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Jer1664
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2019
Posts: 3
Location: AB
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 Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:41 am Post subject: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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Looking to upgrade tires on my ‘82 air cooled Westfalia!
Any issues with going up to 15-16” rims? |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:45 am Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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why stop there.
go 17in up to 22in.
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mikemtnbike
Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2015
Posts: 2797
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:47 am Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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Short answer: no issues if done right and you don't mind a little loss of power, which you may reaalllllly miss in an '82.
Long answer: See "What Wheels fit?" thread in stickies at top of forum.
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled  https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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note that rim diameter doesn't mean you have to go with a BIGGER diameter tire
you can still have the same outward final tire diameter on a 14 15 or 16 in rim.
you just go lower in sidewall and keep width under control.
also to note there are very few non-vanagon rims that are just a bolt on easy swap. you can buy bolt on 15 and 16 rims from the various Vanagon parts vendors. those have been sourced to fit. but your typical $100 craigslist audi/mercedes rims will require a few hundred dollars of additional work and fitment pieces.
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Jer1664
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2019
Posts: 3
Location: AB
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:20 am Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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| mikemtnbike wrote: |
Short answer: no issues if done right and you don't mind a little loss of power, which you may reaalllllly miss in an '82.
Long answer: See "What Wheels fit?" thread in stickies at top of forum. |
thx |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:48 am Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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| Jer1664 wrote: |
| Looking to upgrade tires on my ‘82 air cooled Westfalia... |
What aspect of 'upgrade' are you seeking/expecting?
Lower engine RPM? Better handling in crosswinds? Better cornering? Quieter ride? More tire choices? Bling?
Seems like most things come with some compromise so it's probably good to know what you are giving up to get what you want. |
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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 6588
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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Highly recommend weighing your van when packed, and listing it and your transmission type as Uge factors in this mix.
Others are whether or not you have wind drag on the roof, terrain you drive most, condition of engine, the Gamut.
Without these bits of knowledge, the answers really aren't.
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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Jer1664
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2019
Posts: 3
Location: AB
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| Jer1664 wrote: |
| Looking to upgrade tires on my ‘82 air cooled Westfalia... |
What aspect of 'upgrade' are you seeking/expecting?
Lower engine RPM? Better handling in crosswinds? Better cornering? Quieter ride? More tire choices? Bling?
Seems like most things come with some compromise so it's probably good to know what you are giving up to get what you want. |
Better handling in Crosswinds for sure And I’m hoping for some better handling on the highway Worried about the RPMs affecting the Amount of air going into the Engine I was told going bigger Lowers the RPMs which lowers the amount of air going into the engine To cool it down |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 4:03 pm Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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indeed bigger diameter tires will lower RPM and slow the fan speed down
it will also increase the effective load the motor feels. kind of like always slightly uphill or headwinded. complicated of course when in a hill or headwind.
though in general it's fine.. the motors actually generate extra heat just from running at the high rpms anyways too.
a damned if ya do damned if ya don't
IMHO I would go no larger than an 205/70/15 tire on a stock vanagon expecting to travel alot of highway speeds. you can get away with more at slower avg speeds.. say blue highways and 2ndry roads.
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| These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 6588
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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Per the idea that larger tires lessens RPM and thus less air-cooling, interesting but difficult to accept.
I think a bigger factor is less rev means more strain on any engine to keep it at the same speed.
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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| Jer1664 wrote: |
| ...Better handling in Crosswinds for sure And I’m hoping for some better handling on the highway... |
You may find that shock choices can improve this w/o a tire size that robs your scarcest resource - power. |
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levi
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005
Posts: 5522
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:14 pm Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| Jer1664 wrote: |
| ...Better handling in Crosswinds for sure And I’m hoping for some better handling on the highway... |
You may find that shock choices can improve this w/o a tire size that robs your scarcest resource - power. |
And, the same exact tire size, with the same exact suspension components, could feel stable with one tire that has a load rating of 102, and totally unstable if the tire has a load rating of 89.
In other words there's a lot of variables.
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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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hdenter
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2008
Posts: 2754
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:41 am Post subject: Re: Upgrading Tires and rims |
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Are you on stock steel wheels now? Going to the factory alloy wheels with 205/70 r14 made a noticeable difference on my '85 weekender. The alloys are 1/2" wider than the steels, bolt right on with the correct lug nuts/bolts(ask for them with the wheels) and are easily had in the classifieds. That tire's rev/mile is almost identical to the stock size. I would not want to see any increase in load/stress on that poor air cooled motor.
Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender |
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