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Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects
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rcerick
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PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2021 5:54 pm    Post subject: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

Just bought a 2000 Eurovan Winnebago camper (after owning two ‘78 Westfalias) and it has the OE 15” wheels. GoWesty sells and highly recommends 16” wheel, tire and suspension packages, but my mechanic and numerous articles I’ve read warn about transmission damage with larger wheels. Both can’t be right. Any experience or wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
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MrPulldown
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PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2021 8:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

It's not the size of the wheel that matters. It is the size of the tires. Overall outside diameter. You can match it no problem. What size are you currently running?

Been alot of reports of the Go Westy wheels being junk. They found a counterfeit Mercedes wheels that are made in China. Many other wheels will work.
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rcerick
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PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 8:00 am    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

The wheels on the van are original size - 15" x 6.5" and the tires are 205/65 15" Continental Vancos. Gowesty sells a package with 16" x 7.5" wheels and 235/60 16" tires.

Here is the size comparison (if the link comes through):

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

The overall diameter on on these 16" wheels and tires is 27.1" vs 25.5" with my 15" wheels and tires - a 6.3% increase. Width on the 16" wheels and tires is 9.3" vs 8.1" - a 14.1% increase.
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MrPulldown
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 9:07 am    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

Here are some pictures of cracked GoWesty wheels
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=706772

I'd agree that going from 25.5 to 27.1 will not be desirable. That is quite a large jump and effectively re gearing your van to a higher ratio.

The reason GW goes to that size is due to the load capacity. The tires you currently run are commercial grade tires with a load rating of 102. The 2001-2003 EVCs run a 225/65r16XL tire with the same load rating of 102.

If you get 16" wheels and want the same outside diameter it would be a 205/60r16. Which unfortunately doesn't carry much load 92. Even the XL only carry 96.

The smallest tire that will get you into the 102 load rating is a 215/65r16XL of the standard 2001+ size 225/60r16XL. There are a few commercial tires that might fit the bill too but you will need to do more searching.
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 10:22 am    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

How can GoWesty recommend this size wheel and tire and change for 2000 EVCs? Sounds unsafe and dangerous.
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rcerick
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 10:31 am    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

Thanks. The 215/65 16" would be almost the same in terms of dimensional difference from the OE tires on now as the tires GoWesty sells:

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

Are you saying that only the 215/65 16" size offers the required load capacity? If so, what about regearing of the transmission with the risks described in many articles?
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 1:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

There is no required load cap, just what is installed as factory equipment.

Go-westy thinks that a 100 load rated tire is enough
https://www.gowesty.com/tech-article-details.php?id=30

GW does say to get rid of the 15" tire as they are not strong enough. But he never considers the "C"ommerial tires that are.

IMO stick with the 15" if you can continue to get those "C" tires in 102.

Go with some 16" wheels with the 215/65r16XL.

Generally if you go to a bigger tire you do not necessarily tax your transmission more. You effectively gear the finale drive ratio higher. This will cause a loss of power, and the trans will hunt for gear more often. You can always lock in the gear my shifting manually, while should be done anyways.

You should look into the difference between the gearing of the -2000 and 2001+ EVCs. Was there a difference? I am not sure that re-gearing is possible.


The idea that you need to "lift" to clear bigger tires is a misnomer. This type of lifting is to simply redistribute the amount of drop and compression travel of the wheel. THe wheel/tire still travels along the same travel path. Thus if it doesn't rub at a stand still it will with you drive and the wheel goes up and down.
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 3:34 pm    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

Thank you. My real question is whether installing the GoWesty package, including the larger wheels and tires, will damage or shorten the life of my drivetrain. I have 139,000 miles on it now and don’t need to risk that.
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 4:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

Given stock or oversized, I think the later would add more stress to the transmission.

But then so is driving up big hills in hot weather.

I don't think it would spell eminent doom from the trans. Hard call. I personally wouldn't, but I have put larger tires on a lot of other vehicles.
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PostPosted: Mon May 10, 2021 4:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Eurovan Wheel Size and Transmission Effects Reply with quote

You can't physically fit tires large enough in the wheel arches to cause transmission issues. I would avoid GW wheels, and just stick with Audi and Mk5 and up VW rims with 5x112 PCD. They're typically inexpensive to buy and way stronger than the Chinese rims GW sells and most have the correct offset. I'm running 235/60-16 tires on my van, and so are lots of others. The transmission thing is a red herring.
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