How are you fitting 19s on your MKV legally?

[Corey_R]

99_FGT that is completely incorrect.

Where are you getting that information from?
The R32 tyre placard says you need a minimum of 94 for a 17" tyre. So why then can you use 92 on 18" tyres?

[noisuf]

Corey, many thanks for your advice and thoughts.

I'm glad that my tyre placard doesn't state this but I've seen a R32 tyre placard explicitly stating "The tyres fitted to this vehicle shall have a max load rating not less than 630kg or a load index of 92..."

My tyre placard doesn't states this but part of the reason why I was so iffy.

Just realised it's a euro tyre placard with all the extra "shall have a max" words. Oops.

[schoona]

Just put them on, it's not a dirty big blower hanging out of the bonnet FFS!

[99_FGT]

The R32 tyre placard says you need a minimum of 94 for a 17" tyre. So why then can you use 92 on 18" tyres?

Because these are specifically stated? I have a GTi, and it has 91Y on a 17" rim, and 92W on an 18" rim. So I am going to go out on a limb and say that there would be an 18" load index STATED on the R32.

A lot of guys I used to run with were fitting 19"s and 20" to cars that had placards for 16"s, and the requirements the cops were interested in were rolling diameter and load index.
If you get a tyre placard that says 19" is a 91, then by all means run them, the cops won't know any different. But if they do not meet the minimum specs FOR YOUR VEHICLE then you may void insurance, if they were to establish that were the case.
The OP makes the choice, being an open forum there are a number of opinions out here. In QLD this is clearly stated in the vehicle mods guide, which is what I am going on

Load ratings of tyres must be at least equal to those specified by the manufacturer on the tyre placard fitted to vehicles made after 1972.

[Corey_R]

There is a big difference between running 19's on a car meant for 16's, and running 19's on a car meant for 18's. Until the ADR's and Road Rules went into review, there were RTA guides which discussed this subject and (frm memory) allowed a 2" increase in rim size from stock, within certain other conditions.

Now 99_FGT, if we go by what you are saying then every single person who is driving a car where they have increased the rim diameter or width is doing so illegally. As I said - this is entirely not correct. You are allowed to do more than simply what is on your tyre placard.

[99_FGT]

No, that was not what I said at all.
What I said was that as far as load rating is concerned, it must at least equal that stated on the tyre placard, which forms part of the vehicle specification. As long as it is meeting those specs (ie 92 load rating) it is fine.
Al..

[Corey_R]

So then 99_FGT. WHICH load rating is the correct one?

Are Volkswagen themselves illegally shipping cars because the R32 needs 94Y, but they don't make a 225/40R18 in 94Y so they ship it with 92Y instead?
Are Volkswagne illegally shipping the R with 19" 91Y because they don't make a 92Y for that tyre size?

Which load rating is the right one?

[99_FGT]

Question, and I am trying to find the answer here to solve the OP's question. Not going to be antagonistic or attack people.
What is specified on the tyre placard for a MKV R32 Golf - the car in question here??
On the MkV GTi in my garage it specifies a minimum load /speed index of 91Y for a 17" rim and 92"W for an 18" rim. Is this the same for a MkV R32?
Since my gti shipped with 17"s or 18"s, this is what the tyre placard covers (as well as the spare). This is standard practice for a vehicle to include all variants fitted from the factory. The tyre placard on a commodore reads like a shopping list...

[Corey_R]

Buddy, that's what I've been telling you for the last 20 posts in this thread

There are TWO load ratings. SPECIFIC to the wheel size!
The placard for the R32 is 94Y for 17's (not sure of the specific measurements) and 92Y for the 225/40R18.
As there was no option for 19's they don't list that size.

On the Golf R where the only factory options are 18's and 19's, the placard is:
225/40R18 92Y
235/35R19 91Y

There is no such thing as a 235/35R19 92Y (well, not from any reputable brand), and thus, everyone who has 19" wheels on a Golf has tyres with a 91 load rating.

[99_FGT]

Which you are advising is legal, and I am saying is not. FOR A MKVEdit: R32. The tyre placard, which is also in the owners manual, is part of the vehicle spec under which it was complianced. In QLD anyway they must meet or exceed these specs. The evidence I provided was for QLD, whch I did not make clear. I'll cop for that one.
The OP can make his own decision. I have provided one side of a coin, you the other.
Al..

[Corey_R]

As I said - and have said repetatively. There is no rating provided for 19" wheels...

[noisuf]

This is a very hard topic when it comes to legalities.

I'm going for the 19s but only because I'm in Victoria and am guiding myself via VicRoads Guidelines where tyre placard is not mentioned at all. I'll explain my decision process below. I have seen however the RTA guidelines for example which state "Any replacement tyre must have a load rating equal to or better than the rating of the original tyres fitted by the vehicle manufacturer". If my car was registered in NSW, I don't think I would have got my 19s.

The following is my own decision making process that resulted in my decision in Victoria to get my 19s. I am not by any means saying that my process is right for you in your situation.

1) First an foremost, advice from this forum. It has been great getting both sides.

2) I had a good read of the VicRoads policy as as mentioned above, this does not state anything about the tyre placard in the Intro or Wheels and Tyres section. Specific to the Wheels and Tyres section about load ratings, it states "Rim and tyre combinations must be in accordance with the recommendations contained in the Tyre and Tim Standards Manual published by the Tyre and Rim Association of Australia and have a load and speed rating equal to or better than that required by the standards.

3) I contacted the Tyre and Rim Association who confirmed the minimum load rating for the two sizes of tyres for the rim I am getting.
- 235/35r19: 91
- 225/35r19: 88

4) Therefore, I could even get the 225/35r19s but so that I am at least closer to the 92, I'm going for the 235/35r19s even though the tyres will cost me $120 more.

It's been a bloody tough process for me but I'm glad my dream will be realised and in a way that I can sleep (drive) at ease.

MANY THANKS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wheels confirmed...tyres confirmed...

[brad]

As I said - and have said repetatively. There is no rating provided for 19" wheels...

Therefore, if I was inspecting the vehicle, I would be more inclined to use the stated minimum for the other tyres rather than just shrug my shoulders & say "effed if I know".

It isn't up to the police to prove your vehicle isn't compliant, it is up to the owner to prove that their vehicles comply.

If you look in the Passat forum, the R36 owners were having similar issues.

RTA guidelines are still in place. VSI06 covers mods in general & VSI09 (which is horribly out of date) applies to wheels & tyres.

Tyre load rating
Any replacement tyre must have a load rating equal to or better than the rating of the original tyres fitted by the
vehicle manufacturer. This information is available from the tyre placard or the vehicle manufacturer.

Which could be interpreted that if you go to a different diameter tyre, you still have to meet the minimum load rating listed on the placard.

[Corey_R]

Can you please link to the RTA docos. I tried to find them the other day and kept getting in a loop with the new ADR / road rules review site...


In any case, if this is the way it is, it looks like every single person in Australia with 19" wheels on a MKV is doing so illegally
Yet it's fine for the R owners cause they have it as a factory option... doesn't quite make much sense at all.

[brad]

VSI06

VSI09

If the info 99FGT gave is correct then the FWD units are probably OK because they list the 17" rims as being minimum 91Y, therefore you can logically show that 91Y 19" tyres would be OK too. It is the MKV R32 that is "technically" illegal because it has 17" as 94Y & 18" as 92Y.

There are similar contradictions between the Passat Wagon & the Sedan.