[Rhosneigr Gaz]

Right guys as I've lost my 4x4... well my wife sold it... I need my T5 to do a bit more off roady stuff, nothing serious just launching boats on soft sand.

So I've decided to go down the route of BF Goodrich or AT Grabbers or whatever on steelies.

So a couple of questions:

1. What do people think of this route on a non Syncro Van?
2. Will standard 16in Steelies work or would they need banding?
3. Would the 17in steelies work without banding?
4. Are there any suitable 17in alloys that would be wide enough, perhaps off a jeep of some sort with same stud pattern?

Any help/input/advice would be great thanks :ILU:

 

[van quish]

I love the look Gaz, cant answer your questions but my opinion is:


1. What do people think of this route on a non Syncro Van?

I've toyed with this, I think its a bit fake - but then is it any faker than lowering it like a touring car:* But stuff what people think, its your van :ILU:

2. Will standard 16in Steelies work or would they need banding?
I think there are suitable tyres without banding.

3. Would the 17in steelies work without banding?
costs a packet

4. Are there any suitable 17in alloys that would be wide enough, perhaps off a jeep of some sort with same stud pattern?
no idea.


I'd do it but i'm as tight as a gnats chuff, new suspension and a set of new tyres arent cheap.

 

[chezzy71]

im defo a fan of the look, so much more practical than lowered vans, ive thought about doing this with the maxi,, and love this poptop

land rover modular rims might be an option as landy discoverys and range rover p38 are 5x120

 

[sascoenv]

No reason why you can't go up - it's all about how you want your van to look T:

You can fit AT tyres on either 16"" or 17'' but if you keep to 16's then you could fit tyres with a higher profile - and they are much cheaper than their bigger brother. Seikel and Terra (the van above) opt for 16'' whenever possible. There are 17'' alloys about but they are not cheap.

MAD do a spring set for non 4Motion's which will give you a lift but bigger tyres will do the same and fill the space!

Post a pic to two if you do go up!

 

[T4 VIRGIN-1]

someone on here has a lovely looking black one,with big at general grabber tyres T:

 

[Fillmore]

I love the look and practicality.

Im currently running genuine vw solace 17" alloys 235 65 17's I think you can get 103 load rated AT's in them but ive just put new rubber on them so will be selling them to fund a set of 16 inch steelies with 225 75 16s which are 103 load rated too.

 

[Rhosneigr Gaz]

I love the look and practicality.

Im currently running genuine vw solace 17" alloys 235 65 17's I think you can get 103 load rated AT's in them but ive just put new rubber on them so will be selling them to fund a set of 16 inch steelies with 225 75 16s which are 103 load rated too.

Are they gonna be just the standard 16 inch steelies?

 

[Rhosneigr Gaz]

someone on here has a lovely looking black one,with big at general grabber tyres T:

Yeah they are banded 17s... big money set up .... but a beautiful van!!!

 

[chris-g]

Hi Gaz
I've just acquired a new T5 4Motion panel van from Pentraeth in flat grey, its got Good Year Vector 4 season tyres, I am very impressed with them. They are only slightly noisy on ordinary roads but seem to work great off road in mud.
I use my van for work which includes visiting isolated farms in Snowdonia all year round and also I drive down to Chamonix most years in February for the skiing so I hope to manage without putting the chains on - these tyres have the snowflake symbol so they should be classed as "pneus d'hiver" (winter tyres) in France and therefore permissible without chains when I get to the "pneus d'hiver obligatoire" signs.
I plan to have a Reimo sliding bed, full width, also insulated and carpeted. Also plan to install a true sine wave inverter and a small leisure battery to provide a clean 240V AC supply for some of my equipment, but that's all, I can cook on my camping stove and wash in a bowl.
Out of interest for summer camping, I have a large Kelly kettle and a small pump-up garden sprayer - with these you can get a nice hot shower outside the van for free if you park up somewhere discreet. I thought of raising the suspension but I do like to be able to fit under 2M height barriers so have decided not to.
Are there many VW van folk round here? Maybe we could organise a winter get together.

 

[Fillmore]

Yes mine will be on standard 16" steelies that I have waiting.

 

[TimR123]

Yeah they are banded 17s... big money set up .... but a beautiful van!!!

They are banded 16's, 16x8.5 all round- using 240/70-16 BFG's T:

 

[Rhosneigr Gaz]

Sorted then....

Powder coat my 16s in Grey..... 225.75.16 AT's and maybe a spacer to fill the arches.

Coming soon to a forum near you!

Anyone want to buy some nice shiny 19's ????

 

[surf-wejd]

Do what I did,
16 modular deep dish 16" range rover steels £36 each and soooooooooo much better and cheaper than banded
Then fitter BFGoodridge AT tyres
Done me for 2 winters in Finland and 2 seasons in morocco, including Sahara desert and all on a 2 wheel drive van, wouldn't even bother with 4x4 as if your going that extreme your going to damage your bus. Oh and fit a winch with the saved money from not buying a syncro, get you out of trouble for loads less $

Hope this works
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYwWDM1MA==/$(KGrHqN,!pEE-7Ec),J9BPy5kfkq)Q~~60_35.JPG

 

[Rhosneigr Gaz]

Any thoughts on gearing and speedo accuracy with 245 75 16s ?

 

[Rhosneigr Gaz]

Do what I did,
16 modular deep dish 16" range rover steels £36 each and soooooooooo much better and cheaper than banded
Then fitter BFGoodridge AT tyres
Done me for 2 winters in Finland and 2 seasons in morocco, including Sahara desert and all on a 2 wheel drive van, wouldn't even bother with 4x4 as if your going that extreme your going to damage your bus. Oh and fit a winch with the saved money from not buying a syncro, get you out of trouble for loads less $

Hope this works
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYwWDM1MA==/$(KGrHqN,!pEE-7Ec),J9BPy5kfkq)Q~~60_35.JPG

Good advice... any pics of ur winch setup? Thanks ;-)

 

[Davo1983]

Do what I did,
16 modular deep dish 16" range rover steels £36 each and soooooooooo much better and cheaper than banded
Then fitter BFGoodridge AT tyres
Done me for 2 winters in Finland and 2 seasons in morocco, including Sahara desert and all on a 2 wheel drive van, wouldn't even bother with 4x4 as if your going that extreme your going to damage your bus. Oh and fit a winch with the saved money from not buying a syncro, get you out of trouble for loads less $

Hope this works
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYwWDM1MA==/$(KGrHqN,!pEE-7Ec),J9BPy5kfkq)Q~~60_35.JPG

do you have a link to the wheels your using and also are they a direct fit with no need for spacers/spigots?

 

[TimR123]

Any thoughts on gearing and speedo accuracy with 245 75 16s ?

Dont think you'll manage to shoehorn a /75 under the arch . 245/70-16 BFG AT's on 16 x 8 or 8.5j apparently flies but this refers back to the 4Motion I linked earlier ( IIRC) which, for reasons to do with floorpan design ( to accommodate the drive/prop shaft and rear axle & diff) may well be higher and so the under arch space differs...! This is speculation on my part. I have been told in no uncertain terms by a supplier to the custom 4x4 market & who Incidently runs a T5 , that 245/75-16's WILL NOT FIT !
You might get a 245/70 under. Its what I plan to do I think.
Speedo will be inaccurrate. There are links about to work it out ( soz, my computer has died and with it , all my bookmarks, for now !)
I did find a company in the UK who are aligning themselves with Seikel in Germany (who offer a service that recalibrates the speedo for the wheel circunference in use for 40 euros ish ) After I emailed them, they replied saying it was something they hoped to be able to do in the future but were currently unable to do !

HTH
Perhaps another forum member will furnish a decent calculator so you can compare speedo inaccurracies etc ....:ILU:

 

[Rustydiver]

I think high is the new low.

I prefer high vans you can go through fields without any problems. T:

I've got a split screen pick up and I can't see what all the fuss is about going low. It's good to sway in the wind.

 

[Rhosneigr Gaz]

Dont think you'll manage to shoehorn a /75 under the arch . 245/70-16 BFG AT's on 16 x 8 or 8.5j apparently flies but this refers back to the 4Motion I linked earlier ( IIRC) which, for reasons to do with floorpan design ( to accommodate the drive/prop shaft and rear axle & diff) may well be higher and so the under arch space differs...! This is speculation on my part. I have been told in no uncertain terms by a supplier to the custom 4x4 market & who Incidently runs a T5 , that 245/75-16's WILL NOT FIT !
You might get a 245/70 under. Its what I plan to do I think.


HTH
Perhaps another forum member will furnish a decent calculator so you can compare speedo inaccurracies etc ....:ILU:

Blue van in this link running 245-75-16s on standard 16 ;-)

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=279265

 

[TimR123]

Blue van in this link running 245-75-16s on standard 16 ;-)

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=279265

Nope...read it again ! 225/75-16's
You had me worried there. And rubbing at that !