Out of frustration w/the whole tire 'issue' ref our shoeboxes, (MXT's ain't
M&S, Yoko's hard to find, etc etc) I checked out 'Kirkland' brand tires at
Costco.  They look (?) OK, right size, correct load range & pressure specs
- but who the heck makes Kirkland???

Step 1, copy down the DOT code off a tire (BFJ4C133359)

2nd step - go to Michelin page

http://www.michelin.com/us/eng/tire/guide/lesson4.html

& head for the bottom to "DOT Markings", where I find out immediately that
that particular tire was made in the 35th week of 1999 - but who made it?

At this point unzip the attached file that I found at DOT/NHTSA - it comes
out as "tire.txt" that I brought into Word & did an 'edit/find' for BF (per
the Michelin page)...came up with Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Mfg in Woodburn,
Indiana.

So the guy at Costco who insisted that the Kirklands are all made by
Michelin had his marketing a little askew!!  Truth be told, I've avoided
Uniroyals ever since the original 'Tiger Paws' (of the '60's - dating
myself here), but as a result of a Mazda Miata stuffing itself under an ol'
Burb used as a covered pickup, & ending up w/ 4 new 235-85/16 Uniroyal
tires courtesy of the poor guy's insurance, & finding them to be quite
adequate, I'm not so hesitant to buy the Kirklands for the Vanagon, esp.
since they're ~$50 ea.

For what it's worth:

        LT195/75R14 93/90Q, marked M&S
        load range C
        ?MSPN #72113? (mfr's stock part #??)
        blackwall only
        rim width 5.0-6.0
        unloaded OA diameter, 25.4"
          "  "   cross section on 5.5" rim, 7.7"
          "  "   tread width (5.5" rim), 5.8"
        center static loaded radius, 11.7"
        14/32" groove depth (yeah, 7/16")
        819 rev's per mile
        max load, 1435# @ 50 psi.

*IF* we ever get some good snow in the Sierras I'll letchall know how they
do in the snotty stuff.

Austin
newtiretxt.zip [application/zip]