Low Rider Your Bus - In One Easy Step

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:34 am

Amskeptic wrote: Hey, listen up. . . punk, I bought that thing after it had endured 6 years of harsh northeast winter salt. It was rusting away. I cut away the rusted parts of the enclosed sill boxes and everything has been peachy for the last 23 years. Maybe a little more chassis flex, but hey.
Colin

It is your Volkswagen to hack upon as you see fit, kind sir. I have been fortunate, in that my bus was a west coast bus, originally- no salt added.

Make sure you get those pieces welded back in, mm'kay? (Office Space voice)

RussellK · Post by **RussellK** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:51 am

Is Colin kinda picky about his stapler?

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:53 am

VWBR: If you go for LT tires and want national support, check out the ones I bought at Discount Tire / America's Tire. They were like $85 installed each with road hazard warranty. They're Pathfinder Trail AP in the 27x8.5x14 size, C load rated, 6PR sidewalls.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTi ... &tc=KAZVL6

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:16 pm

DurocShark wrote:VWBR: If you go for LT tires and want national support, check out the ones I bought at Discount Tire / America's Tire. They were like $85 installed each with road hazard warranty. They're Pathfinder Trail AP in the 27x8.5x14 size, C load rated, 6PR sidewalls.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTi ... &tc=KAZVL6

$85 X 4= $340 done deal, mounted and balanced? The lives of many college girls will be riding on these tires, you see.

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:19 pm

VWBusrepairman wrote:
DurocShark wrote:VWBR: If you go for LT tires and want national support, check out the ones I bought at Discount Tire / America's Tire. They were like $85 installed each with road hazard warranty. They're Pathfinder Trail AP in the 27x8.5x14 size, C load rated, 6PR sidewalls.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTi ... &tc=KAZVL6
$85 X 4= $340 done deal, mounted and balanced? The lives of many college girls will be riding on these tires, you see.

That's what it was a little over 2 years ago when I bought them for the GWB. I still have 'em..

nakedfrog · Post by **nakedfrog** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:59 pm

When I was looking at tires, tirerack.com had (I believe) Yamaha 356 with Load Range C for $59, or D for $69 (of course, plus ~$45 for shipping, and then mounting).

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:06 pm

Yeah, that's the problem with Tirerack. The list prices are cheap, but not so much by the time you pay to ship and mount the tires.

static · Post by **static** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:35 pm

I used to buy those Yokohama Y356 tires, but they wear out too fast.
Waaay too fast. And it's not like I am spinning donuts in my Westy, either.

Now I have a set of Kumho tires, because I am broke and cannot afford Hankooks, Michelin's or Continentals.

(That, and it also pisses Karl off

)

Randy in Maine · Post by **Randy in Maine** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:41 pm

DurocShark wrote:VWBR: If you go for LT tires and want national support, check out the ones I bought at Discount Tire / America's Tire. They were like $85 installed each with road hazard warranty. They're Pathfinder Trail AP in the 27x8.5x14 size, C load rated, 6PR sidewalls.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTi ... &tc=KAZVL6

Too tall and gear you up too much. Likely to lead to highter CHTs.

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:07 am

Randy in Maine wrote:
DurocShark wrote:VWBR: If you go for LT tires and want national support, check out the ones I bought at Discount Tire / America's Tire. They were like $85 installed each with road hazard warranty. They're Pathfinder Trail AP in the 27x8.5x14 size, C load rated, 6PR sidewalls.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTi ... &tc=KAZVL6
Too tall and gear you up too much. Likely to lead to highter CHTs.

They're less than 1/2" taller than my 195r14's. I've had them stacked together.

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:25 am

With the 3-day weekend upon us, I'm going tire shopping to see if any of the shops here in town carry the 185 14C tire. I located a Kumho tire thus far at $50 per tire with my good boy discount. If I shell out the $$$ for the Hankooks at Busdepot, I still have to pay someone to mount/ balance them...so not sure if that is an advantage.

Sorry that this turned into yet another tire thread, folks. Thanks for the input, however.

Randy in Maine · Post by **Randy in Maine** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:42 am

Stock is 185R14 = 25.65" in dameter, 80.58" in circumference, 811 rev per mile.

195/80/14 = 26.28" diameter. 82.56" in circumference, 791.4 rev per mile.

27x8.50/14 = 26.92" in diameter, 84.57" in circumference, 772 rev per mile.

Just be aware that as you gear up the bus with taller tires, you are increasing the load on the engine. Personally I would go withthe 195R14s myself.

Ryan, call Petro's, High Speed, or Ben's Tire over there and see if they will meet or beat the price that you could get them from Bus Depot including the shipping, and mount/balance. Usually they will meet/beat that price.

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:55 am

Randy in Maine wrote:Stock is 185R14 = 25.65" in dameter, 80.58" in circumference, 811 rev per mile.

195/80/14 = 26.28" diameter. 82.56" in circumference, 791.4 rev per mile.

27x8.50/14 = 26.92" in diameter, 84.57" in circumference, 772 rev per mile.

Just be aware that as you gear up the bus with taller tires, you are increasing the load on the engine. Personally I would go withthe 195R14s myself.

Ryan, call Petro's, High Speed, or Ben's Tire over there and see if they will meet or beat the price that you could get them from Bus Depot including the shipping, and mount/balance. Usually they will meet/beat that price.

awesome- I should print this and show the tire shops to make sure they know not to sell me a mf p-tire like I bought in 2000- not knowing the difference. (the forums have made me a little wiser)

OB Bus · Post by **OB Bus** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:33 am

Randy in Maine wrote:Stock is 185R14 = 25.65" in dameter, 80.58" in circumference, 811 rev per mile.

195/80/14 = 26.28" diameter. 82.56" in circumference, 791.4 rev per mile.

27x8.50/14 = 26.92" in diameter, 84.57" in circumference, 772 rev per mile.

Just be aware that as you gear up the bus with taller tires, you are increasing the load on the engine. Personally I would go withthe 195R14s myself.

And I love my 205/75R15s (LT) on m'bus. That's some nice tall gearing.

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:39 am

Per Randy's recommendations, this is what I've found out, cost per tire:

High Speed $123.76, one in stock, 8 ply; Cooper Discovery
Hoosier Tire $116, one in stock 8 ply; Cooper SRN
Petro's Tire $150.88, 3 in stock, 6 ply; Goodyear Wrangler

I can see whay people cut corners in the past with a p-tire, but I'm still going to check a few more places. I only budgeted about $300 for a set of tires...might have to sell another engine or something to fund some sexy tires.

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Low Rider Your Bus - In One Easy Step

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