BusDepot.com - VW Bus / Camper / Vanagon / EuroVan Specialists

The VW Bus, Vanagon, and Eurovan have unusual tire requirements because they are very heavy vehicles sitting on comparatively small tires. While most modern vans and SUV's use 16 to 18 inch tires (which can handle more weight), most VW vans use much smaller tires. This puts more strain on the tire's sidewall and therefore requires a tire especially designed to handle this. Most passenger car tires are simply not designed to handle the weight of a VW van, and do not meet VW's specs for safe use on a VW bus or van.

Starting in the mid 1960's with split-window busses using 14" tires, and continuing through the Eurovan, Volkswagen specifically required that the tires have specially reinforced sidewalls, designed to handle the heavy load of the vehicle. These special "sidewall reinforced" tires were supplied with your VW Bus or Van when sold new, and the warnings on the door jamb and in the manual clearly advised that only similar replacement tires be used, for safety's sake.

Standard-load passenger car tires are simply unsafe for use on VW vans. This is agreed upon by both Volkswagen and the U.S. Department of Transportation. According to U.S. D.O.T. tire safety standards, a Light Truck tire used on a VW bus or van (which is classified as a light truck for tire purposes) must be able to handle 6% above the van's maximum load capacity. But if the tire is a P-rated (passenger car) tire, its load capacity specification must FIRST be reduced by 9% to determine its Light Truck load capacity (again, as per the U.S. D.O.T.), and then the 6% safety margin deducted from that number. If you do the math, based on the GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) of a Bus or Vanagon you get the following minimum acceptable load ratings: 1520 lbs (load index 95) for a light truck rated tire, or 1670 lbs (load index 99) for a standard Passenger car (P) rated tire. For a Eurovan, Volkswagen recommends more stringent guidelines, advising a minimum load index of 100 (1764 lbs).

Then the tire must handle the recommended inflation for your VW van. This is especially an issue with Busses and Vanagons, which require unusually high rear-tire inflation on most years (as high as 53 psi, depending on the year and the tire size). See the inflation requirement noted on your door jamb or owners manual, and compare that to the maximum inflation rating on the tire's sidewall. If the tire's rating is lower, it cannot be properly inflated when used on your van.

So for safe use on a VW van, both the tire's load capacity and its inflation capacity must exceed those required for your van (as noted above). This rules out virtually every standard-load passenger car tire on the market - which is precisely why Volkswagen themselves say not to use them. Look for the terms "Sidewall Reinforced," "Load Range C", or "Load Range D" on the tire. Most tires that carry those designations will have sufficient sidewall strength for safe use on a VW bus or van, but you should still check the exact specs to make sure.

These specs can only be used to rule out tires that are unsafe for your van under any conditions. They cannot be used to rate the quality of the tire. Among those tires that do meet these specs, there are still huge differences in handling, traction, comfort, and reliability, just as with any tires. More on this later.

It's not always easy to find appropriately rated VW Bus and Vanagon tires, and in some places they are quite expensive. So many people "cut corners" and put passenger car tires on their VW vans. Even some over-eager or inexperienced tire store salespeople will claim that a passenger car tire "will do just fine" because they simply don't have the correct tire that you need or don't want to order it. This is easy for the salesman to say, when he won't be the one whose life is riding on those tires.

The truth is, using an insufficiently rated tire on your van could literally kill you.

A tire that without a strong enough sidewall will suffer sidewall flex when you drive. During normal circumstances, this will result in a more "squirrely" ride, such as an increased tendancy for the van to get blown around in the wind, and poor cornering. (When you corner, more of the weight is transferred to one particular tire, which makes that sidewall flex.) Obviously no tire will magically turn your van into a sports car, but using the right tire maximizes the handling that your VW van is capable of. People who switch to the correct tires for the first time are often amazed at the handling that their bus is capable of with the right tires.

If you never run into an emergency situation, this reduced handling may be the only difference you notice if you are using the wrong tires. But if just one time you find yourself in a panic situation, the wrong tires could cost you your life. The sudden changes in direction that may occur if you are taking evasive maneuvers - avoiding an accident - put even more strain on your tire's sidewall. Tires that are ill suited to handle your van's load during normal driving, can be dangerously inadequate at these times, when you need them most. You can lose control of your van. In extreme cases, the sidewall can flex so badly that bead separation occurs. This means that the tire literally comes off of the rim. If this happens while you are swerving to avoid an accident, you very well may roll your van.

Finally, if the tire's maximum inflation does not meet the requirements for your van, you are forced to underinflate your tires all the time (since you should never inflate a tire beyond its rating, no matter what the door jamb sticker may say). According to AAA, underinflation is the leading cause of accidents due to tire failure. It also reduces performance, causes the tires to wear out prematurely, and reduces gas mileage (which can be costly, at today's fuel prices).

Might you drive your van on passenger car tires and never have a problem? Perhaps (although the van will never handle properly). But, just like not wearing your seat belt, it's a game of Russian roulette. All it takes is one time. The next time you get behind the wheel could be the one time when the seat belt, or the properly rated tire, would have saved your life. Tire safety is not a place to take chances and cut corners. A correct tire doesn't cost much more than an incorrect one; in fact, the price difference for 4 tires combined is hardly more than the cost of a tank of gas. Is it worth risking your life to save a couple of bucks?

No. Volkswagen has said this consistently, throughout the history of the VW van. Several versions of VW vans, from the 60's through the present-day T5 (the successor to the Eurovan, not sold in the U.S.) have come factory-equipped with 15" or 16" wheels. Yet every one of them - from the 60's straight through to the present, and despite improvements in tire technology - has called for extra-load tires, even if 15" or 16" sizes were used. In no case has Volkswagen ever wavered on this requirement, no matter what the tire size. If using a 15" or 16" tire meant that reinforced tires were no longer needed, Volkswagen would have stopped using them. Auto manufacturers love to cut unneccesary costs. Volkswagen could have saved a fortune by cutting back to standard-load tires as standard equipment on newer models with 15" and 16" wheels... had they felt this was safe.

No. It just means that the tire meets the minimum acceptable specs. There are still better and worse tires. You will also want to consider these factors:

"Truck-like" ride. The original tire that VW used on the Bus, Vanagon, and Eurovan was not a truck tire, but a specially designed passenger car tire with a higher load rating. However, many currently available tires that meet VW van specs were actually designed for use on delivery trucks. While they may be safe for use on VW vans, many of them sure aren't comfortable. They make your VW drive like a delivery truck, with a bumpy, noisy "truck-like" ride.

Tread design. Some extra-load tires have an aggressive tread pattern that may be good for use on an SUV if you're off-roading, but can produce irritating "road hum" when driven on the highway. Others hydroplane easily on wet roads, or slip easily on snow and ice (even if rated as "all season" or M&S, as those standards are fairly lax). Of course, if you live in an area that that gets winter weather, there's no substitute for a dedicated snow tire (preferably on all four corners of the vehicle). The better snows tend to use a directional tread that "pushes" slush out of the way, and often are made of a silica compound for better grip.

High Price. Some tires that do meet VW specs and handle well are very expensive.

Quality. Remember the scandal a few years ago regarding Ford SUV tire blowouts? Those tires met the minimum requirements for use on those vehicles. But this alone did not make them high quality, or even safe. The same applies to some tires for VW busses and vans. Even if a tire supposedly can be used according to the manufacturer, this does not mean that it should be used. Remember, most tire retailers have no experience at all with VW vans. Consider the following reports taken from the Type 2, Vanagon, and Eurovan mailing lists:

The conclusion: Start off with a tire that meets the minimum specs for safe use on your Bus or Vanagon. Then go from there. Consider the suitability of the tire for your comfort, driving style, and climate. Don't pay more than you have to, but stick with a quality tire. Your safety depends on it.

The Hankook and Vredestein tires that we offer are designed with highway comfort in mind. They can handle the weight of your Bus or Vanagon without giving it a "truck-like" ride. Most other tires in their price range drive like truck tires, because they are truck tires.

Hankook has been making sidewall-reinforced tires for nearly fifteen years. Besides providing tires to Volkswagen, Hankook also makes original equipment tires for other European and Asian vans that have similar load requirements to VW vans. In recent years, Hankook has also made quite a name for themselves in the performance tire market here in the U.S.. Hankook's RA08 tire is nearly 40% cheaper than the comparable Michelin Agilis, yet in a recent test comparison in the German magazine ProMobil-Extra it outperformed the Michelin in every single handling test they performed (wet and dry handling, wet and dry braking, and aquaplaning).

Vredestein is a very highly regarded tire manufacturer from Holland whose tires have consistently been top rated by the automotive press. They supply Volkswagen with tires for German market Passats and Golfs, and their tires are also commonly found on other European makes such as Volvo and Jaguar. Their snow tire was recently reviewed in the German magazine ProMobil-Extra as the best you could buy, outperfoming much more expensive tires from Michelin and others.

"What tires should I buy for my 1964-1979 VW Bus?"

We recommend the Hankook RA08 all-season tire, and the Vredestein Snowtrac snow tire, for all Busses that have 14" factory wheels. Both are the correct size for your Bus, and are specially designed to handle its load capacity. But unlike many other high load range tires, which are hard-riding truck tires, these are designed for passenger use and highway comfort. Both Hankook and Vredestein are OEM suppliers to Volkswagen and have a proven track record with regard to tires for VW vans. Click here for more info on why we recommend these brands.

The Hankook RA08 185R14 All Season Radial handles well and has excellent wear characteristics. This tire has a ten year track record, and is the only all-season tire in its price range to be made by an O.E.M. supplier to VW. Although the RA08 is about 40% cheaper than the Michelin Agilis, in a recent track test comparison in the German magazine ProMobil-Extra it outperformed the Michelin in every single handling test they performed (wet and dry handling, wet and dry braking, and aquaplaning). It is an excellent value and we recommend it highly. Click here for more specs and to order.

The Vredestein Comtrac Winter 185R14 Radial Snow Tire uses a proprietary Silica compound to improve traction, and a directional tread pattern that literally pushes snow and slush out of the way. It was specially designed to combine passenger car comfort and handling with light truck load capacity. This is the top rated snow tire currently available. In a recent head-to-head test in the German magazine ProMobil-Extra, the Comtrac Winter (in a 15" size) won their highest rating, dramatically outperforming every other tire (including the much more expensive Michelin Agilis). Click here for more specs and to order.

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"What tires should I buy for my Vanagon?"

Unlike most extra-load tires, the tires we recommend for your Vanagon are not just designed to handle your van's weight, but are also designed for passenger use and highway comfort.. Both Hankook and Vredestein are OEM suppliers to Volkswagen and have a proven track record with regard to tires for VW vans. Click here for more info on why we recommend these brands.

Note to owners of Vanagons with factory alloy wheels: Vanagons that were factory-equipped with alloys originally came with 205-70R14 rather than 185R14 tires. This size is just slightly wider and shorter than the 185R14 found on all other Vanagons. However, the 185R14 is still a proper fit for your Alloy wheels, and meets all VW and tire manufacturer specifications for this use. There are several advantages to using a 185R14 rather than a 205-70R14 on your Vanagon. One is price; the 185 series is much cheaper for identical quality. Also, there are performance advantages; the 185R14 profile is slightly narrower, which translates into better grip on snow or ice and a reduced tendancy to hydroplane on wet roads. Finally, it has a slightly taller sidewall, which provides a little more cushioning for a smoother ride. Therefore we recommend using this size on all Vanagons, with or without Alloys (although we do have a slightly larger 195R14 Hanook available as an alternative if you want a bigger tire).

The Hankook RA08 195R14 All Season Radial is a slightly larger version of the above tire, and preferred by some customers who have alloy wheels. Compared to either a 205R70 or a 185R14, this tire is about 1/2" taller. It is about 1/3" wider than a 185R14 but about 1/3" narrower than a 205R14, so just about midpoint between the two.. (Before ordering, please see the note the gray box to the right on how this may affect your speedometer calibration.) Click here for more specs and to order.

The Vredestein Comtrac 205R14 Radial is listed as a recommended tire on vanagon.com. It's a higher load rated version of the tire that Vredestein supplies to Volkswagen for 2005 German market Passats and Jettas. Like the Hankook, it is designed for comfortable highway use despite its higher load rating. This tire is marketed as a "summer" tire, and while it is comparable in snow/ice to some "all season" tires (U.S. standards for calling a tire "all season" are very lax), it is not as good in snow/ice as the Hankook. This tire is the same width as the stock 205/70R14 tire originally used on Vanagons equipped with alloy wheels, but 0.96" taller. (Before ordering, please see the note in the gray box to the right on how this may affect your speedometer calibration.) This tire is not an optimal choice for Vanagons with steel wheels, but is well suited for the slightly wider alloy wheels. Click here for more specs and to order.

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"What tires should I buy for my Eurovan (or my Vanagon with larger-than-stock wheels?"

Volkswagen recommends a load index of 100 or higher corresponding to tire capacity of 1764 pounds) for Eurovans. With regard to Vanagons that have been upgraded to 15" wheels, some suppliers would have you believe that by moving up from to a 15" size you no longer need reinforced tires. However the facts do not bear this out, as even on the Eurovan (which is not much heavier than a Vanagon, and comes equipped with 15" or 16" tires) Volkswagen continued to require extra-load tires. In fact they have required this on all VW vans since the 1960's, regardless of tire size. We offer two tires for Eurovans (or Vanagons with larger wheels mounted): a 15" tire, and a 16" snow.

15" Tire: The Vredestein Comtrac 205/65R15 Radial from Holland is listed as a recommended tire on Vanagon.com. It's a specially designed higher load rated version of the tire that Vredestein supplies to Volkswagen for 2005 German market Passats and Jettas. (Its 102 load rating exceeds all VW requirements.) Unlike many extra-load tires that ride like truck tires, the Comtrac was specifically engineered to combine high load capacity with passenger car handling and comfort. As a result, it handles and drives like a passenger car tire, with very low road noise and excellent resistance to hydroplaning. While the tread pattern on the Comtrac is similar to that on some other tires that are marketed as "all season" or M&S tires (because U.S. standards for this rating are very lax), Vredestein rates this as a "summer" tire. This tire is the stock size for a Eurovan with 15" wheels. It also happens to be the same height as the stock 14" wheel found on Vanagons, making it an excellent choice for Vanagons that have been upgraded to 15" wheels because it will not throw off your speedometer reading. Click here for more specs and to order.

16" Snow Tire: The Hankook Icebear W300 225/60R/16XL ultra-high-performance snow tire is their their highest-end snow tire, and easily compares with the best on the market, with one important difference. Unlike many other tire manufacturers, Hankook (who is an OEM supplier to VW) offers this tire in an XL (Extra Load) version, with a 102V load index that exceeds VW specs for Eurovan use. Like the best snows from Vredestein, Nokian, and others, the Icebar uses a state-of-the-art Silica tread compound for improved grip and braking over conventional snow tires, and a directional tread pattern that literally pushes snow and slush out of the way for better traction. This tire was also well rated in the German ADAC tire test. Getting a high-end snow tire that meets Eurovan load requirements will not cost you extra. We sell the Icebar for less than others charge for comparable quality standard-load snow tires. Click here for more specs and to order.

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Important notes:

Please read your van's owners or service manual and any tags on the vehicle before purchasing tires. While the information listed on this site is well researched, we cannot be responsible for any consequences arising from the use of tires that differ in any way from those specified by Volkswagen for use on your van.

195R14 tires are slightly taller than stock, and this will affect your spedometer reading slightly A 195R14 tire will make it read about 2.5% too low (so if it reads 60 mph your actual speed is about 61.5 mph). A 205R14 tire will make it read about 5% too low (so if it reads 60 mph, your actual speed is about 63 mph).For this reason, even though these tires meet VW specs (with room to spare) in all other respects, since their size differs slightly from the stock size we must specify that you "use them at your own risk.

Tire Return Policy:
Tires are not returnable once mounted. Our standard return policies apply to tires that have not been mounted. These tires carry factory warranties (copy available on request) that can be honored by your nearest retailer for that brand (so you don't have to mail them back).

Tire Shipping Costs:
Due to size and weight, additional shipping costs may apply to tires.This can depend on the particular tire and where it is being shipped to. If we cannot ship your tire order for the shipping cost estimated by the website shopping cart, we will contact you for approval of the shipping cost prior to processing your order.