I picked up my new tire today. During the process of putting it back on the bus, I managed to slice my hand. I’m sure my dad would agree that its not really a project until you are bleeding a little, and this is officially first blood for this project.
After looking at the current tires on the bus (all four are different brands and sizes…), and doing some research online, I ordered a Hankook RA08 from Wal-mart Site-to-Store. It looks like the tires need to have specially reinforced sidewalls, but yet be small enough to still fit in the wheel well (14” tires). WMT had the tire I needed online, and they were able to put it on the rim and balance it.
It was quite a struggle to get it back on the bus though. If you can see from the pictures, the tire actually sits up inside the wheel well. As hard as I tried I could not fit that thing back on the mount. I kept cranking the bus up higher and higher, and each time it sort creaked ominously! Finally, it was up high enough that I could wiggle the whole tire into the well and fit it over the bolts. Success! Of course I then lowered the bus too fast, and it came bouncing down and almost killed me, but it’s all good. I’ve now replaced my first tire, and the bus is mobile again (even though I still don’t know how to drive it – I’ll get there).
I’ve also noticed the real wheels have a decent amount of positive camber (they bow out at the top). I know VW’s have independent torsion bars, and are supposed to be slightly positive, but I’m not sure by how much. Another future project for sure.
Also, did you notice the brand new brake drums? I didn’t know they were there when I bought the thing – Sweet!
