Technical T speed-rated tyres

[Ralf S.]

Now then... Winter is coming... and The Land that Time Forgot gets a bit parky, although it tends to be wet and horrible rather than feets deep of snow.

But any road up.. I bought some alloys last year so my steelies can carry pukka Winter tyres this winter.

The questione is aboot T-speed rating. Gerrard is an elderly gent with 175,000 miles on it so I doubt that he will trouble the manufacturer's top speed of 118mph.

Additionally obviously they're "winter" tyres... and the beast's age (and mine!) means the tyres will never get anywhere near 118mph.. but I know the Plod and Dr Death the MOT man can come over all righteous if the tyres on the car are less than it's operating capabilities as quoted by Fiat back in its day.

So.. does anyone knoe if T-rated is "legal" on the beast? T-rated runs to precisely 118mph so arguably "yes they are"... but the OE tyre was an H-rated job (195/64H15-91H if I recall).

I'm looking at T-rated since they're about £15 cheaper per tyre than an H-rated.. and so £160 vs £220 for a set of four, which is not to be sniffed at. Both T- and H- are 91x load rated so there's no difference in the load they can bear.

Otherwise, if I must "H" it... I presume 2 winter tyres on the front and regular "un-symbol'd" tyres on the rear is okay..? Or does the regulations say they have to be all the same "type"? My winter tyres will be pukka "snow-symbol" jobbies.


Ralf S.

 

[Alfettaman]

I completely understand your (very reasonable) thinking on this. I have a 40 year old Alfa Romeo that never gets driven at its maximum speed, but the law is based around the capability/potential of the vehicle, and not the intentions of the current owner.

There are two specific issues here:

1. The Motor Vehicle Construction and Use regulations 1986 (Regulation 25) make it an offence to use an 'unsuitable' tyre on a vehicle. The Courts tend to refer to the Type Approval certification, where the manufacturer will have stated what is 'suitable' (construction, sizes, load rating, speed rating etc) and will have received Type Approval on that basis.

2. Your insurance policy requires that you maintain your vehicle in a safe and roadworthy condition, so an incorrectly rated tyre could potentially be used by your insurer as an excuse to reject or reduce a (non third party) claim.

That said, the Police are far too busy to go round checking the tyre speed ratings on parked cars, and most MOT stations would miss this too...