Original spec

[666damned]

Hi guys,anybody know the original spec of the tyres of the pfl vr4?....I'm currently running 91y......but can I run 88w .

[Erni902]

Not sure on the originals. I assume you can run any speed rating tyre as long as you dont exceed the limit of the tyre. 88w may be ok for say town driving but no good for autobahn I expect. Not if you want them to last anyway

[billybobboot]

Any thing v or above will be fine
The last number refers to the load each tyre can cope with weight of the car ÷4 if this give you min load for each tyre.

The letter is the speed rating
V is 149
Z is 150
W is 165
Y is 185
A tyre will go above these speeds but will start to shred and cause blow outs due to vibration.
an 91 w is good for 615 kg per tyre at 165 mph
88 v is good for 560 kg per tyre at 149 mph
So yes on our roads is fine but do a track run on say a mile strait you may find your hitting its limit.
The car is about 1400-1500 kg but stock speed is around 163 i think it was on specs not 100% sure.
Anyways yes your tyre at 88v will be fine.
Any tyre 84+
Or v+ should be fine

[billybobboot]

Sorry missed read you post thought you put 88v 88w is plenty will cope with anything you can throw at it
Would be rated at 560 kg and 165mph should cope with track days too.
Its not quite as good as your running but is easly up to the job.
I normally advise customers anything w rated or up on performance cars e.g. bmw ect as these not that you should but can hit 155 and pushes v and z to its max.

[chris g]

Load rating 88 would be ok if same or larger than std tyre spec

Speed rating has to be same or better to be safe

Problems can also start if you have accident and vehicle inspector notes tyres below std vehicle tyre load/speed rating = no cover

[Nick Mann]

Someone once told me that the speed rating should be based on what the car is capable of, not the speed you think you might do.
If that info is wrong then why do we need tyres rated for over 70mph?

[elnevio]

In case we go to Germany!

[billybobboot]

tyres should be rated for speed car will do but most insurance wont question a v as its still well over for this country.

[chris g]

It's more about ins questioning tyres rated lower than car requires...

[billybobboot]

There isnt enough grounds on a v for an insurace company to reject the claim. If it was a h rated tyre they would as the car can easly over speed the tyre but at v the insurance company would have to prove you regularly go over the 149mph tyre rating and they cant prove this unless you go to Germany or have a black box in your car.
If they did you could take it to a court to decide they would have to prove you went over the speed rating on a v rated tyre there mot going to bother as it would be to hard to prove unless you did go 150+ and damaged the tyres.

[chris g]

You are missing the point - it is fitting lower spec tyres not v rated tyres - a lower speed rating - and risk of problems with a claim - the risk may be small and you may think that an ins co would not bother but they do bother about small things to reject a claim - hel,l they argue when you have maintained a car and were not at fault with an accident...

[666damned]

thmx for all the info guys.....it was mainly the legality of it as far insurance was concerned........as im thinking of changing my wheel/tyre set up on the old girl,and the tyre size I'm possibly going for is more common and reasonably priced at the the slightly lower ratings......a mate said i should find the spec of tyre when the car was new:ie.original spec ratings...i personally wouldn't have an issue with running 88w,as the amount of time i'm really pushing the old girls limits is very rare to be honest..and rarely see's 3 figure speeds...