Wheels/Tyres: Speed rating / invalid insurance.

[Daim]

Isn't there a possibility, like here in continental Europe, to put a sticker in your speedo with the speed limit according to the wheels?

I mean, if you have T tyres, these are limited to 190 km/h (118 mph). If your car can go faster but you only want T's, then you have to put a sticker somewhere in the near of the speedo, so you obey that. If your car goes say 210 km/h (131 mph), then you'll need H rated tyres. If you buy H then you don't need a sticker...

That is European law and a way to get around the expensive tyres. If the police catch you going faster than you may by tire, then of course it costs a lot more cash. Kind of like driving in Germany on the Autobahn with your rear foglight on (min speed on Autobahn: 60 km/h (37.5 mph). Top speed with rear foglight on: 50 km/h (31 mph) - drive with rear foglight on at 100 km/h (62 mph) and you lose your license as you exceeded your set speed limit).

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by rublehousen

thanks for the input. i wonder how many people are aware of this when they buy secondhand cars? i wasnt aware of it possibly invalidating your insurance. maybe the insurance companys should ask for the tyre sizes and ratings that are on your car so they can decide wether it is modified or not before selling you insurance? but that would be the nice correct thing for them to do, not the legal minimum they need to do. anyway going to get 4 new michelin tyres in the morning, correct size and ratings, whacked on the flexible friend. i hate buying tyres. and exhausts. grrrrrrrrrrr.

tbh i hate buying tyres sometimes because of cost, but i refuse to but ditch finders on her and get the best

as for tyre ratings it is all there in the manual or on the b pillar...really.

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by Daim

Isn't there a possibility, like here in continental Europe, to put a sticker in your speedo with the speed limit according to the wheels?

I mean, if you have T tyres, these are limited to 190 km/h (118 mph). If your car can go faster but you only want T's, then you have to put a sticker somewhere in the near of the speedo, so you obey that. If your car goes say 210 km/h (131 mph), then you'll need H rated tyres. If you buy H then you don't need a sticker...

That is European law and a way to get around the expensive tyres. If the police catch you going faster than you may by tire, then of course it costs a lot more cash. Kind of like driving in Germany on the Autobahn with your rear foglight on (min speed on Autobahn: 60 km/h (37.5 mph). Top speed with rear foglight on: 50 km/h (31 mph) - drive with rear foglight on at 100 km/h (62 mph) and you lose your license as you exceeded your set speed limit).

Never heard of it matey.

Can you clarify your second point though about foglights? - AB - minimum speed of 37.5mph...but the second bit confused me?

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

Never heard of it matey.

Can you clarify your second point though about foglights? - AB - minimum speed of 37.5mph...but the second bit confused me?

German (and mainland European law) says, that rearwards facing foglights (the red ones) are only allowed to be used up to a topspeed of 50 km/h (31 mph). When YOU turn the lights on, you limit YOURSELF to max. 31 mph. If you say then drive 100 km/h (62 mph) which is twice the allowed selfset speed and a policemen or trafficpatrol catches you doing so, you will lose your driving license in the country you are in. If you drive a little faster, then the law of the country you are in, will determine, how high your fine will be.

So, when driving on mainland Europe and if you have the urge to use your rear foglights, DON'T drive any faster than 50 km/h or 31 mph!

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

tbh i hate buying tyres sometimes because of cost, but i refuse to but ditch finders on her and get the best

as for tyre ratings it is all there in the manual or on the b pillar...really.

Tire ratings aren't just determined by Volvo's manuals. According to Volvo, you need V rated tyres on a 1.6l petrol. V = 240 km/h (150 mph). I don't think it will ever (not even in free fall) manage to get that speed!

[Bill_56]

Originally Posted by Daim

Tire ratings aren't just determined by Volvo's manuals. According to Volvo, you need V rated tyres on a 1.6l petrol. V = 240 km/h (150 mph). I don't think it will ever (not even in free fall) manage to get that speed!

My understanding is as follows....

The car-maker goes through a 'Whole vehicle' type approvals process, which records every detail of the car, including the specification of tyres that were fitted to the vehicle at time of approval.

Any deviation from the specification from which approval was granted then renders the approval invalid, or at least count as a 'modification'.

Thus, even if Volvo fitted generous 150mph tyres to a car capable of only 90mph, simply because they were able to get them cheap on the day the car was built, these tyre specifications would be required in future to maintain validity of the approval. Insurance companies are not Engineers or Physicists so, even when it seems obvious, they're not going to pass judgement on whether or not a deviation form original approved spec is 'safe' or 'unsafe'.


As I say, that's my understanding. May be wrong.

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Bill_56

My understanding is as follows....

The car-maker goes through a 'Whole vehicle' type approvals process, which records every detail of the car, including the specification of tyres that were fitted to the vehicle at time of approval.

Any deviation from the specification from which approval was granted then renders the approval invalid, or at least count as a 'modification'.

Thus, even if Volvo fitted generous 150mph tyres to a car capable of only 90mph, simply because they were able to get them cheap on the day the car was built, these tyre specifications would be required in future to maintain validity of the approval. Insurance companies are not Engineers or Physicists so, even when it seems obvious, they're not going to pass judgement on whether or not a deviation form original approved spec is 'safe' or 'unsafe'.


As I say, that's my understanding. May be wrong.

Well, if you have an accident, get an expert in. He will not only look at the accident damage, but also what tyres were fitted. If he sees "okay, tire rating is too low but it is still within spec" then the insurance SHOULD still pay.

I had an accident last week (19th June) and killed a dear. Front end was nicely damaged. The expert called in (a lot of insurances do that here) didn't only check the tire treads but also the ratings and if the tyres were okay for the car. They aren't Volvo spec tyres (instead of V they are ZRs) but even still. If I had Ts or even less on the car, the accident would still have happend.

[rublehousen]

Originally Posted by Daim

Tire ratings aren't just determined by Volvo's manuals. According to Volvo, you need V rated tyres on a 1.6l petrol. V = 240 km/h (150 mph). I don't think it will ever (not even in free fall) manage to get that speed!

oooooo the cheek!!!! my beautiful volvo could easily reach 150mph!......in free fall.......lol

[rublehousen]

@Bill 56. thanks for that- but I went to ATS on sat morning, i know the blokes in there as they do all the solid tyres i condemn on forklifts. they had a 25% off summer offer and i get 25 quid back in fuel vouchers,making the bottom line 310quid, so i dont think i did too bad. whats more ive now got new tyres ready for family camping trip next week. the old ones were border line illegal and perishing sidewalls etc, so bring on the rain in the lakes!

some interesting things been thrown up here- fog light speed limit for one.

[SonyVaio]

Originally Posted by Daim

Tire ratings aren't just determined by Volvo's manuals. According to Volvo, you need V rated tyres on a 1.6l petrol. V = 240 km/h (150 mph). I don't think it will ever (not even in free fall) manage to get that speed!

Hi Daim,

V = 150mph and I concur that a 1.6l car probably would never see that sort of speed unless it was off the edge of a cliff??

I believe a step down from a V is H rated but H only goes upto 130mph, now 130mph I think is not too much of a stretch of being a possibilty for a 1.6 (downhill with the wind??) thus would be pushing the boundries of safety with the trye?

This would call for the need of the tyre rating to one higher - V = 150mph.