CaveVan Forum
VW T4 "Eurovans" => Tires and wheels! => Topic started by: Cole on May 18, 2015, 10:45:33 am
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The question comes up often "what tires" and "what wheels"?
This is just a place holder at the moment. So let's fill this thread with pictures and information about what fits, availability, cost, mileage experience, etc.
Links and pictures to certain tires and pictures of them on your van would help a great deal!
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Well I'll kick this off and state that if looking for new wheels or tyres for your van then a few things need to be taken into consideration.
First off, the wheel stud pattern or PCD, on the T4 eurovan, this is 5x 112. So this is the first factor when looking for a suitable wheel.
Secondly the centre bore, this is the hole in the centre of the wheel that locates in spigot on the wheel hub, on the eurovan and 99.9% of all VWs this is 57.1mm.
So armed with the above figures you can start looking for your next set of wheels, which would include most wheels from Audi, VW and Mercedes, although Mercedes have the same pcd of 5x112 as VW, the centre bore is larger than VW , this can be overcome by buying spigot rings. ( search VW to Mercedes spigot rings on eBay ) .
Some other points to consider:
Early eurovan as standard may have came with 14 inch wheels, fitting these to newer vans may not be possible as they may not clear the brake calipers.
Wheel ET , is also a consideration , this is how far the the wheel sits of centre ( or away from the hub ) a too high of an ET may cause problems as it may foul on suspension components, or scrub on the fenders or not allow full lock on steering, the ET of a wheel is also effected by the with of the rim, a 5j rim is narrower than a 6j rim etc .
Also remember that your Eurovan is based on a commercial vehicle and is heavy, so when considering what wheels to choose, the load rating needs to be considered, usually the manufacturer will be able to advise on this and is usually stated on their website and is stamped on the inside of the wheel, where as fitting VW or Audi wheels etc don't usually have these markings but you may be able to Google the part number stamped on the wheel to obtain this, but generally car wheels will not be rated for van use even tho they physically fit, which is common sense as a VW Golf weighs far less than a Eurovan.
Tyres:
As above tyres need to be load rated too, you can fit car tyres or commercial tyres, car tyres generally have a lower profile than a commercial tyre and will wearout quicker. Load rating for the tyre is on the tyre after the size, eg. 205/65/16c 101.
205 is the width of the tread area. 65 is the side wall aspect ratio , that is in this case 65% of the tread area. 16 is the rim size in inches. " C" designates a commercial tyre. 101 in this example is the load rating, in a car tyre of the same approx size the load rating may be around 91 or if its extra load tyre 94 which is too low.
That's enough for now, I'll edit this post of typos and will add further info as it comes to me.
Further reading here:
http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html (http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html)
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A few comments on wheel "ET"
Every wheel should have a stamp on the back side of the spokes indicating its "et". It will say something like "et35" or "et45". This measurement is in mm.
The LOWER the number the further OUT the wheel will stick.
The HIGHER the number, the further IN the wheel will sit.
An et35 wheel will stick out 10mm further than an et45 wheel for example.
Many people run aftermarket et35 wheels because these are very common in the Audi/VW world. This makes the edge of the tire stick out past the edge of the fender on a Eurovan. Not far, but enough that it will effect what tires you can run.
When a wheel sticks out too far it puts it closer to interfering with the corners of the fender when turning and the upper lip of the fender when going over bumps.(wheel won't go up inside the fender but hits the lip)
To make these common et35 wheels work you must limit the height and width of your tires and be okay with the edge of the tire sticking out just a touch.
I've found that an et42 is a much better fitting wheel on a Eurovan. This puts the edge of the wheel 13mm further in.
Keeping them just under the fender lip of the Eurovan and allowing the maximum height and width tire.
An 8" wide wheel will clear the suspension components with et42!!
Using et42 wheels I've been able to fit 255/45/18" tires and also 225/70/16" tires!!
Both of those wider and taller than many people have thought possible! The 255/70/16 require a small .75" lift for best fit.
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My wheels are after market AEZ Quadro alloys which have a high load index and suitable for heavy campers , they are 16 inch 6.5j width and are ET43 the rears have a 20mm spacer fitted as they where too far tucked in at the rear for my liking ..
Tyre size is 195 65 16c on front and 205 65 16c on rear,
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I have 225/70/16 BFG ATs on a set of 16" rims that came off of a late model Jetta. Not sure what the ET is on them but I will looke tonight and post. They fit good with no problems upfront and only a small amount of rub on hard turns on the lower rearl lip of the plastic bumper cover. Just a little trim and it was all good.
Sorry not the best picks and the van is very dirty but I will snap some tonight that should show them a little better.
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Just coming home from our first trip this summer. Bad news is that there is a slow leak in from a previously fixed tire. Time for new tires ad looking for suggestions. 99 EVC with GoWesty lift and level kit and probably original tires from that. Looking for a good all year tire for mostly highway and back roads driving. Maybe a bit of off road to get to campsites. A fairly significant amount of dirt roads to run shuttles for River trips. What would people recommend?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Just coming home from our first trip this summer. Bad news is that there is a slow leak in from a previously fixed tire. Time for new tires ad looking for suggestions. 99 EVC with GoWesty lift and level kit and probably original tires from that. Looking for a good all year tire for mostly highway and back roads driving. Maybe a bit of off road to get to campsites. A fairly significant amount of dirt roads to run shuttles for River trips. What would people recommend?
Looking for highway and backroad -- not sure it can happen in one tire. If you bought the GoWesty kit -- were those Geolanders? I'm very interested in hearing a review on those from an EV-owner standpoint.
I've been running an 02 EVW on 215/70r16 BFG ATs on the stock rim with a small lift (all set up by the PO). Tight fit on the van but have been very durable and get great grip "off road" ;) They look great, however they sure are noisy and rumbly on pavement -- which is ample evidence that they are not so fantastic for fuel economy. The tread wear has been really good -- but I'm still leaning on something more highway oriented for the near future.
Currently I've been looking at upsizing to either a 17 or 18" rim where there seems to be a lot more choice in tires that are weight rating appropriate -- thanks to all the SUVs out there. I'm interested in fitting up some 225/55/18s (perhaps Geolanders?) which are about the same diameter as my current set up. I figure the Geolanders keep some of the rugged looks but improves matters by decreasing the rolling resistance.
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I have been happy with our BFGs ATs so far. A little noiseier on the highway but I am slowly doing Fat Mat everywhere and the wheel wells I have done are much quieter. I fit 225/70/16 on ours after the lift and they work but it is tight.
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Hello everyone,
I got a 2002 EuroVan (used to be a GLS).
I want to put on 17" wheels.
The commends I was reading sofar explained really well what I need to watch out for.
What are the best looking combination vs the best gravel road setting vs comfort on highways or faster turns???
I like low profile tires or at least lower than the standard tires used with a 16" rim.
As more pictures you guys post as easier it will be for me to pick 17" or 18".....
I can not make up my mind and I'm on the fence since a year.
Thanks!!!!!
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Cole,
Are you running spacers on your Mercedes wheels or just hubcentric rings? Do you have a good source for the parts required? I'm looking to get a similar set, just need to do a lift first!
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Cole,
Are you running spacers on your Mercedes wheels or just hubcentric rings? Do you have a good source for the parts required? I'm looking to get a similar set, just need to do a lift first!
Yes, the stock ML wheels are et62 so I have them spaced out to et42
I used a aluminum spacer made for Mercedes 66.5 center bore the added an aluminum 66.5 to 57.1 ring.
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Will the following MB ML350 wheels work on late model EVC? They have ET 56...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MERCEDES-ML320-ML350-R350-17-2006-2007-06-07-FACTORY-OEM-RIM-WHEEL-65366-/121100256315
I have stock 16" wheels at the moment but looking to upgrade to 17" since there're much more tire choices.
-albertr
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Will the following MB ML350 wheels work on late model EVC? They have ET 56...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MERCEDES-ML320-ML350-R350-17-2006-2007-06-07-FACTORY-OEM-RIM-WHEEL-65366-/121100256315
I have stock 16" wheels at the moment but looking to upgrade to 17" since there're much more tire choices.
-albertr
Those would look cool on a EV.
A 15mm spacer would put them at et41, or a 10mm spacer would put them at et46. Either one would work well on the Eurovan.
Will also need hub centric rings to convert the 66.6 mm Mercedes center bore to 57.1 VW.
All of the above can be found on eBay too.
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Great, thanks Cole! I'll take a look to see if I can get them on ebay... 15m spacers - I guess I'll need longer lug bolts for them?
-albertr
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15mm longer ;)
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I love the 18x8 audi monoblocks offered on early a8's, they have a 48mm offset but I have some concerns. I can't find much on load rating, am unsure what an 8"wheel with that offset would do with eurovan suspension, and want to make sure rubbing/weight issues wouldn't pop up.
These type...
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/5887133326_2039e0611e_b.jpg)
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I love the 18x8 audi monoblocks offered on early a8's, they have a 48mm offset but I have some concerns. I can't find much on load rating, am unsure what an 8"wheel with that offset would do with eurovan suspension, and want to make sure rubbing/weight issues wouldn't pop up.
These type...
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/5887133326_2039e0611e_b.jpg)
The 8" wheel will clear at et42 so you will need a 5mm spacer. The Mercedes ML wheels I run on my blue van are 8" wide. The inside clearance is close, but works well.
An Audi A8 weighs quite a bit, carries 5 passengers and is expected to perform like a sports sedan. I wouldn't worry about load ratings. Audi doesn't skimp on their wheels. I'm sure every wheel they make is designed to far exceed the capacity of the car.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5809/20547544049_55da914703_b_d.jpg)
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I have 225/70/16 BFG AT's on a set of 16" rims that came off of a late model Jetta. Not sure what the ET is on them but I will look tonight and post. They fit good with no problems upfront and only a small amount of rub on hard turns on the lower rear lip of the plastic bumper cover. Just a little trim and it was all good.
Sorry not the best picks and the van is very dirty but I will snap some tonight that should show them a little better.
Do you have any lift with this setup and if so, how much? Did you ever determine the ET on those wheels and are they adequate for the load of a EVC? How has the increased height effected performance?
I am asking all these questions because I am looking at the Nokian WR G3 in the 225/70-16 (28.4") with a service rating of 107H for my next tire and maybe the GoWesty alloy wheels which have an ET of 38mm. Although the Nokian WR G3 in 235/60-16 (27.1") and service rating of 104H would probably be a better choice and have been proven to fit with the GoWesty lift kit. My current suspension is the Bilstein Sport shocks and only one rear left spring spacer to level the back and no change to the front torsion bars.
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Hello everyone,
I got a 2002 EuroVan (used to be a GLS).
I want to put on 17" wheels.
The commends I was reading sofar explained really well what I need to watch out for.
What are the best looking combination vs the best gravel road setting vs comfort on highways or faster turns???
I like low profile tires or at least lower than the standard tires used with a 16" rim.
As more pictures you guys post as easier it will be for me to pick 17" or 18".....
I have been happy with my 17'' Audi wheels, with 225/60 R17 tires and they fit almost perfect and had about 1mm rub on the back very edge of the bumper that is hardly noticable (mostly on the inner lip portion) and it rubbed enough clearance on their own.
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/29/9e5891a242837a585fe4758e685fdcdc.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/29/6c44125c5afd25f97a9e3c47954545f6.jpg)
These are the tires I got if interested, been very happy so far and they surpass the load rating required for a full camper (can't say the same for the wheels) great all season tire: http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTireDetail.do?c=0&rcz=85295&ar=60&rf=true&rd=17&rc=AZEINT&cs=225&dVeh=dVeh&ra=searchForMostPopularTires.do&fl=&tc=NITRH6&yr=2013&pc=15265&vid=023402
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No snow around these parts but looking for a good standard highway tire on regular stock wheels. Any suggestions?
Seems the 15" with correct load rating is a tad hard to find. Perhaps I should bite the the bullet on a 16" or 17" wheel conversion assuming that that size has more available rubber with the correct load rating. Family van so I don't need 18's and low profile :D, but just some long wearing freeway rubber.
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Hi
Here are mine
BBS SR 17" x7.5 e.t 35mm
Tyres are 215/50/17
Load rated wheels and tyres for my weight camper
Van has factory sports suspension,although i have no idea what this actually entails,ive heard anything between a 15-30mm drop
but dont know for sure
I dont have any rubbing issues at all and the sliding door clears the wheel without a wedge
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/porschetrimr/2B3052CB-2129-4FEF-9731-DC54B848FC83_zpsy57himdt.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/porschetrimr/media/2B3052CB-2129-4FEF-9731-DC54B848FC83_zpsy57himdt.jpg.html)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/porschetrimr/F9DF76CC-AB89-4CC6-ACA8-A6DE68BD6C1B_zpshzw7e2xh.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/porschetrimr/media/F9DF76CC-AB89-4CC6-ACA8-A6DE68BD6C1B_zpshzw7e2xh.jpg.html)
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More fitment pics
No poke to speak of but with hindsight an et of 40 or 45 mm would have been better if i wanted to really slam it
Although im fancying lifting it and going with some more aggresive tyres
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/porschetrimr/12F25C45-48DE-45B9-BD0A-DD147454AC69_zpsois1g0uc.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/porschetrimr/media/12F25C45-48DE-45B9-BD0A-DD147454AC69_zpsois1g0uc.jpg.html)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/porschetrimr/EA7263D5-6172-4B08-A92A-B1939D7C0882_zpsrrr3neif.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/porschetrimr/media/EA7263D5-6172-4B08-A92A-B1939D7C0882_zpsrrr3neif.jpg.html)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/porschetrimr/B3C60267-AEA1-4CC0-84E6-0DF35E7BA4E0_zpslxekjcmt.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/porschetrimr/media/B3C60267-AEA1-4CC0-84E6-0DF35E7BA4E0_zpslxekjcmt.jpg.html)
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those look nice porschetrimr!!
So first issue with the new to me 93 MV, there is a crack on on of the front wheel spokes. Glad I found it now rather then pushing the van far from home.
Going to stick the spare on for now.
I like the spare steel look (crazy I know), and it is cheap while I figure out what else might need $$. So was thinking of just going that route for new rims up to a 16 for more tire choices. Or is it better to go 17?
The local tire/wheel guys suggested a 16x6.5" wheel with ET41 (pacer 83b fwd black mods) wearing some Kumho Road Venture APT KL51 with 104 load rating. 235/60/r16 104h,
so will the 41 and 235 will be a tiny bit closer than the et42 suggest, but will that foul any suspension parts?
so many options, hard to land on a wheel size that will allow for the most rubber choices.
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You talked about ET 42 rims and being able to mount 255/45/18 with 18x8j rim .
I am going to look at 255/45/18 18x8.5 and offset of 43 Mercedes ... Alufelgen 5-Speichen-Design 8,5 x 18 Zoll ET43 sterlingsilber and see if they will fit?
I have also checked on www.willtheyfit.com its saying 16.1mm closer than your 8.7mm to the strut and 22mm to your 16.7 poke. i know these are 10th's of an inch closer and wider. Do you know if I will have a problem with rubbing or sliding door clearance?
99 eurovan MV
Lance
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Only one way to really know :o
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i was wondering if they're were any suggestions on these wheels load ratings including full load capacity and or towing up to 3500 lbs. . in the links below i attached the manufacturers web page with suggested load ratings.the wheels are a bit "blingy" too me but its the closest style to AMG's i can find with the recommended size and fit. my eurovan is the vwt4 swb 7 passenger model minus the pop top. based on Cole's suggestions i was looking at the 18"x 8" x et42 wheels which are highlighted @ 1580lbs. load rating per wheel. i am welcome to any suggestions for retailers of AMG/AUDI wheels with the same measurements. what minimum wheel load rating should i be looking for? any info on what the 2001-2003 model year eurovan 5 spokes are rated at? that would be a good spectrum to gauge aftermarket wheels to.
http://www.kmcwheels.com/wheelSpecs/2010/12/6801/km775-rockstar-car
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BYQV1O/ref=ox_sc_imb_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
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I have been happy with my 17'' Audi wheels, with 225/60 R17 tires and they fit almost perfect and had about 1mm rub on the back very edge of the bumper that is hardly noticable (mostly on the inner lip portion) and it rubbed enough clearance on their own.
I've been considering bumping up from 15" to 17" wheels as well and 235/60 R17 tires. I'm trying to figure out the fit. I measure from my current 15" tires to the bumper and I get 1.5" to the rear bumper and 2.0" to the front. It looks like it would be less with more lift in the suspension. I'm wondering why yours had a close fit but mine looks like it won't fit. My questions: What year is your EVC? Is your suspension lifted? Was your wear spot in the front or rear?
I love the look of those Audi wheels.
Kozmo
99EVC
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I'm looking at tires. I'd like a little bit larger tire, but not so big as to have to trim the wheel wells. I also don't want to replace the stock wheels if I can.Right now I'm looking at the Geolanders in 235/65/R16 or BFG AT KO2's in 215/65/R16.
Two questions. 1) Anyone have comments about which is better? 2) If I need to put in spacers, can I get away with 0.75"? Or do I need 1.5"? I'd prefer to avoid raising the van too high as I want to continue parking in a low garage.
Thanks.
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I did a lot of research here and just made my own tire purchase about 2 weeks ago. I purchased a set of Nokian Entyres for my 2001 Eurovan, size 225 60 R16. They fit the stock 16" wheel, come with a 102H XL load rating, have a comfortable ride and are just as quiet at the Michelins they replaced. They have a 75,000 mile warranty. Best of all, they were $67 a corner on Amazon.com, and shipping is FREE for Prime members!
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Wow! That's a good deal. I went to Amazon to buy a set and they are down to...... One tire. Just my luck. ;D I'll keep an eye on them though!
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mercedes 7 x 16 steels et31 on my 95 syncro multivan, fitted with 215/70 16 bfg at's
(http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt124/BALDY3260/WP_20151008_14_12_48_Pro_zpspgebgpnl.jpg) (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/BALDY3260/media/WP_20151008_14_12_48_Pro_zpspgebgpnl.jpg.html)
cheers baldy
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I just mounted some 225/60/16 Nokian WR G3 tires on et45 Audi wineglass wheels. I was worried about rubbing but they seem ok. The specs I found say the rim is 8". After mounting them I have a metallic grinding clunking noise in the front when I slow down. I discovered my passenger side outer tie rod was ripped. I don't know if the new tires/larger wheels caused this or not.
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I just mounted some 225/60/16 Nokian WR G3 tires on et45 Audi wineglass wheels. I was worried about rubbing but they seem ok. The specs I found say the rim is 8". After mounting them I have a metallic grinding clunking noise in the front when I slow down. I discovered my passenger side outer tie rod was ripped. I don't know if the new tires/larger wheels caused this or not.
I ran 8" wide wheels at et42 and it was tight at the tie rods. Et45 would be 3mm closer. Easy enough to look under the back of the wheels to see how the tie rod fits next to the tie rod end.
A 5mm spacer would put them at et40 and probably give you the needed room.
Most of the wheels people are using are 6.5-7.5" wide.
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Thanks Cole- I'll check closer into the clearances. Where would I find a 5mm spacer??
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Honestly any Autoparts store will have a generic 5-7mm spacer. Or check ebay
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I crawled under and checked it all out. It does not look at all like anything is touching the tie rod end. I have bigger problems now: I had a severe vibration in the rear of van after I mounted the new tires. I took them back for a rebalance and tire person said the rim was bent slightly. He balanced it out and I put it on the right rear. Vibration is better but still there. Guess that's what I get for buying used rims. Plus the new tires are really noisy. I am probably going to have to get another used rim.
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mercedes 7 x 16 steels et31 on my 95 syncro multivan, fitted with 215/70 15 bfg at's
(http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt124/BALDY3260/WP_20151008_14_12_48_Pro_zpspgebgpnl.jpg) (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/BALDY3260/media/WP_20151008_14_12_48_Pro_zpspgebgpnl.jpg.html)
cheers baldy
Nice van baldy!
Did you get the steelies barreled wider?
Also where did you get that arch kit?
How much larger of a tire wheel combo will that arch kit let you run?
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
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hi filmshoot, standard merc steels, not banded, wheel arch trims from here http://www.bluebird-type2.co.uk/t4%20exterior%20parts.htm , just screw/clip on, not much larger, it's very tight an the rear at that size. hth baldy
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Thx
I'm trying to find arches that allow for larger tires
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
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Found a set of 5 Audi 5x112 16x7 ET45's for an A6. "Champagne" style according to the ad. Would these work for a 95 EVC? I plan on lifting the rear 1.5" on drivers side and 1" on passenger side and then compensating with torsion bars in the front. I have no idea what I am doing though (just found the torsion bars btw, took an hour) so any advice is greatly appreciated...
Also, any tire recommendations? I was thinking the geolanders via my local discount tire.
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Thanks Cole- I'll check closer into the clearances. Where would I find a 5mm spacer??
spacers will certainly work, but you will also need to get longer wheel bolts to hold the wheels properly. Also make sure the wheels wouldn't rub on the outer part. if you decide to go the spacer route you can check this tech article: The Trick Way To Determine What Size Wheel Spacer You Need (http://www.carid.com/articles/the-trick-way-to-determine-what-size-wheel-spacer-you-need.html)
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Great thread!
I'm lifting my 95 Winnebago EVC with the Cavevan spacers and adding 16" wheels. I just bought 5 used steel VW wheels from a late model Jetta for $100.
I was hoping to run 235/60-16 tires......not because I know much about tires but rather due to that size being recommend on the Gowesty website.
The Jetta wheels I purchased stamped "ET50" and measure 7.5" wide from outside to outside. However, I don't know if this means they are a 7.5" wide wheel (6.5 is stamped on them and they measure 6.5" from inner lip to inner lip). The original wheels on the van are stamped "15x6" and "ET44".
So, my questions are: Are these wheels wide enough to keep it stable after lifting? And will the 235/60-16 tires fit on this wheel?
Lastly, a loaded EVC is a lot heavier than a Jetta. Will the Jetta wheels be strong enough?
(if it matters, 90% of the miles I put on this van are HWY....lots of mountain driving. The remaining 10% is on rougher gravel and dirt roads. HWY or dirt, I drive slower and easier than most everyone)
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These are 235/60/16s on those same wheels.
No lift on this van.
They will support your camper fine.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5817/23028449783_8c26332231_z_d.jpg)
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Perfect! Thanks, Cole!
Would I gain enough extra handling stability to make it worth the effort and expense of adding spacers to push the wheels out a bit?
Also, I sort of like the idea of a narrower tire for less rolling resistance and road noise...say a a 215/65/16 rather than the wider 235/60/16. Again though, I have stability in the back of my mind while driving curvy mountain roads...so perhaps the 235/60/16s would be the better choice. Thoughts?
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There really isn't a significant stability difference either way. We are talking a few mm here or there.
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After poking around on the Net some more and giving this extra thought, I ask myself "Rather than spending the money on the 16" wheels, why not just keep the stock 15" wheels already on the van, and stick taller tires on them"?
I haven't paid for the 16" Jetta wheels yet. The seller said to take them and make sure they were what I wanted before paying him.
I see that 225/70/15 is just a touch taller than the 235/60/16 I was planning on running....and the 215/70/15 just a touch shorter.
I understand that I may be a little more limited on selection with the 15's (maybe less so on a 215/75/15) but I see that all are available in the 100T rating, which, as I understand from GW, is sufficient enough for these vans.
I could save myself $100 on the wheels by going this route....which would ease my financial burden of purchasing the spacers and shocks.
What are the downsides of my logic here of just sticking taller tires on the 15" wheels already on my van?
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By increasing tires height without increasing the wheel size you tend to gain sidewall height.
Go try this experiment.
Wiggle your steering wheel and watch the front tire. You will see that the wheel actually starts to move before the contact patch on the ground moves.
The larger sidewall you have have he more disconnect you have between "trying to steer" and "actually steering"
This is most noticeable under heavy braking. The tire can road and the actions of the steering wheel have a delayed effect.
The difference between a 15-16 isn't huge. Some people will never notice.
I personally like to control as many variables when modifying things.
In this example, there is the ride height change of the suspension and the extra height of the tires. To make be those modifications work the best they can, we can minimize the sidewall flex by increasing wheel size or running even higher load rates tires.
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Thanks! I should have known that. Hence the reason performance/track cars have very low profile tires....
I've found some higher load rated 215/75/15 tires (106 rating) - Goodyear Wrangler HT, Goodyear Wrangler AT/S, and Kumho Road Venture AT51. Only getting 20-25k out of my Goodyear G26 Cargos....so am gunshy to buy another set of Goodyear tires. The Kumho is supposedly a 55k tire. Maybe it is worth consideration in this size???
But, the 215/75/15 may be getting a little bigger in diameter than I want.....
Damn! Why do I have to make everything so difficult!! On the flip side, I'm almost always very pleased with the end results. :-)
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Cole....or anyone else,
Any last thoughts on the 215/75/15 Kumho tires? They are 6 ply with a 106 rating and max load of 2095 pounds. Good reviews, nice price, and seemingly good warranty.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Road+Venture+AT51&partnum=175R5AT51&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
Would it be reasonable to think their extra stiffness might make up for their sidewall height for this application?
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Looks like those will work perfectly :)
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I am either getting rid of my van or attempting to make it work better on back roads. I am thinking of going with the 16" wine glass Audi rims as the size and offset are what I want. I am planning on running 21570R16 tires. My tire of choice is the Nokain Rotiiva AT Plus. I have friends that swore by the Nokain Vatiiva tires when they were available and these look like their replacement. Anybody have any insight on this?
My research also uncovered this: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/wheels/15-16-audi-wheels-5x112.htm
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Post pix when u can
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
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Here's what I run during the summer months on my 2000 weekender TDI Syncro:
VW factory 17" alloys from a 2012-15 Passat, VW p/n: 561-601-025-A-8Z8
Tires: 225/55/17 Nokian Entyre XL
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160923/d519270e51a07d3c9971727be1265e90.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160923/15ff3c5c2d3d0f93b70ebe995c84a5a2.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160923/92367a972cd92bbe90db3d4218a2b69f.jpg)
2000 EVW 5-spd TDI
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Oh I didn't know 17s fit. Nice van Justin, what do you roll in the winter?
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
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Oh I didn't know 17s fit. Nice van Justin, what do you roll in the winter?
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
17s fit, and even 18s and 19s. They are just increasingly hard to find load rated tires for them.
These are 17s with the same size tire Justin is running.
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/2/1575/26057361371_b135d485b9_c.jpg)
These are 18s with 255/45/18s
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/4/3821/12649819514_a88b71ce23_c.jpg)
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In winter I've been running 15" studless Bridgestone Blizzaks on factory steelies:
215/70/15
These are basically the same OD as my summer 17s, within 1/8". This winter I'm upgrading to the later big brakes so will be running comparable 16" tires on 16" steelies.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160925/f2fd8876ee626e458eb82ccdeccf354b.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160925/41af51d80ad4447b741b37c2edaea6f2.jpg)
Justin
2000 EVW 1.9l TDI
5-spd Syncro
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Quick question about wheel load ratings...I recently purchased a Eurovan GLS which was equipped with 17" wheels from a VW Jetta. Obviously not a heavy-weight, but I will kit it out with 4 bikes, camping gear, and 20-gallons of water for the occasional camping/biking trip (4 people). I'm concerned these wheels may not be strong enough, however I see others running Passat and S4 wheels on heavier Weekenders, etc. Is this a valid concern, or should they run fine with a suitable tire (looking at the Nokian mentioned earlier)?
Thanks,
J
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They will be fine.
VW/Audi makes the strongest wheels they can, regardless of what car they end up on.
When was the last time you heard of an OEM wheel breaking? From any manufacturer?
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Thanks!
[Edit]
After staring at the wheels a bit longer, I decided the offset was bugging me. I tried to swap them onto my A4 to see how the Audi wheels looked/fit on the EV, but the Jetta wheels wouldn't clear the shocks on the A4.
Fortunately the spare Audi wheel fit the EV; I liked that offset much better. So, I opted for a set of 6.5" et42 steel wheels and 225/65r16 tires.
[/edit]
[Edit 2] Here's a pic...
(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1563885.jpg)
[/Edit]
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Just mounted Yokohama 235/60s - this is rear clearance (wheel offset is 35 - early GoWesty lift kit). Same tire size as before, but with tread at maximum this is a close shave!
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Just mounted Yokohama 235/60s - this is rear clearance (wheel offset is 35 - early GoWesty lift kit). Same tire size as before, but with tread at maximum this is a close shave!
There are a couple of issues here.
First, from my understanding GW doesn't really make a lift. They simply stack a second rubber spring isolator....and often only on one side in the EVC. Which is about 1/2" thick.
For a lift to actually allow for bigger tires it's more than just the clearance at the top of the fender. You need to lift it far enough to make the center diameter of the wheel NOT side below the tightest spot in the fender opening.
Secondly, et35 pushes the wheels outward about 15mm(ish....or more depending on which stock wheels your van came with). Moving the tires outward makes them conflict with the fenders more. The ideal is to have the tires sit more inside the fender. So when they travel upwards they move into the large inner opening of the fender and not into the lip like yours appear to do.
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which is pretty much what they say in their explanation...
http://www.gowesty.com/tech-article-details.php?id=26 (http://www.gowesty.com/tech-article-details.php?id=26)
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mercedes 7 x 16 steels et31 on my 95 syncro multivan, fitted with 215/70 16 bfg at's
(http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt124/BALDY3260/WP_20151008_14_12_48_Pro_zpspgebgpnl.jpg) (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/BALDY3260/media/WP_20151008_14_12_48_Pro_zpspgebgpnl.jpg.html)
cheers baldy
Are there any black center caps that will fit these? I have the 16x7j et37 merc steelies. Also looking for where to buy lug nuts.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161229/dcaddfd19c2127ae90a2f9377d9d3e61.jpg)
Unless these are correct?
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161229/10c58c49ab205275f636413ab42c8bcb.jpg)
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
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Seikel lift kit installed!
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
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(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161231/4e8393011af2f470f7098335afb88a63.jpg)
Inscribed with just two thumbs...
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Post pix when u can
Ended up falling into some aftermarket 16x7.5 ET45 aftermarket rims. A friend had VW buyback his 2012 Passat TDi. He sold me his set of snow tires/rims for a deal. Tire size is 225/60R16. Profile seems about right for the van.
Now looking at possible going 225/70R16 Nokian Rotiiva AT Plus on stock rims for summer/off road. Originally thought 215/70R16 but considering upsizing.
Any thoughts guys?
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Not sure if this is the right thread for this but.... I'm about to upgrade my '97 EVC to 16" wheels. My buddy who has a 2002 EVC had and extra set of 16" VW wheels so I'm all set. I have Nokian 215/65R16 on order at local Discount Tires. While I'm waiting, and since I'm going to get an alignment anyhow.... I've started messing around with the Torsion bars. I have the van almost completely level from side to side and front to back. My questions is this..... should the van be this level or should there be a little bit of forward drop? I've read on other forums that there should be about 1 degree of down angle or else braking and stability could be compromised. Anyone have any thoughts on this issue? Cole? Thanks....
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After going through the thread and now shopping for tires, what is the minimum load index I should be considering? (1999 EVC)
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102
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102
Many thanks!
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Of course.
...sorry for the short replies
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Wanted to bring this thread back.
I looked through but didn't see anything about my situation.
I'm looking at a 1" lift of my 2002 Westy and wanted to know what is the max size tire that will go on my stock wheels? (Rims are 16" 7Jx16, 5x112, 49mm offset).
I was hoping wider and taller, like 245/65/17, or something like that.
Thanks!!
The question comes up often "what tires" and "what wheels"?
This is just a place holder at the moment. So let's fill this thread with pictures and information about what fits, availability, cost, mileage experience, etc.
Links and pictures to certain tires and pictures of them on your van would help a great deal!