Going down one speed rating OK?

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We went to Costco today to get some new tires for the GF's 93 Volvo 850. Looking around the store, we found some BFGoodrich tires of the right size, H rated. When we talked to the tech to initiate the deal, he looked up the car in the computer and said that they didn't have any tires in stock but could order them. I asked him why the BFGs wouldn't work and he said that the car requires V rated tires. The only V rates tires they carry in the correct size are some $150 Michelins, compared with the BFGs for around $75.

The car does indeed seem to spec V rated tires judging by the tire pressures sticker.

Two questions:

1) Given that the thought the car could/would go over 130 mph is absurd, would there be any downsides to getting H rated tires over V rated ones? I should mention the tires currently on the car (from the previous owner) are H rated.

2) The tech said they could give us H rated tires, but it would void the warranty. I'm not sure I understand the logic behind that -- does anyone know if this is true?
 
Down here, they are supposed to install tyres rated to at least what was supplied by the OEM.

To fit lower rated tyres could expose the owner of the vehicle to unpayable insurances.

It's ludicrous, as in most of the country, the speed limit is 110km/hr tops, and 50km over the limit guarantees no licence for a long time.

So why do they even need to fit tyres rated for over 160km/hr ?
 
Costco tire centres like to cover their collective asses. They won't install anything that wasn't originally on the car size/rating wise, and they won't honor treadwear or road hazard warranty on any non-spec install. I'm surprised they even offered to install H-rated tires.

The H-rated tires will be fine as long as she keeps it under 130 mph and if they make a stink about it, go somewhere they won't.
 
You'll be fine as long as her foot isn't made of uranium (the heaviest naturally occurring metal). Why not check out some other tire shops? You might be able to find a better selection and a place that will honor the treadlife warranty.

Just be aware that your factory spec'd tire pressure might be a bit high with the different speed rating, but most likely it will be very similar.
 
Don't need snow tires here, ever. And while she doesn't have a heavy foot, in this car I doubt it'd be a problem even if she did (162 hp in a 3300 lb car coupled with an early 90s era 4 speed auto trans).

I'm definitely going to check out other shops. She's partial to Costco but I'm not since I'm not a member. At other shops, the V rating isn't as big a deal as there seem to be plenty of available V rated tires for between $60 and $90 each judging by my tirerack "research".

The factory spec pressure is 36 PSI front and rear, so it's not too high for H rated tires.

So this pretty much confirms my feelings on this issue. Thanks.
 
There are plenty of speed-rated tires elsewhere. It's easy to make a high-speed rated summer "gumball" tire that'll handle great and take the heat. It's just wear out in 25k.
frown.gif
The cheapest tire in my size from treadepot.com has a high speed rating.

"They" say suspension tuning likes the stiffer sidewall of speed-rated tires, FWIW.

This topic comes up again & again as people discover their "economy" cars aren't as economical as they believed... some camrys even take higher-rated tires!

Edit: Hey it looks like you take 195/60/15s like my saturn! $49 for a "BST SPORT", whatever that is, H rated. Spend another three bucks for a Kumho solus KH16 with a UTOQ 440 AA A that'll last a while.
 
Yep, that's the size :) If only it took 65 sidewalls instead of 60 we would've had tires yesterday! I don't remember the exact models right now but on tirerack I found some Kumho V rated tires for about $60 I think. I may just do that but I've gotta look over the treadwear numbers and warranty. They might be the Solus ones you mentioned.

This is the GF's car and she probably doesn't care, but part of me wants to try V rated tires to see if it feels any different. The car definitely has a Euro style suspension, fairly firm for a family sedan, even in its old age.
 
Originally Posted By: rationull


This is the GF's car and she probably doesn't care, but part of me wants to try V rated tires to see if it feels any different. The car definitely has a Euro style suspension, fairly firm for a family sedan, even in its old age.


V rated tires aren't necessarily any stiffer that H rated. An H could have stiffer sidewalls than a V, they vary a lot within a speed rating.

There is nothing wrong with H rated tires for that car.
 
Originally Posted By: RTexasF
Go to Discount Tire. They will sell and warranty "H" tires for a car that came with "V"'s


+1
They are called America's Tire where he lives.
 
I've got some decent quotes from a couple places around here. Looks like all told going with V rated tires would be around $80 to $100 more (total) than going with H rated. The place I'd like to get my business says they won't do it, but another place that's still fine with me apparently will.

Seeing as it's not my money being spent, I'll probably go with the cheaper H rated ones if there really won't be any difference.
 
Originally Posted By: stang5
Or you can just carry the wheel/tire in to any tire shop..


Hah! Actually if it were my Honda I might consider that, but on the Volvo it's not worth the effort. AFAIK this car is a real pain to lift at all four corners without using a real garage lift.
 
So I haven't seen anyone so far suggest that we'd be better off with the V rated rubber. Given this I think we might as well save the money and get the Hs. Now just to pick some specific tires!
 
Originally Posted By: rationull
So I haven't seen anyone so far suggest that we'd be better off with the V rated rubber.

.......


OK, I'll tell you.

You'd be better off with V rated tires. This is all about risk and capability.

There is always a risk of a tire failure. One way to reduce the risk is to use a tire with more capability. In theory, a tire with a larger load carrying capacity will reduce the risk of a load related failure, while a tire with a higher speed capability will reduce the risk of a speed related failure.

Unfortunately, it is not as clean as that. Tires with increased load carrying capacity are also more speed capable as well - and tires with increased speed capability are also more load capable.

Put a different way, it is safer to use tires with increased capability - and that means a V rated tires will be safer than an H rated tire.
 
If you are going to drive way outside reasonable and legal limits, then you need every shred of capability you can get. If you are going to demand every vehicle is driven at the limits, you had better do something all the top heavy SUV's. Speed rated tires are one of the stupidest, most prententious ideas to come along.
 
H and V rated tires are often very poor in rain, some are just plain dangerous.

Making H and V rated tires requires the use of low hysterisis rubber compounds that bend and distort very little - in order to remain cool at extremely high speeds. The downside of these hard compounds is inflexibility, and low traction when cold. Witness the Indy cars flying off the track at low speeds when behind the pace car. Tire engineering articles often talk about this conflict, indeed Car and Driver writer Pat Bedard once noted that most people using V and H rated tires were increasing, not decreasing their risk.

Case in Point: My Taurus had Kelly Charger HR's on it, it would hydroplane/spin on the hills on the interstate when on cruise control during a rain! Subsequent test in our local parking lot
showed that the traction could approach 0 in a cold rain.
Emergency braking traction seemed to be nearly nothing!
Even though they were nearly new, I had to make boat dock bumpers out of them, replaced with Yokohama TRZ's, T rated, hugely better.

Not all V and H rated tires are this poor in rain, but beware, and be aware that this is a known engineering challenge.

Personally I have never had a blowout in 50 years of driving, so I see no need to throw away money on tires that may perform poorly in the rain. The T rated Yokohamas (118 mph) will be sufficient for all my driving.

Litigation has been the cause if some of this, if the tire blows out it is the manufacturers fault, if the car flys off the road, it is the "drivers fault" even if other tires would have easily handled the situation.



Case in Point: I had Kelly
 
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there's two truths in tires

stiffness of ride increases as profile decreases (go from a car with 15" wheels to 18" wheels and you'd know what I'm talking about, or better, the same size wheel, but compare a 45 series to say a 60 series).

stiffness of ride increases as speed rating of tire increases (the faster the car goes, the stiffer the tire needs to be to fight deformity as a result of spin & heat)


most european cars spec V rated tires as a result of the autobahn (where speed ratings originated).

typically, the larger the wheel, the higher the speed rating.
 
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