Camber stretched tyres and the law

[tooldtocruise]

Please don't shoot me
recently bought a e30 with stanced wheels on
now the wheels i like but not sure where i stand with the law and the likleyhood of getting pulled .. what do you think ?

[tooldtocruise]

[rxe]

IMO they’re obvious enough to get you pulled over. The front one is outside the arch, and I would have thought is an immediate MOT fail. The back one possibly is OK, not sure of the perspective.

How does it drive? I would have thought anything over 10 mph would have you tearing chunks off the metalwork.

[HustleRussell]

TBH I’d change that on the basis that it rides, handles and looks jank.

[0a]

Looks like a nice example of an e30 - it would be improved with better wheels/tyres.

[HustleRussell]

Maybe it was a good example in the past. Sun strip, spoiler, arches- embarrassing.

[HustleRussell]

Rear lights too. Eurgh.

[oakdale]

One of the roads near me was recently resurfaced and the road roller used was similarly shod, so I assume it must be legal.

[A1VDY]

The guy only asked for advice not w@nkers like you lot criticising the car because its not to your taste..

[anonymous-user]

It looks positively tame compared to what I've seen on the VW scene. I'd pop into a local friendly Mot station and get their view. They might have local knowledge of how the BiB near you would see it.

[QBee]

Grahamdub said:

It looks positively tame compared to what I've seen on the VW scene. I'd pop into a local friendly Mot station and get their view. They might have local knowledge of how the BiB near you would see it.

Sound advice

[Durzel]

deep breath

I think you'll probably be fine. Not because they aren't necessarily legal, but because realistically who is going to notice when you're driving along, and the chances of actually encountering a cop nowadays on the road is slim. People get away with worse for months or years.

The fronts appear to be the only ones that would concern me, being proud of the arch looking top down.

[grudas]

you'll be fine, ran way worse than that

ignore all the 70yo baloon tyre drivers here who love to hate on everything thats non standard or track car.

the law states that the TREAD of the tyre should not be poking out the arch when looking top-down.

Edited by grudas on Monday 1st April 08:58

[anonymous-user]

grudas said:

you'll be fine, ran way worse than that

ignore all the 70yo baloon tyre drivers here who love to hate on everything thats non standard or track car.

the law states that the THREAD of the tyre should not be poking out the arch when looking top-down.

Ideally you don't want the THREAD showing at all

[Graveworm]

I am just glad that wasn't really an internet in my youth, to show what my circle of friends cars looked like. The wheels and tyres will grab attention so eventually also from the police. The MOT centre sounds like a good idea also ask them how much the car has been compromised. If you are stopped and they get into it, if it extend past the bodywork or is fouling then one possibility is they give them the chance to put it right - up to it being prohibited. The easiest test is a straight edge parallel to the ground across the arch, pulled down from the top of the arch. it should be able to get a little ways down the wheel without fouling on it. You will also obviously need to tell your insurance company, as that might possibly be more problematic, given the recent ST thread.

[Retroman]

I've read about the police charging people for using stretched tyres before on Pepipoo and the stretch was pretty minor so i'm quite sure they're illegal.

From reading as well, i remember the DVSA said if the wheels / tyres are sitting outside the areas in a manner that water spray wouldn't be fully contained then that would be an offense.

[SonicShadow]

Ignore the grumpy old s club - there is no legal issue there unless the tyres are below 1.6mm.

[grudas]

Retroman said:

I've read about the police charging people for using stretched tyres before on Pepipoo and the stretch was pretty minor so i'm quite sure they're illegal.

From reading as well, i remember the DVSA said if the wheels / tyres are sitting outside the areas in a manner that water spray wouldn't be fully contained then that would be an offense.

that's true, they're cracking down on stretched tyres, but I mean stretched to silly levels, we're talking 165 on 8j rims etc.

those where the lip is poking out.

I mean I'm very much involved in the "scene" and if a teeny bit over specs you're fine.

[300bhp/ton]

QBee said:

Grahamdub said:

It looks positively tame compared to what I've seen on the VW scene. I'd pop into a local friendly Mot station and get their view. They might have local knowledge of how the BiB near you would see it.

Sound advice

Sound advice, but flawed. The MoT doesn't check nor care if they wheels stick out of the arches. However it is covered under the Construction & Use regulations and is strictly speaking illegal.

Meaning it'll pass an MoT on this point, but you could still be pulled and persecuted for it.

[Drew106]

That's really not that much stretch. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I used to run 185/45's on an 15x8 wheel. Never had any bother, but like others said, how often do you see cops?!

I would swap them over for MOT, not sure they would have passed. Obviously not possible if you don't have another set.

Changed them out in the end because the ride and grip was terrible.