Hi, Im going to get some new tyres for my kombi tommorrow and I was thinking of getting some light truck tyres.

My question is which/what profile tyre is best suited?

Its a '71 1600tp with a 3 rib irs g/b.

Unless you are planning on carrying a tonne, and with a 1600 I wouldn't recommend it. You don't have to get light truck tyres.

185/75/14 on original rims is fine. The load rating will be plenty

Well I am planning to use the kombi as a parts hauler/work vehicle. At the moment with 185/75's car tyres I have on now the sidewalls are really buldging with 34psi in them and thats just with my work tools in the car.

For a work horse, rather than a show pony, Yep go the light truck tyres. They do have the extra sidewall strength

Each time this comes up, strong opinions are aired pro and con light truck tyres vs. passenger tyres. By searching on "kombi tyre" you'll find quite a lot of dicussion.

Some of the opinion is informed by experience and some of it is just, well... opinion.

I run Michelin XZX 185R14C light truck tyres with 44 psi rear and 42 psi front.

I did a search (from the begining) on kombi tyre and got nothing of value out of it. In my opinion the search feature on this forum is a waste of space. Hense my topic.

I bought 4 Wynstar 185/80 14 8ply light truck tyres this morning ($75 each fitted and balanced) and the difference in road holding and suspension is huge. Much firmer ride now and cornering is vastly improved.
Not the prettiest tyre out there but it does the job well and doesnt look out of place.

Thanks guys for the tyre pressure sugestions...... that was my next question

definately get the light truck tyres. they kick arse and make you bus legal. put 30psi in the front and 40 in the rear and see how well it can handle.

You don't have to get light truck tyres to make a bus legal!

My microbus had passenger car tyres. 185/75R14 and I thought it wasn't too bad, or being there for the first time I had nothing to compare with, so things with passenger car tyres seemed OK.

Then I had to change my tyres, meanwhile I read some articles at Type2.com and learnt about tyres for light trucks and vans are there. I wanted to give them a try and see the difference myself, thinking I can always go back to the same size passenger car tyres if things turn up not quite right.

So I put on light truck tyres on my 71 microbus. I was ecstatic from the difference these tyres made to my bus.

I drive alone most of the time and I don't carry anything but my tools and spare parts, a few books and 2 cusions in the back. But still, my bus handles way so much better and it feels better on the road.

Joy of driving my bus has increased great deal!!! That's for sure, so I'm very happy.

Perhaps the only time I don't see much difference between my previous passenger car tyres and current light truck tyres is when I'm going on highways at 100km/h straight, plane and flat.

I will NOT put on passenger car tyres on Kombi's, unles their cosmetic look so impeccably fit to the car and desperately desired by the owner.

Price difference between brands may relfect how long the tyres might last, or some other good reason I hope but I will see how long and how far my YOKOHAMA Y354's last on my bus. I spent $108 each, balanced and fitted.

Shigeru

I run LT tyres on my 1982 Camper. I was told by the RTA inspector that they had to be 8 ply LT to be legeal here in NSW or is this not the case. I was using 185 14 Wranglers but am going to a 225 14 Cooper on white spokes before my next extended trip.

Hows the larger tyres affect the steering? I stuck with 185's all round because
a) they were cheaper :P
b)I can rotate my tyres then
c) I was worried a wider tyre would make steering heavy

and

d)one spare will suit all corners (even tho I carry two)

[ Edited on 14-10-2005 by Mad Manx ]

I have not fitted them yet as there is still some meat left on the old tyres. I'll post a reply once I have fitted them which should be within the next month.

A kombi is a light truck, it's not a car!

An empty kombi with no interior and no passengers and type 1 motor might be able to get away with car tyres...

My kombi has a heavy wooden camper interior, with fridge & water tanks, and a big steel bullbar, and a type 4 motor... it was terrible with car tyres, it was impossible to inflate them enough to stop them sagging, and the kombi rolled terribly on corners. Now it has light truck tyres and it's much better and much more stable.

[ Edited on 21-10-05 by Purple Martin ]

yeah, my kombi has (had) no interior at all, right down to no door cards or floor matts or even a radio, just two seats and the shell. It has a type 1 and with out all the extra weight the passenger tyres still sagged at 32psi.... so like helbus said, unless its a show pony def. go the light truck tyres- its the best mod to get to improve handling.

Still curious to see how those with big rims/tyres go in regards to scrubing, turning circle etc....?

Finally fitted the Coopers. Took it for a drive tonight and all seems pretty good. The combination just fitted in to the wheel arches. Did not touch or rub even on hard left and right lock. Steering is about the same as it was with the narrower tyres or may be even a little lighter. I feel that the Coopers are actually quiter. They really feel good. I'll post some pictures when I take them. I will run them now for about a month and then change back to the old ones just to wear them out.

One point I did learn is that to fit the after market rims one needs to remove the small bolts that hold the drum mto the stub axle otherwise the rims do not fit down. I guess that you could drill the rim if you wanted to go that way.

My spare is still standard and will mean putting it on the back and then a slow trip if I get a flat. On the kimberley trip I will be carrying a white spoke on the trailer of the same size, so it shouldn't be such an issue.

i cant say i have tried a range, but my bus came with 195/75 Dunlop GPs when i got it, i put a new pair on the front for rego, and they have held up to absolute max load (3 people, 2 with their own luggage plus all of my stuff for living in the car, 3 surfboards, bike, 50kg annex etc,etc,etc, running at 40psi and handled some of the windiest roads i have ever driven with class, also great unloaded, when they do give it is extremely controlled, and their wet/dry properties seem great as far as braking is concerned. now i cant say what i better but i know i got over 12000km in a range of extreme conditions from melbourne to darwin and i cant say anything bad about the car tyres (just a shame i blew one on the back and had to replace with a cheapie for a while.)

Apicture of the tyres.

And a second view

http://www.aussiekombicampers.com/projects_bbw.shtml 
check this out great advice. mitchell

Though my tyres do sit just inside the line of the body of the vehicle, I will be either flaring the guards or usinf some sort of flare kit. Has anyone had experience with either on a kombi?

I went through the whole tyre questioning up in QLD years ago when I had my 76 Kombi. It didn't carry much in the way of loads but it was still a heavy car. Just after I bought it I need to get new tyres, not knowing much about them I bought a new set of car tyres for it, I distinctly remember they were Bridgestone Computer Cat II's, 185/14s. I blew three of them in 2 weeks, Bridgestone eventually said it must have been my driving and refused to compensate or investigate.

Went to another dealer and was told it was illegal for me to have standard car tyres (4 or 6 ply) on a vehicle of such weight, and for the same price I bought some LT tyres.....I was young then and didn't see any ride difference, except I didn't blow any tyres!

A few years later, when time for new tyres, another dealer also told me of legalities and I was to have LT tyres. Bought Bridgestone RD-613's which served me well until I sold the Kombi (sniff).

With the family starting to make comments that another Kombi might be an idea, if another one comes our way in a few years time, I'll have LT tyres on all the way.