Tyre Load Rating - Can't Google answer :-(
Discussion
Hi all. Hoping you can help me please.
My daughter has had from new a July 2011 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.25L. Tyre size is 195/45 R16 84V.
She drives in all weathers and I really want to make sure she has the best tyres on for wet/snowy conditions. I really want to get her four Michelin Crossclimates BUT these only come in 195/45 R16 80V (note the load rating is 80 and not 84).
80 = 450 KG
84 = 500 KG
I notice that some tyre supplier has in fact installed a single 80V on her car so she has 3 that are 84V and one that is 80V. I'm not very happy about that because I think they should all be the same and should be as per the original OEM 84V.
But I have no idea what I am talking about; I know nothing about tyres.
So what do you think? Can I safely fit 4 x 195/45 R16 80V in place of the OEM 195/45 R16 84V ?
The user manual doesn't actual give the load rating to be used it only gives the 195/45 R16 V bit but not the load rating.
(PS further question, would the tyre pressures need to be non standard if I did?)
Many thanks for your advice in advance.
(PPS It is the safety issue I am predominantly interested in but any views on Michelin Crossclimates also appreciated).
My daughter has had from new a July 2011 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.25L. Tyre size is 195/45 R16 84V.
She drives in all weathers and I really want to make sure she has the best tyres on for wet/snowy conditions. I really want to get her four Michelin Crossclimates BUT these only come in 195/45 R16 80V (note the load rating is 80 and not 84).
80 = 450 KG
84 = 500 KG
I notice that some tyre supplier has in fact installed a single 80V on her car so she has 3 that are 84V and one that is 80V. I'm not very happy about that because I think they should all be the same and should be as per the original OEM 84V.
But I have no idea what I am talking about; I know nothing about tyres.
So what do you think? Can I safely fit 4 x 195/45 R16 80V in place of the OEM 195/45 R16 84V ?
The user manual doesn't actual give the load rating to be used it only gives the 195/45 R16 V bit but not the load rating.
(PS further question, would the tyre pressures need to be non standard if I did?)
Many thanks for your advice in advance.
(PPS It is the safety issue I am predominantly interested in but any views on Michelin Crossclimates also appreciated).
If you know nothing about tyres on what are you basing your preference for Michelin Crossclimates?
On the same lines, if safety is best served by fitting original equipment specification tyres then your best tyre supplier is likely to be a franchised Ford dealer.
There are many threads discussing the pros & cons of summer & winter tyres in the General Gassing forum which may be of interest/help. If nothing else they should keep you occupied for several hours.......
On the same lines, if safety is best served by fitting original equipment specification tyres then your best tyre supplier is likely to be a franchised Ford dealer.
There are many threads discussing the pros & cons of summer & winter tyres in the General Gassing forum which may be of interest/help. If nothing else they should keep you occupied for several hours.......
Edited by paintman on Saturday 5th November 23:57
OP you are correct, the load ratings should all match.
Are you sure the load rating isn't specified in the handbook, or on a sticker in the driver's door jamb or fuel filler flap? I would expect Ford to have printed it somewhere because it matters.
In practice 80 would probably be fine but like you I'd be disinclined to go lower than Ford specify.
The Michelin is a great tyre I hear, but if it is not suitable for your fitment then Goodyear, Vredstein and many others also make great all-season tyres.
Are you sure the load rating isn't specified in the handbook, or on a sticker in the driver's door jamb or fuel filler flap? I would expect Ford to have printed it somewhere because it matters.
In practice 80 would probably be fine but like you I'd be disinclined to go lower than Ford specify.
The Michelin is a great tyre I hear, but if it is not suitable for your fitment then Goodyear, Vredstein and many others also make great all-season tyres.
Dear all, many thanks for taking the time to reply.
The annoying thing is that of the 4 tyres on the car at present one is a completely different make/tread pattern/load/speed rating than the other 3 and it was fitted by a Ford main dealer during a service. I never even bothered checking it as I had assumed they would fit OEM like all the other tyres. I've learnt a lesson there.
Still not decided what tyre to go for but thanks to the last poster for suggestions.
The annoying thing is that of the 4 tyres on the car at present one is a completely different make/tread pattern/load/speed rating than the other 3 and it was fitted by a Ford main dealer during a service. I never even bothered checking it as I had assumed they would fit OEM like all the other tyres. I've learnt a lesson there.
Still not decided what tyre to go for but thanks to the last poster for suggestions.
I'm fairly astonished that this should be even remotely a contentious issue. The information is all out there. The minimum tyre load rating will be in the handbook or on a sticker on the car, often just inside the driver's door metalwork if you open the door. The load rating is a 2 digit number and following it is a single letter speed rating. The load rating is a minimum legal requirement but a bigger number is fine. The MOT regulations specify a check for load rating for each tyre but in the real world I've never noticed anyone bother much. Tyres don't just go pop.
http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating
Enter the reg number here if opening the car doors is a chore.
http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating
Enter the reg number here if opening the car doors is a chore.
sunbeam alpine said:
I don't know how strict MOT testers are in the UK, but here in Belgium a tyre with a lower load rating would fail the MOT if the lower rating was lower than the manufacturer's recommended value.
So my car could have come with 17" or 18" wheels17s are 91 load. 18s are 92 load.
Which would they fail?
Incidentally I run 88 load tyres.
thebraketester said:
So my car could have come with 17" or 18" wheels
17s are 91 load. 18s are 92 load.
Which would they fail?
Incidentally I run 88 load tyres.
They'd fail whichever one was under the mandated load rating for that size of wheel and tyre for that car. Yes it has little relevance in the real world. My car has a 86T rating for its particular size of tyre. I've just been out and had a look and some are 86T and some are 86H. The car is not supposed to be able to go faster than 110 mph. H covers up to 118 mph and T up to 130 mph. How the hell my car is supposed to go at 130 mph I'm not sure.17s are 91 load. 18s are 92 load.
Which would they fail?
Incidentally I run 88 load tyres.
ZaphodBeeblebrox1 said:
I'm fairly astonished that this should be even remotely a contentious issue. The information is all out there. The minimum tyre load rating will be in the handbook or on a sticker on the car, often just inside the driver's door metalwork if you open the door. The load rating is a 2 digit number and following it is a single letter speed rating. The load rating is a minimum legal requirement but a bigger number is fine. The MOT regulations specify a check for load rating for each tyre but in the real world I've never noticed anyone bother much. Tyres don't just go pop.
http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating
Enter the reg number here if opening the car doors is a chore.
Opening the door was never a chore! You may be surprised to know that the plate doesn't give the load rating. Nor does the user handbook see page 150 here http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/cat... No idea why not. The question I asked was whether it was safe to use a lower load rating than is currently on the car not what the load rating was. The consensus seemed it's not and your point about mot is a good one. I have no idea why a ford main dealer fitted one tyre with a lower load rating than the tyres fitted as Oem. http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating
Enter the reg number here if opening the car doors is a chore.
Edited by ppsh1944 on Saturday 3rd December 01:16
You raise some interesting points. I'm surprised there is no minimum tyre load index specified by Ford in either the manual or on the car but what the law says is that tyres must have a load index equal to or higher than those "originally fitted" to the car. It says nothing about manufacturer specifications - just what was fitted to your actual car when that was first sold as new. Therein lies a huge problem. You say your OE tyres were load index 84. However once those tyres have worn out and been thrown away the matter is not easily proveable in court absent perhaps photos of the car in the showroom plus the testimony of six vicars and a police constable.
So you'd be hard pressed to make a legal complaint against a tyre supplier but equally you'd be safe from prosecution yourself under road traffic law.
I would be interested to know why Ford don't specify this if you fancy contacting them. However in the real world it's a non issue. No one really gives a stuff about tyre load index.
So you'd be hard pressed to make a legal complaint against a tyre supplier but equally you'd be safe from prosecution yourself under road traffic law.
I would be interested to know why Ford don't specify this if you fancy contacting them. However in the real world it's a non issue. No one really gives a stuff about tyre load index.
on that fiesta an 80 would be fine really, the car is most likely less than a 1000kg, and winter tyres aren't necessarily a match for the original specs anyway.
mot regs used to allow a fail on mismatched speed ratings etc but not now, so a load rating is not going to be looked at in the U.K.
the sheer fact it has winter tyres fitted below 7 degrees is safer than any issue over the load rating concern, so i'd fit them, although nothing out there says Michelin are the best tyre, so you may find another make in a 84, it also doesn't need a V rated tyre as the fiesta will never achieve 140mph, so look for H which is still 130.
only my 2p
mot regs used to allow a fail on mismatched speed ratings etc but not now, so a load rating is not going to be looked at in the U.K.
the sheer fact it has winter tyres fitted below 7 degrees is safer than any issue over the load rating concern, so i'd fit them, although nothing out there says Michelin are the best tyre, so you may find another make in a 84, it also doesn't need a V rated tyre as the fiesta will never achieve 140mph, so look for H which is still 130.
only my 2p
thebraketester said:
sunbeam alpine said:
I don't know how strict MOT testers are in the UK, but here in Belgium a tyre with a lower load rating would fail the MOT if the lower rating was lower than the manufacturer's recommended value.
So my car could have come with 17" or 18" wheels17s are 91 load. 18s are 92 load.
Which would they fail?
Incidentally I run 88 load tyres.
CarsOrBikes said:
on that fiesta an 80 would be fine really, the car is most likely less than a 1000kg, and winter tyres aren't necessarily a match for the original specs anyway.
mot regs used to allow a fail on mismatched speed ratings etc but not now, so a load rating is not going to be looked at in the U.K.
the sheer fact it has winter tyres fitted below 7 degrees is safer than any issue over the load rating concern, so i'd fit them, although nothing out there says Michelin are the best tyre, so you may find another make in a 84, it also doesn't need a V rated tyre as the fiesta will never achieve 140mph, so look for H which is still 130.
only my 2p
Thanks - good advice.mot regs used to allow a fail on mismatched speed ratings etc but not now, so a load rating is not going to be looked at in the U.K.
the sheer fact it has winter tyres fitted below 7 degrees is safer than any issue over the load rating concern, so i'd fit them, although nothing out there says Michelin are the best tyre, so you may find another make in a 84, it also doesn't need a V rated tyre as the fiesta will never achieve 140mph, so look for H which is still 130.
only my 2p
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