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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:25 am Post subject: New wheels- need some help! |
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So I just got some Mercedes wheels for my 83 Westy- they are the 8 hole alloys that came off a c220/230. I read on vanagon.com that they need to be spaced up front (5/16") and that I need longer studs up front and longer lug bolts in the rears. I also need to machine the lug holes for 14mm holes. I am trying to buy my tires at Costco and get the Michelin Hydroedge. Can (or do I trust) Costco to take care of all that, or should I get all the parts together on my own? I know a couple machine shops around, so I could take care of machining on my own. What about the longer studs and longer lug bolts- is that a major procedur in any way? Are those special order at all? |
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Wellington Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2004 Posts: 1884 Location: Montreal
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:41 am Post subject: |
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Not a fan of the Hydroedge for use on a Vanagon!!!! |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:47 am Post subject: |
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Costco mounts tires and I think that is all they do. I am strongly leaning towards Conti Vanco tires for my next set. Look at the load indices!
Also, are you sure you mean 8 lug?
The best thing is to have the wheels machined at a machine shop. |
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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:02 am Post subject: |
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8 holes around the rim- 5 lugs. Sorry for the confusion.
So not a fan of the Hydroedge's huh? Yeah, I just looked up the load rating and they are only 1433 lbs rated. GoWesty raves about these tires though! What the hell. So what's the recommendation then? |
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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:11 am Post subject: |
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So were you looking at the Vanco Contact or the Vanco 8? |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:23 am Post subject: |
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Vanco 8
For my use I want to try a 195/14 or maybe the 205/14 because with 185/14 I am turning 4K PRM at 70mph. That's pretty buzzy....
For bigger wheels you may not have a fitment available. But, it is sure worth a lookie. |
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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:37 am Post subject: |
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What about the Michelin Aigilis? |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Those are good too. Go see http://www.vanagon.com for some more, a bit dated, info. Also, there must be about a 1000 posts on the subject here, too.
"Use the SEARCH, Luke." |
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Wellington Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2004 Posts: 1884 Location: Montreal
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Agilis are good.
I personally chose Vanco 8. You need a tire that will support the weight, also that can be inflated to the recomended pressure. 48psi in the rear. My Vanco 8s will take up to 70 psi. will support 900 kg each.
My tire dealer would not even recomend the hydroedge for my Accord as the side wall was only a single ply and the Accord recomends at least a 2 ply. Vanagon owners need a 6 ply and some like an 8 ply.
Using the vanco 8 has trasformed my van into a whole new machine. handles like I have control, the previous owner put on shoddy tires so when I switched I felt a world of difference. |
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mjamgb Samba Member
Joined: September 13, 2004 Posts: 231 Location: Carson City, Nevada
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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A 9/16" drill bit in a 1/2" drill will get the holes opened up fine.
The studs need to be longer and you should pop for a stud conversion on the front too. I didn't and now i have to carry a set of short bolts for when I mount the spare on the front!
Rear studs only require pulling the hub and hammering out the old and hammering in the new. Not tough if you have a hub puller, otherwise you may be able to get the hub off using the drum mounted backward and lots of grunting. Don't hammer on the drum as that is likely to crack it.
Mike! |
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Ericthenorse Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2004 Posts: 782 Location: Los Osos CA.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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What is the size and offset of the wheels? ET?? when you get lugs, do not use the ones at the local parts store.. On the front, use lug bolts made for a 4-lug bug. On the rear, get some lug bolts that are made for a stud conversion on a bug. bbuth are avalible from EMPI. The stock vanagon lugs have too big a seat to work in the MBZ wheels. check with www.volkscafe.com , they have longer studs that are a direct fit for the rear, but you will need to machine the front rotors for studs. If you want to go with the south african front disk kit, it is already set up with studs... _________________ '69 bug--rusty as hell
'91 vanagon carrat-slammed,5 speed,4 wheel disks,17x8.5's |
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lordsniff Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2005 Posts: 432 Location: atlanta
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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I knew someone years ago who had a bug . To make it look good they took the wheels off, turned them inside out and put them back on . They gained about 2 inches extra track , until the shaft and bearings gave out . Cost....he scrapped the bug .
Moral , not all wheels fit all cars . Putting car wheels on a van must cancel any insurance policy and can be very dangerous but its your life . _________________ I was born at a very early age and it was such a shock I didn't speak for another 2 years .
______________________________________
87 Syncro
85 Gl
96 Dodge Ram V10
2001 Honda |
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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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I think I'm comfortable treading in the many footsteps before me in putting Benz wheels on my van. Offset is the same- the most drastic thing is the longer studs and using a 5/16" spacer on the front. Knock on wood of course. |
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bigdood Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2005 Posts: 191 Location: Bay Area, CA
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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not sure if your costco has the same policy, but mine will only mount your factory size tires on factory wheels. to get around it people bring the wheels in sans car. just a heads up in case. |
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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:24 am Post subject: |
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Actually, I decided to get the Conti Vanco 8's. I found them for a better price than the michelins and better service. |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:47 am Post subject: |
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What size?
Stock is 185/14
I want to try 195 or even the 205s to lower the RPMs down.
What about that? What size? |
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lilweasel Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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195/70 R15 |
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mjamgb Samba Member
Joined: September 13, 2004 Posts: 231 Location: Carson City, Nevada
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, and you have to buy 4 studded snows if you have a FWD vehicle... Honestly, I think lawyers and the people that sue at the drop of a hat are ruining this country.
Eric; You are telling me that the later 4-lug beetle bolts were 14mm with the smaller MB radius ball taper? News to me. Mighty good news. I know that early bugs used the 12mm bolts (I know because it took me a whole five minutes to figure out why a perfectly good bolt woldn't stay in the hole on my bus... years back, I swear!).
The stud conversion from EMPI you suggest is for press-in studs? And the nuts are the same 14mm with small ball taper?
Man, I wish I knew that earlier as I have spent HOURS on the internet to find some longer studs and they ended up too long!
Mike! |
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wbx Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005 Posts: 1254 Location: Monterey, CA
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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lilweasel wrote: |
So were you looking at the Vanco Contact or the Vanco 8? |
I've been using the vanco contact for a bit now, and they are good performers. I had problems on I-5 when the freak snow/ice storm came in last year, but then lots of people were going off in the ditches. Good summer/pavement tires.
-D |
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mr. c Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2007 Posts: 153 Location: Black Hills, SD
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:32 am Post subject: |
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A local tire dealer just recommended some commercial highway vehicle tires from Maxxis, the UE-168(N) Bravo Series, which comes in all sorts of sizes.
What do y'all think? _________________ Abe: 1987 Syncro Full Camper, TiiCo engine conversion, A3 pulley kit |
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