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Tyre size legalities


longsh07

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So I was having a look at big brake kits and stumbled across a site which states:

legally for road use rolling radius must be no more than +/- 3% from Original specification

(source: https://balancemotor.../big-brake-kits)

 

Just curious really, anyone else ever heard this before?

I know best practice is to stick as close as possible to stock rolling radius and +/-3% is a rough rule of thumb to keep odometer and speedo in check but I've never heard of going over/under 3% from OEM being illegal!

Edited by longsh07
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Apparently it's part of an MOT

Hi Matt

Standard mot test covers this but a lot of cars get through with "wrong" tyres if all 4 are the same

by all means call to discuss as there are some benefits to using a smaller rolling radius but larger rolling radius will

- make speedo read slow

- reduce acceleration and top speed through longer gearing

- reduce brake effectiveness

 

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

 

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As I said, utter b*llocks. Nowhere in the MOT manual does it state that silly 3% rule, and even if it did it wouldn't make it illegal.

 

It's not illegal for me to have fluffy dice in my car. It will fail an MOT. It is illegal to drive round without an MOT. That doesn't make fluffy dice illegal.

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:lol:

 

What I'm saying is that there is no explicit law saying that fluffy dice are illegal. There is a section in the MOT that deals with obstructions to view, and that's why fluffy dice will fail an MOT, but that doesn't mean it's illegal for me to put them straight back on afterwards and carry on driving. Same for fixed buckets in a road car, steering wheels with no airbag, decats etc. Not illegal, but will fail an MOT.

 

You will fail an MOT if the speedo isn't reading correctly, which may be caused by rolling radius issues, but that doesn't make running tyres >3% bigger illegal.

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I'm sure with the dice returned, technically your car would no longer be road worthy.

It's the same principle as passing an MOT with cats fitted then immediately removing them right?

If you were to get pulled over and really pi**ed on the coppers chips I'm sure they would find every reason possible to say your car is no longer road worthy because it cant pass an MOT right this minute.

No MOT = no insurance (specialist insurance aside of course).

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Apparently it's part of an MOT

Hi Matt

Standard mot test covers this but a lot of cars get through with "wrong" tyres if all 4 are the same

by all means call to discuss as there are some benefits to using a smaller rolling radius but larger rolling radius will

- make speedo read slow

- reduce acceleration and top speed through longer gearing

- reduce brake effectiveness

 

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

You should defo give them a call to get an explanation on how longer gearing would reduce your top speed.

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Last reply from them:

If anything it should say 0% the rolling radius must be the same as originally fitted. I was given this info by various tyre suppliers. Might be best to phone the government. Certainly speedo error would eventually cause the biggest issue. Anyway as long as you are only reducing radius can't see it being an issue.

Certainly I've made track cars a lot quicker by going well under.

Not going to follow up with them any more on this.

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Who are these jokers? What do they do when someone rolls in with a 350Z, check the chassis number to check whether it had 17's, 18's or 19's as standard? Do they point blank refuse to MoT anything with aftermarket wheels on, as they dont know what the OE sizes were?

 

Can someone tell me how does a smaller radius tyre reduce brake efficiency as well?

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Who are these jokers? What do they do when someone rolls in with a 350Z, check the chassis number to check whether it had 17's, 18's or 19's as standard? Do they point blank refuse to MoT anything with aftermarket wheels on, as they dont know what the OE sizes were?

 

Can someone tell me how does a smaller radius tyre reduce brake efficiency as well?

 

Link to their site is in the first post.

Needless to say I wont be buying anything from them.

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No MOT = no insurance (specialist insurance aside of course).

Nonsense. How many times does this come up still?? :lol: You're totally insured, however you may well find the insurer will reduce your payout if you write the car off.

 

MOT fail != unroadworthy.

 

Do you have a crack in your windscreen? Or a chip over the size of a pound? Do you still drive your car? How about if your numberplate fell off, could you drive your car home? How about if the numberplate didn't have the supplier on, or a non-spec flag (like a Nissan logo)? Or if the spare tyre was completely bald? Exactly. It's bobbins of the highest bobbinity.

 

Not having a pop at you fella, all of this said with a casual winky smile as you'll sit back and realise how daft the regs are. :)

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Apparently it's part of an MOT

Hi Matt

Standard mot test covers this but a lot of cars get through with "wrong" tyres if all 4 are the same

by all means call to discuss as there are some benefits to using a smaller rolling radius but larger rolling radius will

- make speedo read slow

- reduce acceleration and top speed through longer gearing

- reduce brake effectiveness

 

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

You should defo give them a call to get an explanation on how longer gearing would reduce your top speed.

 

most cars top speeds are limited by air resistance and engine power, not the gearing (very few cars can hit maximum rpm in top gear, the gearing is optimised for economy whilst cruising). anything that lengthens the gearing will make it harder for a car to reach its maximum speed, and ultimately, that maximum speed will be slightly lower.

 

EDIT: unless you lengthen the gearing so much that the top speed is now reached in maximum rpm in 5th gear, rather than midway through 6th gear, in which case the top speed might go up a tad (though it will take longer to get there)

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No MOT = no insurance (specialist insurance aside of course).

Nonsense. How many times does this come up still?? :lol: You're totally insured, however you may well find the insurer will reduce your payout if you write the car off.

 

MOT fail != unroadworthy.

 

Do you have a crack in your windscreen? Or a chip over the size of a pound? Do you still drive your car? How about if your numberplate fell off, could you drive your car home? How about if the numberplate didn't have the supplier on, or a non-spec flag (like a Nissan logo)? Or if the spare tyre was completely bald? Exactly. It's bobbins of the highest bobbinity.

 

Not having a pop at you fella, all of this said with a casual winky smile as you'll sit back and realise how daft the regs are. :)

 

No worries Dan, I realise your not having a pop :lol:

No MOT = No insurance was misleading to be fair. Poor choice of words on my part but was more for speed than accuracy.

My policy does say I have to maintain the car in a road worthy condition and have an MOT certificate if required or it might affect my right to claim.

 

As for how daft the regs are I'm all to aware as I'm sure you know from posting in my R90 thread a minute ago lol

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Curly Wurlys are awful, get past the good bit and your left with bloody toffee sticking to your teeth.

We can't be friends any more. Sorry. :(

 

There's so much more confectionery out there, I know we can find common ground and make it work. I do love a boost bar, especially when hungover.

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