it had little power in the mountains...with my TDI they are no problem. Check out the General grabbers....much less than BFG's and work very well. |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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> I was wrong on the tire size they are 225/70/16.
thats 12% taller than stock
> they said it was the 215/70/16. Should I get them
No, those are 10% taller than stock
not enough difference.. If you are set on BFG live with what you have, or go down to the 14" BFG
if you are willing to go to a really good snow tire that is not so big, call Van-cafe to figure out which Nokian you want
I recommend the 215/65/16 27.0" which is 6% bigger than stock.. gives an extra 3/4" ground clearance..
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1326_341/nokian_tires_16_options.html
fwiw, there is also a Nokian dealer in Taos, Metric Motors _________________ My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco |
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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:05 am Post subject: |
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I am not hell bent on BFG's. I really like them, but are willing to look at others. I guess, I'll go back to the tire thread and read up on others, I was looking for suggestions about the tire size. thanks _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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iltis74 Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2003 Posts: 826 Location: Anchorage, AK
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Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:39 am Post subject: Re: 16"-15" |
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TopBud wrote: |
when I switch to the 16's I can not drive the same speed and it does not feel so zippy. |
Of course you're doing to lose some zip but are you sure you're unable to hit the same speed? Larger tires will drop the speedometer reading. You may not be as bad as you think. |
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levi Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 5522 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:10 am Post subject: |
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Oh hell yeah, it must be a real dog to drive.
12 % over stock,
with the stock engine,
plus he's at altitude so that's sucking more power,
and it's hilly terrain _________________ 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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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:15 am Post subject: |
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going to call Van cafe/ Go westy on monday and talk with those guys. May go a 15" wheel. Then I'll have the 16's for sale if anyone wants them.
Thanks for everything. I actually like the nokians _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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Finally got around to putting on the new tires. I spoke with Peter at van-cafe and he gave me some great suggestions. Jon slider did also- (Thanks). I went with the Nokian WRC 215/65/16 from Van Cafe. I decided to keep the 16 inch tires. I went to Discount Tire in Flagstaff and they charged me $70ish bucks to balance and mount 5 of them to my wheels/rims. We had some snowfall today and I was out driving around. I only put on a few miles, but it was a much quieter ride and handled very well. I can also notice the little bit of the power increase. I am posting a picture of the syncro with the new tires and also a comparison of the BFG's and the Nokian's side by side. I noticed I have a wheel bearing noise in the front now. Oh well, it should be out of town road worthy very soon. Thanks all
The BFG's are behing the Nokian, you can see the difference in size
another shot for comparison.
[/img] _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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joseph928 Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 2114 Location: flagstaff az.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:14 pm Post subject: tires |
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Glad you got tires, now we can go play in the snow! _________________ 1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug. |
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dubbified Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2010 Posts: 1406 Location: Redmond, WA
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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I had 14" bfgs.. went up to a 16 Nokian WRC Cargo.. and theres simply 0 comparison.
The Nokian feels like a racing tire, will handle hell, I felt the BFGs were weak, lotta soft sidewall.
These Nokians, totally different solid sidwall feel and the traction couldnt be better.
I am so stoked as to the ice and snow handling.. no comparison to the BFGs.
course, I'm sure every tire has an application.. |
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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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got a big dumping in Flagstaff- and more on the way Finally had a chance to test them in the snow. I left the driveway this morning with about 9" on the ground. Drove on unplowed roads- where the BFG's would've kept me spinning and the Nokians stuck to the snow. Drove about 65 on the highway which was a two track and they were AWESOME. Thanks for the advice on these things. They are awesome. Just wanted to say how awesome they are just incase anyone is looking to change from BFG's to Nokian WRC's. as said before, no comparison in the snow _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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TopBud Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004 Posts: 1111 Location: Flagstaff AZ
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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I have the spare BFG, never seen pavement, to give away if any one wants it. It's older, but has never been used. Someone come and get it. anyone? _________________ 86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia |
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