Alloy conundrum

[Zanderbeagles]

Just got our Vw California coast in Ascot grey with what i think is “16’s” davenport stock alloys, my 20year old son says get those swapped and go big, but i did isle of skye last year in a rental camper and remember those single track poor roads well, i thought of possibly just powder coating the davenports to change the look a bit,,, i guess my question as i dont know alot about alloys is if going bigger has a effect on comfort driving those poor westcoast of scotland pot holed roads??

 

[dspuk]

I believe Davenport at 17’s. They also pretty comfortable becasuse they have more type depth. The more you “go big” on alloys, the less comfortable they generally are because there is less air between the inner wheel and the road. Additionally because the volume is less but the pressure the same, the ride will be harder. Sure there are some smarter members out there will give some specific on where that is wrong, but as a rule of thumb is generally not a bad one. Bigger rims + Cooler Van = Harsher ride.

We have the 18“ Palmerstons and love them, IMHO the best factory option, but we have no doubt the Davenports will ride a lot more comfortably.

 

[Zanderbeagles]

I believe Davenport at 17’s. They also pretty comfortable becasuse they have more type depth. The more you “go big” on alloys, the less comfortable they generally are because there is less air between the inner wheel and the road. additionally because the volume is less but the pressure the same, the ride will be harder. Sure there are some smarter members out there will give some specific on where that is wrong, but as a rule of thumb is generally not a bad one. Bigger rims + Cooler Van = Harsher ride.

We have the 18“ Palmerstons and love them, IMHO the best factory option, but we have no doubt the Davenports will ride a lot more comfortably.

Thanks i kind of thought this would be the answer im all about the comfort now,, id have agreed with my son 24years ago

 

[andyinluton]

Additionally because the volume is less but the pressure the same, the ride will be harder. Sure there are some smarter members out there will give some specific on where that is wrong, but as a rule of thumb is generally not a bad one. Bigger rims + Cooler Van = Harsher ride.

Being one of the smarter members out there, I would suggest you have a look at the tyre pressure chart on your B pillar!

It shows that the bigger rims run at considerably lower pressures. I’ve tried 16” 17” and 18” rims and various widths from 215 to 255 And would suggest that 215 16” are the most uncomfortable with a hard bouncy ride. 18” 255 are the most comfortable with 17” 235 not far behind.

When you go bigger than 18” it gets to the point of being too little sidewall & they get harder and harder as the sizes go up.

The bigger tyres running at substantially lower pressures tend to have softer sidewalls that are more bump absorbent.
The 215 heavy weight commercial tyres have very little give in them. On the other hand they give a more mpg and last for ages.

 

[dspuk]

Being one of the smarter members out there, I would suggest you have a look at the tyre pressure chart on your B pillar!

It shows that the bigger rims run at considerably lower pressures. I’ve tried 16” 17” and 18” rims and various widths from 215 to 255 And would suggest that 215 16” are the most uncomfortable with a hard bouncy ride. 18” 255 are the most comfortable with 17” 235 not far behind.

When you go bigger than 18” it gets to the point of being too little sidewall & they get harder and harder as the sizes go up.

The bigger tyres running at substantially lower pressures tend to have softer sidewalls that are more bump absorbent.
The 215 heavy weight commercial tyres have very little give in them. On the other hand they give a more mpg and last for ages.

What I read in all of that was my 18" are the best but in the grand scale of things the OP might as well stick with their 17" - so I'll take that

I think the mechanics of what I was trying to say was the "Feeling" of a tyre is one they try and homologate regardless of height, width and compound, but you are right - all are a series of balances that vary greatly.

I did watch Wills video on this, but it more or less said the above but in 10 minutes ish.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Just got our Vw California coast in Ascot grey with what i think is “16’s” davenport stock alloys, my 20year old son says get those swapped and go big, but i did isle of skye last year in a rental camper and remember those single track poor roads well, i thought of possibly just powder coating the davenports to change the look a bit,,, i guess my question as i dont know alot about alloys is if going bigger has a effect on comfort driving those poor westcoast of scotland pot holed roads??

We have 18“ Palmerstons, which look great but I’ll admit that as the order was done during Covid it was done “sight unseen” of the actual wheel. They’re diamond turned with gloss black shadow paint, and after suffering with white alloy working on 2 VW cars, I wish we’d gone for either standard Davenports or the black alloys in the Sports Pack. I’m treating the Palmerstons very gently, but I know it’ll be only a question of time before worming starts!

 

[B J G]

VW now seem to fit the 215 width tyre as standard, check what you have, 235 was previously the norm on Cali's.

You have the option of fitting 235/55/17 or for a bit more sidewall 235/60/17 to Davenports.

I personally found the 235/60/17 copes better with potholes.

I wouldn't go bigger than 18" rims for reasons already mentioned plus they get wider with diameter and more prone to stress cracking. Tyres also get pricier and tend to wear faster with the diameter increase.

Your Son won't agree as it's all about Bling, 22" rim with a rubber band would be ideal in his view?

 

[Perfectos]

Did your 20 year old son pay for the van ?

when he has a spare £50k+ he can f#+ k with his own van !

 

[Ozzy Pete]

VW now seem to fit the 215 width tyre as standard, check what you have, 235 was previously the norm on Cali's.

You have the option of fitting 235/55/17 or for a bit more sidewall 235/60/17 to Davenports.

I personally found the 235/60/17 copes better with potholes.

I wouldn't go bigger than 18" rims for reasons already mentioned plus they get wider with diameter and more prone to stress cracking. Tyres also get pricier and tend to wear faster with the diameter increase.

Your Son won't agree as it's all about Bling, 22" rim with a rubber band would be ideal in his view?

We have had two different wheels and tyres on our van and can honestly say that the 16” 215 are a far better ride than the 17” 235.
Also fuel economy is better.
It is a camper van after all.

 

[B J G]

We have had two different wheels and tyres on our van and can honestly say that the 16” 215 are a far better ride than the 17” 235.
Also fuel economy is better.
It is a camper van after all.

I think fitting of the 215 tyres on new vans would support this in the need to get low production emission levels.

I was given a Transporter van with 205 width tyres as a Courtesy vehicle once and the ride in terms of road surface 'banging & crashing' was better than than both VB & Bilstein Air Suspension albeit with 235 tyres.

Fact is that UK roads are in such a poor condition that no suspension can compensate for the discomfort. Tyre choice is the biggest factor.

 

[Zanderbeagles]

Did your 20 year old son pay for the van ?

when he has a spare £50k+ he can f#+ k with his own van !

No but he buys a vast amount of really expensive car cleaning products i get to use,, but i like shooting the sing with my son about anything so alls good

 

[Perfectos]

No but he buys a vast amount of really expensive car cleaning products i get to use,, but i like shooting the sing with my son about anything so alls good

I hope you took my comments in the playful way they were meant,

Going down the big alloy route is somewhat subjective, particularly when going 20”.
I think it’s fair to say that if you try 20” alloys you’ll notice a considerable loss of comfort when driving on normal U.K. roads.
tyre choice is far more limited for larger alloy wheels.
the risk of damaging a rim get exponentially higher with increase in wheel diameter, the tyre size reduces accordingly to maintain a similar diameter, both kerbing and rim damage from potholes etc increases.

18” wheels are now fitted routinely by VW on new vans, the choice of tyre is better but still not great for 18” wheels.

I think I’m correct in saying that all Davenports are 17” wheels.

Respraying the Davenports will change the look of the alloy , here is some examples

edit: the T6 forum has multiple dedicated threads on Davenports

Team Devonports.

who like me is opting to keep/put on Devonports? I love them and can't see me changing them. Let's see yours!

www.t6forum.com

 

[Zanderbeagles]

I hope you took my comments in the playful way they were meant,

Going down the big alloy route is somewhat subjective, particularly when going 20”.
I think it’s fair to say that if you try 20” alloys you’ll notice a considerable loss of comfort when driving on normal U.K. roads.
tyre choice is far more limited for larger alloy wheels.
the risk of damaging a rim get exponentially higher with increase in wheel diameter, the tyre size reduces accordingly to maintain a similar diameter, both kerbing and rim damage from potholes etc increases.

18” wheels are now fitted routinely by VW on new vans, the choice of tyre is better but still not great for 18” wheels.

I think I’m correct in saying that all Davenports are 17” wheels.

Respraying the Davenports will change the look of the alloy , here is an example of Black respray

View attachment 104726

Totally took them in fun,, i love the big wheel look but i think possibly impractical after hiring a vw camper with nice big alloys on it last year and driving those Isle of Skye Roads,, im thinking on Powder coating the Davenports ,, and this van is considered a long term buy so maybe in a few years after i know the van better buy it some new shoes for a update,, the roads in scotland are a absolute disgrace. I appreciate folks here filling in the blanks in my knowlage,,,

 

[B J G]

Totally took them in fun,, i love the big wheel look but i think possibly impractical after hiring a vw camper with nice big alloys on it last year and driving those Isle of Skye Roads,, im thinking on Powder coating the Davenports ,, and this van is considered a long term buy so maybe in a few years after i know the van better buy it some new shoes for a update,, the roads in scotland are a absolute disgrace. I appreciate folks here filling in the blanks in my knowlage,,,

You are not alone when it comes to road condition, even USA seems to have the same issues according to Media gripes.
Might be more to the 'Chinese' Covid bug than first known about

 

[Zanderbeagles]

You are not alone when it comes to road condition, even USA seems to have the same issues according to Media gripes.
Might be more to the 'Chinese' Covid bug than first known about

4 brand new tryes on my daughters corsa just before Christmas, One totally destroyed by a pothole between Christmas and newyear,,

 

[B J G]

4 brand new tryes on my daughters corsa just before Christmas, One totally destroyed by a pothole between Christmas and newyear,,

On my Wife's previous car with 40 profile tyres it never actually wore out a front tyre in 9 years, potholes got there first.

 

[vwcaliforniacornwall]

I got my 17” Davenport wheels powder coated in gloss black. To me the black wheel blends in with the tyre and looks bigger than it really is as a result. I ditched the star shaped hub covers for some round VW ones and found dome black covers for the nuts. This works out fairly inexpensive and keeps the same tyres.

 

[Peter David Morton]

Just got our Vw California coast in Ascot grey with what i think is “16’s” davenport stock alloys, my 20year old son says get those swapped and go big, but i did isle of skye last year in a rental camper and remember those single track poor roads well, i thought of possibly just powder coating the davenports to change the look a bit,,, i guess my question as i dont know alot about alloys is if going bigger has a effect on comfort driving those poor westcoast of scotland pot holed roads??

Check out A Bus and Beyond on YouTube on the issue .

 

[Doug Curran]

Just got our Vw California coast in Ascot grey with what i think is “16’s” davenport stock alloys, my 20year old son says get those swapped and go big, but i did isle of skye last year in a rental camper and remember those single track poor roads well, i thought of possibly just powder coating the davenports to change the look a bit,,, i guess my question as i dont know alot about alloys is if going bigger has a effect on comfort driving those poor westcoast of scotland pot holed roads??

The idea of "Go Big" is more about performance notions than utility. Going larger makes sense in order to gain ground clearance, or going to a higher profile tire with wider sidewalls, which will give a somewhat softer ride. Think of your tires as being part of the shock absorbers, flexing and absorbing small bumps of the road.
Too often people mount larger rims but select a tire with a lower sidewall in order to keep the overall circumference in factory specs. But this results in a harsher ride. Too, if you are on rough roads you are more likely to experience damage to the rims or even cut sidewalls from rocks. You can make trouble for yourself. Also, too wide a tire will decrease grip in mud and increase rolling resistance in soft sand.
I have made multiple 10,000 kms trips throughout Baja California, with 16 or 17" wheels and 255 X 60/65 tires - never a flat despite sharp edges, rocks, stones, et all.
'Swampers' may look the part but for most of your use they will present other problems; weight, clearance, wear, fuel consumption - pretty much all the things that a 20 year old wouldn't give a hoot about. After all, there are women to be impressed.

 

[B J G]

Just got our Vw California coast in Ascot grey with what i think is “16’s” davenport stock alloys, my 20year old son says get those swapped and go big, but i did isle of skye last year in a rental camper and remember those single track poor roads well, i thought of possibly just powder coating the davenports to change the look a bit,,, i guess my question as i dont know alot about alloys is if going bigger has a effect on comfort driving those poor westcoast of scotland pot holed roads??

A "new" tyre that would suit your travels without changing the Davenports.

SUV tyres are a more rugged construction than standard car type ones.
Supplier just to show details & expected cost.

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV 235/55 R17 Y tyres | Blackcircles.com

Buy tyres online and get them fitted locally with Blackcircles. Lifetime Guarantee now on all car, van & SUV tyres. Peace of mind, at no extra cost.

www.blackcircles.com

 

[Doug Curran]

A "new" tyre that would suit your travels without changing the Davenports.

SUV tyres are a more rugged construction than standard car type ones.
Supplier just to show details & expected cost.

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV 235/55 R17 Y tyres | Blackcircles.com

Buy tyres online and get them fitted locally with Blackcircles. Lifetime Guarantee now on all car, van & SUV tyres. Peace of mind, at no extra cost.

www.blackcircles.com

For a vehicle with the weight of a Cali you need to ensure an adequate Load Rating. Gross weight (vehicle, fuel, outfitting, passengers) takes combined weight well up past 6,000 lbs. and far beyond the safe loading of passenger car tires. The Kumho All-Season tires on my T5 are rated "Light Truck & SUV" and <1,750 lbs. per wheel X 4 = 7,000 lbs.+.

 

[Zanderbeagles]

I got my 17” Davenport wheels powder coated in gloss black. To me the black wheel blends in with the tyre and looks bigger than it really is as a result. I ditched the star shaped hub covers for some round VW ones and found dome black covers for the nuts. This works out fairly inexpensive and keeps the same tyres.
View attachment 104849

Looks good mate, thanks for sharing

 

[Zanderbeagles]

The idea of "Go Big" is more about performance notions than utility. Going larger makes sense in order to gain ground clearance, or going to a higher profile tire with wider sidewalls, which will give a somewhat softer ride. Think of your tires as being part of the shock absorbers, flexing and absorbing small bumps of the road.
Too often people mount larger rims but select a tire with a lower sidewall in order to keep the overall circumference in factory specs. But this results in a harsher ride. Too, if you are on rough roads you are more likely to experience damage to the rims or even cut sidewalls from rocks. You can make trouble for yourself. Also, too wide a tire will decrease grip in mud and increase rolling resistance in soft sand.
I have made multiple 10,000 kms trips throughout Baja California, with 16 or 17" wheels and 255 X 60/65 tires - never a flat despite sharp edges, rocks, stones, et all.
'Swampers' may look the part but for most of your use they will present other problems; weight, clearance, wear, fuel consumption - pretty much all the things that a 20 year old wouldn't give a hoot about. After all, there are women to be impressed.

 

[Zanderbeagles]

Thanks for the advice appreciated