Date:         Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:05:08 +0000
Reply-To:     Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Tire size question
Comments: To: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To:  <AF8F3B85-3CD5-48AC-8DBB-F53B5EE297B6@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

 Basic Physics dictate that it is best to keep with outside tire diameter as the whole thing was conceived.  Why?  Bigger outside rubber means less acceleration power.  Less braking power.  Screwy speedometer too.

    On Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 03:09:50 PM PST, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:  
 
 OK good people, 

        Take this out to another thread.  No hijacking my tire size and tire learning thread. 

        Before we get all side tracked back to helping me figure out how to not only determine diameter but also side wall stiffness, and chance to get some hight without rubbing slider or front end. 

My van is a 85 and generally sits high, though I think my front is sinking a bit, and I plan to simply use some very nicely made front shims to get back that inch or so I’ve lost. 

Eric 


> On Nov 17, 2024, at 5:56 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Karl, I was just stating the difference between you and me given the things
> you stated about the van.  I am by nature a cautious individual.  I did not
> say, "push it off on" someone else.  I said, "push it to someone else."
> There is a difference in meaning.  Let's drop it, shall we?
> 
> On Sun, Nov 17, 2024 at 1:35 PM Karl <tdiguru@westyventures.com> wrote:
> 
>> You read too much into every word. Or you just have some looney axe to
>> grind against me, for which I say 'bugger off' although I am thinking
>> much harsher words. 😛
>> 
>> Let me try again:
>> THIS VAN IS NOT A RUST BUCKET. Yes, it does have minor rust in the
>> rockers and a few seams. Most Vanagons east of the Rockies do. I've
>> owned in excess of 40 Vanagons and have worked on them since 1982
>> professionally so I think 'I know a thing or two'.
>> 
>> NOW I plan to "push it off on someone"? HUH??? What the H E
>> doubletoothpicks are you talking about? I HAVE ZERO PLANS TO SELL IT.
>> I've had several sets of friends borrow it for events and one for a
>> 2-month PNW explorative trip and ALL LOVED IT and said it was one of the
>> best driving Westies they've driven. 😛
>> 
>> 
>> On 11/17/2024 1:06 PM, David McNeely wrote:
>>> I don't "know nothing about" your van "at all."  I know what you told
>>> me.  Safety aside, for reason of the things you described, I would not
>>> (and would not have from the beginning) kept (or acquired in the first
>>> place) the vehicle.  That you did and plan to push it to someone else
>>> is YOUR action.  Mine would be different.
>>> 
>>> On Sun, Nov 17, 2024 at 12:35 PM Karl <tdiguru@westyventures.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>    HUH? What? Are you making a judgement of something you know nothing
>>>    about? Wow.
>>> 
>>>    EVERYTHING SAFETY + MECHANICALLY RELATED WAS REPAIRED, I AM NOT AN
>>>    IDIOT!
>>>    There are ZERO safety issues in this Westy! Leaks have been sealed as
>>>    they pop up, the auto trans is the current culprit, a bit of
>>>    'wack-a-mole'. It drives as nicely as any Westy you'll find. Front
>>>    brakes are now Audi A6.
>>> 
>>>    https://photos.app.goo.gl/JD6nnDNE1aT4KRuSA
>>> 
>>> 
>>>    On 11/17/2024 12:12 PM, David McNeely wrote:
>>>> And tell us again why this vehicle is kept on the road at all?
>>>> 
>>>> On Sun, Nov 17, 2024 at 11:55 AM Karl
>>>    <tdiguru@westyventures.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>      It's highly unlikely my Westy will ever find its way across
>> the
>>>>      country
>>>>      again, given the current canine family size and the Westy
>>>    leaking
>>>>      almost
>>>>      every fluid, haha! It's also in the queue for a conversion
>>>    to mTDI,
>>>>      Syncro manual transmission and Syncro tank in the near
>>>    future, which
>>>>      will take the mpg to 30-ish and 1000-mile range.
>>>> 
>>>>      It isn't a really nice van overall, as it came via the samba
>>>    from
>>>>      Minnesota where it was exposed to a lot of salt underneath.
>>>    I had to
>>>>      replace every part of the braking system and many other
>>>    rusted parts
>>>>      underneath. Some rust in the rockers, hidden by the
>>>    fiberglass panels.
>>>>      The transmission had a galley plug rusted out, which I
>>>    discovered
>>>>      when I
>>>>      filled the transmission. That was fixed with a rubber plug
>>>    and a metal
>>>>      clamp bolted into a nearby bolt hole. The engine had a
>> cobbled
>>>>      together
>>>>      mess of original pipes and undersized patches welded in. The
>>>    first
>>>>      drive, the oil buzzer came on when hot. At the time a friend
>>>    who does
>>>>      conversion had a Euro DJ 112i engine he had just pulled
>> from a
>>>>      customer
>>>>      van, available for $600 with wiring harness and ECU so I
>>>    jumped on it.
>>>>      It will be for sale after the TDI conversion is finished.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>      On 11/17/2024 7:17 AM, Eric Caron wrote:
>>>>      > Hi Karl and others,
>>>>      >
>>>>      >       We could search for differences in the vans
>> for
>>>    days.Â
>>>>      And  state this is not a scientifically valid study. But,
>>>    to save
>>>>      time.  I agree with that.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > Still, Karl’s van is about the closest I’ll find to
>> compare.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > My less then scientific thinking is that if I’m getting
>> 15 mpg
>>>>      with smaller tires and Karl gets 16.5 or better with larger
>>>    tires.
>>>>      Then maybe.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > If Karl ran tires smaller his MPG might go down some.ÂÂ
>> If
>>>    that
>>>>      is correct.  Maybe increasing my tire diameter to match
>> Karl’s
>>>>      might increase my Mpg some.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > I know we could talk about tire friction, type of roads
>> near
>>>>      Karl and me, and temperature differences, type of gas we
>> put in
>>>>      the tank, and how I weigh more then Karl.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > But, is it kind of possible that there really is
>> something to
>>>>      the wheel diameter and MPG?
>>>>      >
>>>>      > Remember all the 1970 adds telling us to be sure our tires
>>>    were
>>>>      inflated?  Were they tricking me?  OK they probably
>> were.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > OK, the tire inflation might be about friction not
>> diameter of
>>>>      tire, they didn’t say.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > I think the solution is that Karl should drive over here
>> to VT
>>>>      and we do a drive side by side with the vans, then we switch
>>>>      wheels and do it again.  Both at the same time of day,
>> gas from
>>>>      the same station, and the vans matched for weight.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > No bra on either van, same mirrors, same wax on the body.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > We can do this!
>>>>      >
>>>>      > Karl, we can do it before West River Westies July 2025.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > And your van sounds nice.  How did you ever end up with
>> that
>>>>      engine? I only recently learned about those European
>> versions of
>>>>      our water boxers.
>>>>      >
>>>>      > Eric
>>>>      >
>>>>      >
>>>>      >> On Nov 17, 2024, at 2:26 AM, Karl Mullendore
>>>>      <tdiguru@WESTYVENTURES.COM> wrote:
>>>>      >>
>>>>      >> Other factors are mine is a Multivan poptop, at 4300
>>>    feet, and
>>>>      a good running
>>>>      >> 112i with factory Digijet, totally stock except for the
>>>    4-hole
>>>>      injectors. You
>>>>      >> have a slightly larger engine at sea level running GW's
>>>>      whatever they threw
>>>>      >> together which may or may not achieve as good mileage
>> ever.
>>>>      >> Karl
>>>> 
>>> 
>>