re
What is wrong with running a passenger tyre? Doesn't the placard on our
> syncros recommend passenger tyres?
If you see a 'P' .......well, here in the US anyway ..don't know what your
system has ..but could be the same , in the front of any tire size, such as
P205/70 R15 .......that means it's a Passenger car tire.
You deffenitely don't want those on a T3 syncro .
The handling and steering respsone will be vauge or mushy some..
and they won't have a load rating high enough for a vanagon.
LT tires are one spec for T3 vans ..such as ....195/75 R14 LT . That's a
2WD T3 Vanagon size for some years, the LT means 'light truck.'
LT tires are adequate for T3 vanagons.
you will also see load rating C or load rating D ..
as in 185 R14C ( which , confusingly can come in either C or D load
rating )
also C or D load rating can also be called 6PR or 8PR ..which means '6 ply
rating.'
I run, for exampe, Micheling Agilles 205/65 R15C tires.
that's a C load rated excellent summer/rain tire very adequate for T3 vans
....though no any off raod tire or a very large tire, but excellent road tire
.
One place where you really tell the load rating, and thus sidewall
stiffness, is to look at the max load rating in lbs, on the side of the tire ..(
for 'single' ......not for 'dual' mounting ) and how many psi max , measure
cold , the tire is capable of.
A typical C ( aka 6PR ) tire might be able to carry say 1,680 lbs at 55 psi
max, cold.
the same tire in D ( aka 8PR ) might be 1.750 lbs max , mounted single, at
65 psi cold max pressure.
I strongly recommend against D ( 8PR ) tires mounted in the front. In
my eperinece..if the pressure it on the high side of the allowed range, the van
tends to jump around on bumps some, rather than track straight like it should.
If I lower front tire pressure to fix that, the 'turn in' sharpness goes away
..and steering input repsonse is vague.
what I really like ....is D's in the rear, and C's in the front.
If running a tire ( and 14's are passe anyway ) but if running say 185 R
15C's ...
D laod rating ones in the rear, and C's in the front gives very good
steering turn in repsonse, and stabiilty while cornering.
on my michelin agilles 205/65 R15C's while they are both C load rated
..
about 5 ot 6 pis more in the rear ....and straight line tracking, turn in
repsonse, and stability while cornerig are very good.
If I try to set up four 185 R15C's in D load rating ....I just can't get
the handling/tracking/sterring repsonse that I want ...no matter what I do with
the tire pressures.
But D's in the rear, C's in the front ..perfect.
195 R15C is also a good T3 van size.
one more thing ..
on the tire placard for some T3 Syncro vans you'll see '205/70
R14 Reinforced.'
those are very rugged orignal type tires. Uusually we don't see tires with
the 'reinforced' label on them these days, but you may see that.
last line ...some some Syncro tire labels ....it shows D tires in the rear,
C's in the front.
You can't rotate them front-to-rear to even out wear that way ..
but the handling benefit is well worth it.
"many' modern cars, particularily performance cars ..
or almost all performance cars have dedicated front and rear tires.
so do all motorcyles,
and ( usually ) all open wheel formula type race cars.
having dedicaed front and rear tires ...
by load rating or size ..is 'always' benefical ( rear drive cars
anyway ) in terms of handline.
Synco's of course must run the same size tires all around.
but there's a lot to be gained .......
first , T3 Van tires have to be rated strongly enough ....stiffer sidewalls
compared to car tires is one factor ....plus load rating ..
with intellegent selection tire type, and wheels, and tire pressures
there's a lot to be gained
in terms of on the road handling ..and safety.
off road is another ball game of course.
and you can not count in tire stores to sell you the correct tires for your
Syncro ..
not where I am anyway. Some will just put on 'P' tires and not know better
at all.
Tires .....and tires and wheels...
are a lot of fun. And rewarding to get just right.
The discussion can go on forever of course. So many choices and
differeing requirements for various T3 owners.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 12:25
PM
Subject: Re: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia]
Tyres
LT=Stronger sidewalls/more resistance to damage
Passenger=Better
handling
No real relationship to load rating. (LI)
Lots of myths
about this one!
> erik Hoeflinger <erikhoeflinger@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>
>
> What is wrong with running a passenger tyre?
Doesn't the placard on our
> syncros recommend passenger tyres?
>
>
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
>
From: teows@melbpc.org.au
>
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 23:01:19 +1100
> Subject: Re:
[Syncro_T3_Australia] Tyres
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I just found out, not a good choice, only available as a
passenger tyre.
>
> t 11:13 AM 20/01/2011, you wrote:
>
>
> >
> >Francesca, Gary,
> >
> >Time
to get some tyres for our new rims.I had a look at the MAXXIS
>
>MA-751 BRAVO 225/75R15 quoted price $187 fitted.
> >Any
Syncronauts has experience with this tyre?
> >
>
>Cheers
> >
> >Theo
> >
> >
>
>
>
>