T30 rated tyres on a T32…opinions….

[Jamie2.0]

Whilst looking at vans recently I was told by a VW dealership that they’ll sell T32 vans knowingly with T30 rated wheels in agreement with the owners if they think the owners aren’t going to be loading the van up as say in commercial use (little bit shocked by this but not surprised).

My current wheels but not tyres are ok for a T32. So…

Get new tyres or chance it?

or just get new wheels with tyres if I get the T32?

Thoughts?

 

[damo1023]

Personally when i purchased my van last year I was confronted with a similar situation.
I made the choice to change over the tyres in my case they were 10kg underrated 102 instead of 103

Choice was proven to be right within a couple of weeks when Vosa were doing random spot checks in my town.
Peoples vehicles were being given VOR notices and also High fines in some instances.

The regulations if you are pulled won't go on what the vehicle is carrying but what the vin plate says it is allowed to carry.
I could go on in this vain but at the end of the day its the bit of the vehicle keeping you on the road, that made it an easy decision in my case.

 

[JOG]

Personally when i purchased my van last year I was confronted with a similar situation.
I made the choice to change over the tyres in my case they were 10kg underrated 102 instead of 103

Choice was proven to be right within a couple of weeks when Vosa were doing random spot checks in my town.
Peoples vehicles were being given VOR notices and also High fines in some instances.

The regulations if you are pulled won't go on what the vehicle is carrying but what the vin plate says it is allowed to carry.
I could go on in this vain but at the end of the day its the bit of the vehicle keeping you on the road, that made it an easy decision in my case.

Completely agree! You could discover that you’d invalidated your insurance too.

 

[Ads_Essex]

Whilst looking at vans recently I was told by a VW dealership that they’ll sell T32 vans knowingly with T30 rated wheels in agreement with the owners if they think the owners aren’t going to be loading the van up as say in commercial use

Quite common, by the look of it:

T32 supplied with 102 tyres.. dealer says fine but VW HQ say otherwise..

Our new toy 2019 2.5k on the clock Kombi 2.0tdi 150 t32 highline bmt swb, all VW accessories, showroom model.

www.t6forum.com

 

[newey]

I actually know of a case where an insurance company haven't paid out because of incorrect load rated tyres. isn't worth the risk.

 

[WinFreak]

I actually know of a case where an insurance company haven't paid out because of incorrect load rated tyres. isn't worth the risk.

This is the biggest factor here I think!

 

[Dellmassive]

I say if is a T32.

Then it needs T32 rated alloys and tyres.... End of story.

Sure you could gamble a lower rated alloy and tyre combo if you run light.

But as above the legal standpoints is to fit as per vin plate and weight listed on the V5 reg documents.

I have a T32, it's very limiting in regards to alloy choice..... But that's just how it is.

I've been on vosa weigh bridges and been fined twice for being over weight... (On my previous T30...)..

I was sagging at the rear, got pulled, frog marched to the nearest vosa weigh bridge, then weighed on front and rear axle. I was over weight on the rear. Was told to empty out weight untill it was legal on the spot or the van would be impounded.

I ended up getting T32 rear springs that sorted the sag.

I now run OEM T32 sportline alloys with (on my now T32 T6),...

255/45/zr18 103y XL tyres


.

 

[Jamie2.0]

Thanks for the advice, appreciate the input as always.

Agreed it’s not worth taking the risk.

After sleeping on it, if they don’t take the wheels with the current van I’ll sell separately and go for a new look on next van…

 

[Insert Coin]

Wessex, Leighton and Richter were all churning out T32 vans with 102 rated tyres, which imo is a very good reason for never purchasing from any of them.

They may be doing it correctly now, but 3 or 4 years ago they all thought it was fine to do so, even though tyre manufacturers specifically told them otherwise.

 

[damo1023]

Wessex, Leighton and Richter were all churning out T32 vans with 102 rated tyres, which imo is a very good reason for never purchasing from any of them.

They may be doing it correctly now, but 3 or 4 years ago they all thought it was fine to do so, even though tyre manufacturers specifically told them otherwise.

They arent the only ones speaking from experience even in the last year. Place i brought my van from do conversions and they were equally guilty / unaware / DGAF

 

[Jamie2.0]

Small update, my vectors will now be up for sale over the next week…

 

[Texxaco]

Wessex, Leighton and Richter were all churning out T32 vans with 102 rated tyres, which imo is a very good reason for never purchasing from any of them.

They may be doing it correctly now, but 3 or 4 years ago they all thought it was fine to do so, even though tyre manufacturers specifically told them otherwise.

And we trust these companies to advise us what is right and wrong!!!!!!

 

[Bigsidavies]

Wessex, Leighton and Richter were all churning out T32 vans with 102 rated tyres, which imo is a very good reason for never purchasing from any of them.

They may be doing it correctly now, but 3 or 4 years ago they all thought it was fine to do so, even though tyre manufacturers specifically told them otherwise.

I have Leighton LV-1 and they fit as standard 275/40/20 106 nowadays.

 

[Insert Coin]

Leighton were sending out 102 rated 19’s because they couldn’t get a 103 rated tyre. Of course what they should have done was to not sell 19’s until the correct tyres were available.

Wessex were the only ones who didn’t understand T32 load ratings, but assured me that it was perfectly ok as they had been doing it for years without any problems. Plus they told me that they’d asked 3 of their tyre suppliers who all said it was fine. So I sent an email to Dunlop asking the question where they categorically stated 102’s with the Extra Load rating were still strictly 850kg MAXIMUM. Dunlop couldn’t respond quick enough to tell me my vehicle was not suitable for those tyres, they even followed up with a phone call to ensure I understood exactly what they had said. (Damage limitation on their behalf I suppose which is a good thing)

The other two I mentioned just kept quiet and hoped nobody would ask the question. I had an email from Richter Sport saying it would be fine because that’s how ABT send their wheel and tyre combo’s to the UK, until I emailed ABT who said they don’t have a T32 variant in Germany so we’re unaware of the load rating issue over here.

Vanworx were selling wheels and tyres that weren’t correct rated, although that was quite some years ago.

 

[bluezie]

Put on the correct wheels and tyres for a T32 as said many times above. Also it should fail an MOT with the wrong load rating fitted.
I'm not sure of the procedure, but you should be able to get the van re-plated, to down rate it to a T28 or T30, but don't get caught overloading at the new weight!

 

[Texxaco]

Leighton were sending out 102 rated 19’s because they couldn’t get a 103 rated tyre. Of course what they should have done was to not sell 19’s until the correct tyres were available.

Wessex were the only ones who didn’t understand T32 load ratings, but assured me that it was perfectly ok as they had been doing it for years without any problems. Plus they told me that they’d asked 3 of their tyre suppliers who all said it was fine. So I sent an email to Dunlop asking the question where they categorically stated 102’s with the Extra Load rating were still strictly 850kg MAXIMUM. Dunlop couldn’t respond quick enough to tell me my vehicle was not suitable for those tyres, they even followed up with a phone call to ensure I understood exactly what they had said. (Damage limitation on their behalf I suppose which is a good thing)

The other two I mentioned just kept quiet and hoped nobody would ask the question. I had an email from Richter Sport saying it would be fine because that’s how ABT send their wheel and tyre combo’s to the UK, until I emailed ABT who said they don’t have a T32 variant in Germany so we’re unaware of the load rating issue over here.

Vanworx were selling wheels and tyres that weren’t correct rated, although that was quite some years ago.

Spot on @Insert Coin.

I bet these companies wouldn’t pay your fine and MOT retest because of their greed.

 

[willgr]

Spot on @Insert Coin.

I bet these companies wouldn’t pay your fine and MOT retest because of their greed.

Hi @Texxaco

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I’ve got a T32 on order and was thinking of adding air (ABP 3P/3H) but I’m wondering whether it’s worth the expense - with correctly load rated wheels and tyres, it doesn’t look like there’d be scope to go much lower than standard ride height on 19” or 20” rims and still roll. Can I ask what wheels and tyres you’re running?

Thanks!

 

[Skyliner33]

I say if is a T32.

Then it needs T32 rated alloys and tyres.... End of story.

Sure you could gamble a lower rated alloy and tyre combo if you run light.

But as above the legal standpoints is to fit as per vin plate and weight listed on the V5 reg documents.

I have a T32, it's very limiting in regards to alloy choice..... But that's just how it is.

I've been on vosa weigh bridges and been fined twice for being over weight... (On my previous T30...)..

I was sagging at the rear, got pulled, frog marched to the nearest vosa weigh bridge, then weighed on front and rear axle. I was over weight on the rear. Was told to empty out weight untill it was legal on the spot or the van would be impounded.

I ended up getting T32 rear springs that sorted the sag.

I now run OEM T32 sportline alloys with (on my now T32 T6),...

255/45/zr18 103y XL tyres


.

Be interested on your thoughts on this now you are running banded steels?

 

[Texxaco]

Hi @Texxaco

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I’ve got a T32 on order and was thinking of adding air (ABP 3P/3H) but I’m wondering whether it’s worth the expense - with correctly load rated wheels and tyres, it doesn’t look like there’d be scope to go much lower than standard ride height on 19” or 20” rims and still roll. Can I ask what wheels and tyres you’re running?

Thanks!

I run the Inovit Speed which I got from @The Van Cave. My tyres aren’t load rated after speaking with a mate who owns a T32 and is an MOT tester. You will get way lower lows on air than on any other suspension as when aired out you van is literally sat on your tyres. The upside is I can go as low or as high as needed.

See images which will show how low the van can go.

The fronts are 8.5x 20 et35 whereas the rears are 10x20 et40

Tyres, I run 235/35 front but 265/30 on a 10” rear

 

[willgr]

My tyres aren’t load rated after speaking with a mate who owns a T32 and is an MOT tester.

I’d still be worried about insurance without running the correct tyre… but let’s not go there!

.The fronts are 8.5x 20 et35 whereas the rears are 10x20 et40
Tyres, I run 235/35 front but 265/30 on a 10” rear

Thanks for the photos - I guess the issue I have is that I can’t find any tyres with a low profile like yours that are 103 load rated - they all require a stronger and bigger sidewall - so I suspect I wouldn’t be able to lower the van much and still drive it without the tyres rubbing on the arch liner or wing.

Appreciate your help and advice! Thanks.