tyre rating 88t

[sweetkwan]

Hello all, i have been offered two tyres ( michelins) the only difference to the ones i have on my berlingo is that the ones on the car are 88H , the two i have been offered are 88t, is there any problem here, .

[3rensho]

From a quick Google it looks like the T rating is a slightly lower speed rating than the H. Not sure about the law governing such things in the UK but tyres here in Switzerland must conform to the maximum speed on the speedometer of the vehicle. I use H's here in CH even I'll never drive at anything close to that top speed..

[OuterSpaceHopper]

So long as nobody has retrofitted new rims or suspension components, the most conclusive place to find out the allowed tyre sizes and ratings is in the owner manual, but even here it will usually say something along the lines of 'if lower rated tyres are used then a maximum speed notice must be displayed to the driver'

Some people get a bit touchy about speed ratings on tyres, insurance, the law etc, but in the event of an accident I'm not sure how the police would determine that you had used underrated(speed) tyres anyway, unless it was grossly wrong, R rated on a lamborgini or something! I went to the Pug dealer today and their computer could not tell me what size or rating tyre my car should have on! They said they don't store that information and just replace what is on the car like for like!

A leasing company once fitted V rated tyres(instead of H) to my previous company car and thereafter I had great trouble getting new tyres out of them as they would only replace with V rated, which were impossible to get hold of in that size!

Mostly the online tyre retailers where you type the registration number in bring up the wrong size and rating for my car!

Older versions of the service box software lists tyre sizes by model and engine size. for my Mk11 1.6HDi 90bhp it lists a choice of T or H rated.
Post your model, engine size and rim dimensions and we can look it up.

[sweetkwan]

thanks lads, my manual says 185 65 R15 88H, not sure if these 185 65 R15 88T are illegal in insurance eyes, the car is 2004 multispace HDi 2.0ltr,

[OuterSpaceHopper]

On a 2 liter version I'd probably stick with the H rated, as the T rated might look a bit out a place to a busybody looking for trouble.

Often there is no price difference between H and T or even the H is cheaper.

[j90xxx]

T rated tyres 118mph
H rated tyres 130mph
For the rest, check the link below. :thumbsup:

http://www.blackcircles.com/general/speedrating

[tucker]

I use T rated with my winter tyres. They should be H.

The car won't go 118 let alone 130!!

Personally I can't see how it would ever be a problem.

[j90xxx]

The speed rating is the maximum speed that the tyre is designed to be operated at.
The speed rating of a tyre does not form part of the MOT for Class IV vehicles, only Class V (minibuses etc.) and Class VII (large vans).
As far as the Law is concerned the speed (and load) rating should not be less than the quoted manufacturers figures, usually on a sticker inside the front of the drivers door.

[stuartinlancashire]

Every vehicle manufacturer states a tyre with a rating to match/exceed the maximum speed of the car because when it leaves the factory they don't know exactly where the car is going or for what purpose it might be used.

The maximum speed limit in the UK is 70mph and as far as I understand the lowest speed rated tyre you can buy is "N" which is rated at 88mph. UK tyre law only demands that you fit tyres with a speed rating in excess of the national speed limit, however some countries do require that replacement tyres have ratings matching or exceeding those stated by the manufacturer. Therefore unless you plan on exceeding 70mph, for example at track days or in countries with a higher speed limit then "N" rated tyres are sufficient in the UK.

However the load index must equal, or exceed that of the tyre fitted originally.

[j90xxx]

Hi Stuart.
Your statement regarding load ratings is quite correct, however you are incorrect with the speed rating.
The UK maximum speed limit has nothing to do with UK law on speed rating of tyres. Also the defense that you never drive above 70mph, makes no diference either.
The speed rating of your tyres MUST NOT be less than the MAXIMUM DESIGN SPEED of your vehicle.
As we are talking (hopefully) about Berlingos here, the MDS of a 1.6HDi 75bhp is 88mph, then you would be within the Law fitting 'N' rated tyres.
But if you have a 1.6HDi 90bhp, that has a MDS of 99mph so 'N' rated tyres would be illegal.
When I bought tyres earlier in the year I went with the tyre company recommendation, which were the same spec as the sticker fitted to the vehicle.
This information is in the link below (Section 16, Paragraph 7.)
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/...ule/3/made