Van Tyres & insurance & Law Enforcement, thoughts/advice

[Nigel Worc's]

One for like minded anoracks to think about.

I'm not just asking on here, I've approached my tyre supplier, they are taking advice, and will come back to me.

I have a VW Caddy van, a 2.0 SDI, Max laden weight 2205 KGs, max front axle 1050 KGs, max rear axle 1250 KGs.

It has been pointed out to me that my tyres may not meet the load specs on my rear axle, as they are rated at 615 KGs, so will be 20 KGs short of my max rear axle rating.

Is enforcement that accurate ?

My van, fully laden as I use it is 1748 KGs, without driver or passenger, kerb weight I guess that's classed as.

Thoughts ?

I've looked around the car park at work (we're all different small companies), the smaller vans, these are transit connects, are all rated at 615 KGs, but their rear axle is only 1150 KGs.

There is a larger van, transit sized but an Iveco, that has alloy wheels fitted, and tyres rated at 750 KGs, which doesn't seem enough.

There is also a merc sprinter, and a renault master, theirs are rated at 1150 KGs.

[MMT]

I've got a Renualt Master SL33 and the tyres are all 1030kg.

[TooMany2cvs]

Nigel Worc's said:

I have a VW Caddy van, a 2.0 SDI, Max laden weight 2205 KGs, max front axle 1050 KGs, max rear axle 1250 KGs.

It has been pointed out to me that my tyres may not meet the load specs on my rear axle, as they are rated at 615 KGs, so will be 20 KGs short of my max rear axle rating.

What's the handbook or tyre label say about load rating? Are they standard size, van-rated tyres?

[Nigel Worc's]

TooMany2cvs said:

Nigel Worc's said:

I have a VW Caddy van, a 2.0 SDI, Max laden weight 2205 KGs, max front axle 1050 KGs, max rear axle 1250 KGs.

It has been pointed out to me that my tyres may not meet the load specs on my rear axle, as they are rated at 615 KGs, so will be 20 KGs short of my max rear axle rating.

What's the handbook or tyre label say about load rating? Are they standard size, van-rated tyres?

The van plate says the rear axle is max 1250 KGs
The tyres say they are 615 KGs each.

Standard van rated tyres, supplied and fitted by a local tyre center.

[MMT]

Put your reg in here and it'll tell you the load rating.
http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

[SpamDisco]

Just done a bit of googling, the load rating is for when the pressure is at 35/36psi, the load increases with higher pressure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code#cite_note-9

http://toyotires.com/sites/default/files/page-file...

Edited by SpamDisco on Monday 30th June 21:26

[Nigel Worc's]

MMT said:

Put your reg in here and it'll tell you the load rating.
http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

It doesn't, but it does explain things.

My tyres are "91", which is 615 KGs, it would appear that's ok for the front, but should perhaps be "92" 630 KGs on the rear.

[MMT]

It does on mine. Put the reg in and it comes back with a tyre size and a number after it which represents the load rating.

[Nigel Worc's]

Still not for me, it comes back with 91 for the front tyres, then asks me to say the rears are the same.

It is the rears that are being questioned, at the moment they are the same, but the question is should they be ?

[LoonR1]

What's the insurance question? I'm guessing "will they avoid paying out?" Simple answer, I doubt it very much for a variety of reasons, the main one being that if the tyres were fitted by a tyre company the they should know better and you're not expected to.

[Nigel Worc's]

LoonR1 said:

What's the insurance question? I'm guessing "will they avoid paying out?" Simple answer, I doubt it very much for a variety of reasons, the main one being that if the tyres were fitted by a tyre company the they should know better and you're not expected to.

That was the concern Loon.

I don't even know if it is an issue yet, as it is a max limit rather than how I use the van, but it does exceed the tyres ratings, a bit like speed ratings on faster vehicles, the limit is 70, but we have to fit tyres capable of 130 etc.

I thought the 20 KG was so close it would be ok, but looking at the link given to me, there are 630 KG rated tyres, so I'm guessing those should have been fitted.

I'll post what the tyre supplier comes back with, I think they've been caught out as they have several Transit Connects, which are rated to carry slightly less than the Caddy.

It has just been MOT'd, and wasn't even picked up there.

[TooMany2cvs]

Nigel Worc's said:

The van plate says the rear axle is max 1250 KGs
The tyres say they are 615 KGs each.

Standard van rated tyres, supplied and fitted by a local tyre center.

I meant what does the tyre label on the van say about the load rating for the tyres... It'll have the full tyre spec - 205/65 14C 94T or whatever.

I'm VERY surprised that proper van C-rated tyres are only 91. Quick look at VW's website suggests current Caddies would be on 196/65 15 - Camskill don't list any van tyres in that size, but 195/70 15 _van_ tyres are 104-rated. There's plenty of XL 95-rated car tyres in the right size.

Somebody's been cheap on the rubber in the past.

[Nigel Worc's]

TooMany2cvs said:

I meant what does the tyre label on the van say about the load rating for the tyres... It'll have the full tyre spec - 205/65 14C 94T or whatever.

I'm VERY surprised that proper van C-rated tyres are only 91. Quick look at VW's website suggests current Caddies would be on 196/65 15 - Camskill don't list any van tyres in that size, but 195/70 15 _van_ tyres are 104-rated. There's plenty of XL 95-rated car tyres in the right size.

Somebody's been cheap on the rubber in the past.

91's are actually listed on autodata for this van.

There is no tyre label on the van, it has been noticed that the max rear alxe data (on the van plate) is 1250 KGs, but the tyres are 615 KGs (making 1230, 20 KGs short).

I'm always "cheap" on the rubber, the tyres are Mohawks, exactly what I've fitted to the BM for years and had no issues with.

The tyre supplier says they are Van rated.

What I'm enquiring about is, is it an issue or not ?

[TooMany2cvs]

Nigel Worc's said:

There is no tyre label on the van

Handbook?

Nigel Worc's said:

it has been noticed that the max rear alxe data (on the van plate) is 1250 KGs, but the tyres are 615 KGs (making 1230, 20 KGs short).

So, yes, 91s are inadequate. It's that simple. Will they actually wilt and die dramatically, taking you with 'em? Probably not. But they won't last very long at all, and they'll probably be utterly horrible to drive on once the van's loaded.

Mind you, tyres that cheap and nasty will be utterly horrible anyway, and either have some grip but last ten minutes or be made of a concrete-teflon mix, so you might not notice much difference...

Nigel Worc's said:

The tyre supplier says they are Van rated.

I don't care what the guy flogging you cheap rubbish says. What's on the sidewall? If it doesn't say C after the rim diameter, they're car tyres not van ones.

Let's put it this way. I wouldn't. But, having said that, I wouldn't buy cheapy-nasty rubber in the first place...

[Nigel Worc's]

Neither Autodata, or the website posted here says anything about "C", and there isn't a C on the tyres either.

Both autodata and the website say : 195/65R15 T 91

[Nigel Worc's]

No mention of "C" even if you choose reinforced

http://www.blackcircles.com/order/tyres/search

Where does this "C" come from ?

I could imagine V for van, or R for reinforced, or even XL for Extra Load, but C ?

[Cat]

Nigel Worc's said:

No mention of "C" even if you choose reinforced

http://www.blackcircles.com/order/tyres/search

Where does this "C" come from ?

I could imagine V for van, or R for reinforced, or even XL for Extra Load, but C ?

Commercial.

Cat

[TooMany2cvs]

Nigel Worc's said:

Neither Autodata, or the website posted here says anything about "C", and there isn't a C on the tyres either.

Then they're not van tyres - C for Commercial - just car tyres. And, for that size, they're not even XL (eXtra Load) rated.

[jbsportstech]

Providing you have standard vw wheels you need to use their advised true size and load rating this way the insurance company have no reason to wiggle out.

[scorcher]

Nigel Worc's said:

It has just been MOT'd, and wasn't even picked up there.

Its not a requirement to check load ratings on a class 4 MOT, (same as a Normal car MOT), only on a class 7 it is a requirement(3000-3500 kgs gross).

MOT,Police and insurance are unlikely to be interested, but VOSA probably would. Tyres should meet or exceed the minimum load requirements (same as speed ratings) regardless of whether you intend loading to max capacity or not.