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Shinnlinger
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2017
Posts: 122
Location: New Hampshire
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 Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:07 am Post subject: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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Sorry I can't figure out the search function, as I'm sure this has been discussed before, But looking or some pointers.
I have '74 hi-roof that may serve as a coffee vendor at some point about to go to Ct and get the Subaru treatment. It has some "ok" van tires on the original 14" wheels but my understanding is those tires are hard to come by so a 15 or 16" rim upgrade a good idea.
Steelies would be fine with me but open to suggestion for wheel and tire size as well as vendors.
Thanks.
Dave |
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richparker
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Joined: November 24, 2011
Posts: 6982
Location: Durango, CO
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:37 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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The stock size of 185R14c or a little larger size 195R14c tires are not to come by. The Hankook Vantra are readily available in those sizes either on the internet or at your LTS. If you’d like to go bigger you can also go with the 27x8.5 size, also readily available.
There’s a thread called “the fire sticky.” Use the search function to find it as this thread is gonna get locked as soon as the peeps in the left coast wake up.
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Shinnlinger
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2017
Posts: 122
Location: New Hampshire
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aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16970
Location: San Diego, California
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:37 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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Powder coat your stock wheels and then get these.
Hankook Vantra LT (RA18) Light Truck Radial Tire-185/R14 102R 8-ply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C3R5TV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_03DSEQ4C4NHQW2MNYX1M
Or these
195R14 HANKOOK VANTRA RA18 106/104R https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851L997Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_WNAYY0W1Y2ZZW7KNV7RX
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alman72
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2014
Posts: 2573
Location: MICHIGAN
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:13 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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| richparker wrote: |
The stock size of 185R14c or a little larger size 195R14c tires are not to come by. The Hankook Vantra are readily available in those sizes either on the internet or at your LTS. If you’d like to go bigger you can also go with the 27x8.5 size, also readily available.
There’s a thread called “the fire sticky.” Use the search function to find it as this thread is gonna get locked as soon as the peeps in the left coast wake up. |
the fire sticky is a different thread than the tire sticky. very good info in both |
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Xevin 
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 7629
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:39 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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If you are going to do a Subaru conversion in CT. I’d reach out to Skills for his opinion. If you stay 14” check out this thread. Page 24 and 24, I have pictures of me driving the Vanagon off road for anything I plan on driving in. I’m using the Hankooks. Dave has a report on the Yokohama’s he just installed. If I had a more powerful engine, I would have gone with a bigger wheel combo.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...1256adb283
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Globespotter
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Joined: February 16, 2012
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Location: Newmarket, ON
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Xevin
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Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 7629
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:47 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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| Globespotter wrote: |
| Xevin wrote: |
| If you are going to do a Subaru conversion in CT. I’d reach out to Skills for his opinion. |
I just assumed he was going to Skills. Where else would you go for a quality Subaru conversion? |
  Exactly
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| GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
| Clatter wrote: |
| Damn that Xevin... |
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
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| SGKent wrote: |
| My God! Xevin and I 100% agree |
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NASkeet
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2006
Posts: 2958
Location: South Benfleet, Essex, UK
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:53 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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When I put my 1973 VW 1600 Type 2 Westfalia Continental motor-caravan back on the road, I shall probably be opting for either 205/65 R16C or 215/65 R16C commercial-van tyres on 7 x 16 inch Mercedes C-Class alloy wheels. These two tyre sizes have been the almost the de facto standard for modern medium-sized commercial vans for about the past ten years in Great Britain.
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Wildthings
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Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50350
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:15 pm Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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| Shinnlinger wrote: |
| It has some "ok" van tires on the original 14" wheels but my understanding is those tires are hard to come by so a 15 or 16" rim upgrade a good idea. |
For most, larger diameter wheels are not called for unless you are getting larger diameter rotors for the front and need the extra clearance. |
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Cap10323
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Joined: July 24, 2016
Posts: 604
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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The Vantras are fantastic tires. Highly recommended. They will make your Bus ride and handle like a car 20 years younger.
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danfromsyr
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Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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there are plenty of 185r14 and 195r14s.
just make sure you have all 5.
you can order them shipped to your door or your tire shop or walmart.
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plywoodkid
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Joined: April 17, 2018
Posts: 217
Location: Ventura County, CA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:51 pm Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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I 2nd Aeromech, I did exactly that:
I powder coated locally and ordered the Hankook Vantra LT (RA18) Light Truck Radial Tire-185/R14 102R 8-ply from Amazon. They were here in no time.
These are meant for vans/commerical vehicles. Certainly feel safer wit the 8-Ply.
Don't make the mistake of riding on tires made for automobiles.
BTW, I even bought an extra full size spare and put it on a 5th powder coated rim. |
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nemobuscaptain
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TomWesty
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Joined: November 23, 2007
Posts: 3482
Location: Wyoming,USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:20 pm Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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Stock wheels and Vantras can’t be beat for looks, ride, simplicity. Simplicity is wonderful! 
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Wildthings
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Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50350
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:23 pm Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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| nemobuscaptain wrote: |
I think if you called Michelin and told them you wanted those for your bus, they wouldn't sell them to you bc the bus calls for a load rated tire. |
You can get an extra load tire in a 215/65R16 though. Vredestein makes one. The heavily siped threads on the Vredesteins would likely give good traction in most conditions as well.
Last edited by Wildthings on Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
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NASkeet
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Joined: April 29, 2006
Posts: 2958
Location: South Benfleet, Essex, UK
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| Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:59 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| nemobuscaptain wrote: |
I think if you called Michelin and told them you wanted those for your bus, they wouldn't sell them to you bc the bus calls for a load rated tire. |
You can get an extra load tire in a 215/16R16 though. Vredestein makes one. The heavily siped threads on the Vredesteins would likely give good traction in most conditions as well. |
I don't think there is a 215/16 R16 tyre, except possibly for a Formula 1 racing car! 
The 215/65 R16C commercial van tyres that I have seen, have a load index of about 108/110. Similar 60-Series commercial-van tyres are also available, but they're not nearly as common or keenly priced as the 65-Series commercial-van tyres.
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Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor (semi-retired) of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
Much modified, RHD 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, with the World's only decent, cross-over-arm, SWF pantograph rear-window wiper
Onetime member, plus former Technical Editor & Editor of Transporter Talk magazine
Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club (Great Britain)
http://www.vwt2oc.net |
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nemobuscaptain
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nemobuscaptain
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Wildthings
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Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50350
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| Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:11 am Post subject: Re: Wheels and tire suggestions? |
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| NASkeet wrote: |
| Quote: |
You can get an extra load tire in a 215/16R16 though. Vredestein makes one. The heavily siped threads on the Vredesteins would likely give good traction in most conditions as well. |
I don't think there is a 215/16 R16 tyre, except possibly for a Formula 1 racing car! |
Sorry, that was a typo. Meant to say 215/65R16, The Tire Rack lists dozens of them and with a 98 load rating they exceed the 97 load rating of the stock 205/70R14 reinforced tires.
I would still be wanting to avoid the short sidewalls of a 65 profile tire if driving off road though. I would think that an ideal tire for these old rigs would be a 225/70R14 or 27/8.5R14 mounted on a 6.5" wide rim with the correct offset. I suspect with the wider rims they would be very stable in the wind without the rim being so wide as to make the bead overly vulnerable to damage for rocks and curbs.
FWIW I was with a friend a couple of weeks ago and he had a 1/4" diameter stick puncture the sidewall on an 8 ply truck tires, so higher ply ratings don't translate into super dependability as is often claimed here. One of the reasons I like the 27/8.5R14 is its 4 ply sidewalls are more heavily built than a typical 8 ply, which is part of the reason why they outweigh a 195r14 by 5 pounds or so. |
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