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Can anyone help?
Lad needs new front tyres on a citroen Cactus but I want to confirm the size and rating on them are right.
Rear has "W XL" rating.
Fronts just "V"
All are 205/50 R17
Thanks guys.👍
It'll be in the manual and/or on a plate or sticker somewhere in most cars. Fuel flap or door shuts are common IME.
XL denotes extra load but you probably know that. I think sometimes they end up on cars that don't necessarily need them because that tyre is XL by default and no more expensive than similar tyres of same size.
Cheers mate.
I'm guessing that's why the XL are on the rears only as that takes most of the weight?
At a guess at least 60% of the weight will be on the front wheels as a front drive car. Much more likely as outlined above they were fitted because that was what was available. A quick look on a site like mytres or black circles with the reg. no might give some idea of suitable replacement if not on the information sticker on the car-door jamb or fuel flap are favourite sites for the sticker
ATS website will have a guide. You can pop in your registration
As above, there should be a type approval sticker with design wheel and tyre sizes/ratings. Start with that as a minimum spec.
Tyre pricing is odd, a more popular but higher speed rating might be cheaper than a lower speed tyre in the same size.
Front wheel drive? Better (newer) tyres usually go to the rear.
Names that you never heard of can be good tyres, Hankook, for example, are OEM for Kia, and Kormoran, Tigar and Strial are all Michelin-owned
It's normal to have the same rating tyres front and rear irrespective of axle load.
The letter is the speed, the weight rating is a number such as 96 (probably lower for a passenger car). The XL rating means they are a stronger construction rather than the load, probably an 8 ply like a commercial tyre but I haven't checked.
As above, it's often on a sticker or plate, usually near the VIN number.
Fantastic info guys thanks. I'll meet him to check door jam/ fuel cover etc tomorrow.👍
Citroëns usually have the label in door shuts. Various mpv ones we've had (C3 Picasso and Dispatch Combi) have been extra load rating from new.
Names that you never heard of can be good tyres, Hankook, for example, are OEM for Kia, and Kormoran, Tigar and Strial are all Michelin-owned
This can be worth thinking about. Or look for the offers at blackcircles and Costco.
Hankook - these came on my new China-built Tesla. Our US-built Teslas came with Michelin. So far no difference noted.
V is the speed rating.
The number is its load rating.
Most online tyre laces will give the correct rating, certainly does with our cars. MrsF's Qashqai is specced with XL, yet my saloon which is a Nissan, is heavier yet isn't XL specced. Speed rating, again you can go higher if you wish - sometimes a more common tyre is cheaper.
Page 180
“D. Tyre/paint label.
This label on the middle door pillar, driver's side, contains the following information:
- the tyre pressures, unloaded and loaded,
- the tyre sizes (including the load index and
speed rating for the tyre),
- the spare tyre inflation pressure,
- the paint colour code.”
Worth considering the pros and cons of xl. Possibly a slightly harsher ride and increased rolling resistance.
https://www.oponeo.co.uk/blog/reinforced-tyres-advantages-and-disadvantages
MrsF’s Qashqai is specced with XL, yet my saloon which is a Nissan, is heavier yet isn’t XL specced.
Taller vehicles with a higher centre of gravity are more likely to spec XL tyres.