Tyre speed rating

[baz2236]

Hi my mate is looking at getting some new Tyres for his td5 the book speed for the vechile is 85mph but the Tyres he is looking at are not rated that high. But they are rated above 70 which is the legal speed of a vechile any how. Are you allowed to fit Tyres that are not rated at the book speed of your vechile could he get in trouble if he was stopped by the law. The mot man said as long as they are rated the same he does not mind.


Does anyone have any ideas.  

[dxmedia]

The tyres need to be rated at the top speed of the vehicle, legally.

[lambert]

the police neither seem to know nor care when i asked the local lot. ideally it should  be over the top speed of the car, even if only just, mostly the problem would be with the insurance in the event of a prang. it would give them chance to wriggle out of paying.

[JIMBOBLY]

its not actually a legal requirement to have the speed rating matched to the top speed of the vehicle,if it doesnt match the top speed,it will state on the tyre,weather it is road legal or not,it is on the load rating though,i.e,the tyres have to be able to carry the weight of the vehicle,and to allow for the pay load obviously,you will find that all remould tyres,including car tyre remoulds,are not as high speed rating as new one's.

[glaggs]

All tyre manufacturers would only recommend tyres of a speed/load index as origionaly recommended for the vehicle. As already stated - check that the load index is equal to or higher than the OE spec tyres.

[McGuire]

 In Europe (over there) the speed rating of the tyre MUST match, or exceed, the top speed of the vehicle.
 Over here, the vehicle must not exceed the speed rating of the tyre.
 So, over here, the rating of the tyre does not have to match the top speed of the vehicle, as long as the vehicle doesn't exceed the tyre's speed rating.
 

[Saffy]

In Europe (over there) the speed rating of the tyre MUST match, or exceed, the top speed of the vehicle.
 Over here, the vehicle must not exceed the speed rating of the tyre.
 So, over here, the rating of the tyre does not have to match the top speed of the vehicle, as long as the vehicle doesn't exceed the tyre's speed rating.
 

that's the way I understand the situation to be too.

[dxmedia]

I'll retract my initial post then ;) Thought that was EU wide.... give it couple of years then...

[Range Rover Blues]

Striclty speaking, if the manufacturer says it has to have a tyre confroming to a certain standard, then it has to have it.

Later RR have a note in the handbvook that if certain types of tyre are fitted with lower speed ratings then the maximum speed of the vehicle must not exceed the speed rating of the tyre, the vehicle has been tested on these tyres and homologated to use them.

[glaggs]

To quote the brochure for the new BF Goodrich (Michelin) Mud Terrain T/A km2 :-

" When fitting lower speed rated tyres than the origional tyres, vehicle handling may be different, and the tyres speed rating must be respected."

[baz2236]

Thanks for all the replies. He has brought the Tyres might slow him down a bit.