Tyre choices?

steveb said:
ATS appear to have the yoko
www.atseuromaster.co.uk

205/40 R17 Tyres | Buy Online & Fit Locally | ATS Euromaster

Buy 205/40 R17 size car tyres online and book fitting today with ATS Euromaster.
www.atseuromaster.co.uk www.atseuromaster.co.uk
Click to expand...
Thanks, for your help. Those Yokos are ES32 not AE50. No idea what the difference is, but reviews are a bit mixed. Mind you, @Hoomart advice is a no for the AE50 anyway. They only can up, as a suggest from the tyre shop, who then realised the speed rating was W, so a no go.
It seems, to me, that many light cars are running XL tyres, either because that's all you can get, or because the tyre shop doesn't tell you it's fitting tyres that are not a match to your car.
Makes production, distribution, and retailing a doddle though.
I'll keep searching, for now.
Mac.
 

The original load rating was 81 if I remember correctly Mac but I don't think they have been available for quite a while as not many cars wear 205/40's now as probably because of the state of the roads they've gone to a 45 profile or bigger now, probably to avoid complaints.

The link above is an 80 load rating though but I wouldn't be buying them with a 'C' wet grip rating if I were you.

'H' speed rating is no issue whatsoever as it's more than enough for an A2 and you don't really need 'V', Y or ZR.

I think the best you will get is an 84 load rating in the standard 205/40 size which will be ok and probably feel much the same if you run the pressures 1 to 2 psi lower than you normally do.

Take a look at 215/40 as you may get some 83 load rated tyres in that size and they fit and work really well.

I actually have a friend who manages a garage who has fitted Uniroyal RainSport 5's on his own car and really rates them so might be worth a look. Not absolutely the quietest tyres you could buy but excellent overall and a reasonable price too 👍
 
PlasticMac said:
Thanks, for your help. Those Yokos are ES32 not AE50. No idea what the difference is, but reviews are a bit mixed. Mind you, @Hoomart advice is a no for the AE50 anyway. They only can up, as a suggest from the tyre shop, who then realised the speed rating was W, so a no go.
It seems, to me, that many light cars are running XL tyres, either because that's all you can get, or because the tyre shop doesn't tell you it's fitting tyres that are not a match to your car.
Makes production, distribution, and retailing a doddle though.
I'll keep searching, for now.
Mac.
Click to expand...
Currently looking at Continental UltraContact 205/40 R17 84 V. At least they aren't XL. Haven't got a price yet though ...
Mac.
 
carlston said:
It's extremely rare to find a Standard Load index summer tyre in size 205/40R17.
Click to expand...
An understatement. I think it's impossible.

Edit: In fact, it's impossible to get almost any tyres which are close to the OEM spec, for older light cars.
As a consequence, such cars are running tyres, with characteristics completely at odds with the original suspension, springs, and shocks.
Mac.
 
Last edited:
PlasticMac said:
Sadly the Continental UltraContact 205/40 R17 84 V are also XL.
I'll go with them, I think.
Mac.
Click to expand...
I noticed the Firestone tyres on the Camskill link I posted above at just £60.95 per tyre.
They were the tyres fitted to my MK1 225 TT from new and were good tyres.
Might be worth considering as they are excellent value at that price with an A wet grip rating too 👍
 
A2Z said:
I noticed the Firestone tyres on the Camskill link I posted above at just £60.95 per tyre.
They were the tyres fitted to my MK1 225 TT from new and were good tyres.
Might be worth considering as they are excellent value at that price with an A wet grip rating too 👍
Click to expand...
Thanks, still pondering.
My local tyre shop currently has offers on Contis and Kumhos. Contis look slightly better in some reviews. I'll see what they can do price wise.
I'm lucky not to be too price sensitive.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Mac.
 
  • Like
Reactions: A2Z
PlasticMac said:
Thanks, still pondering.
My local tyre shop currently has offers on Contis and Kumhos. Contis look slightly better in some reviews. I'll see what they can do price wise.
I'm lucky not to be too price sensitive.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Mac.
Click to expand...
One thing to check is whether the tyres you are looking at have reasonable (or any) rim protection.
I have had some tyres of the same factory 205/40 size on Sport alloys look as though they don't fit the wheels as they leave the rim edges protruding and other tyres offering adequate protection, looking like they must be a bigger size but aren't.
All tyres are very different so don't just go off the size.
Good luck 👍
 
A2Z said:
One thing to check is whether the tyres you are looking at have reasonable (or any) rim protection.
I have had some tyres of the same factory 205/40 size on Sport alloys look as though they don't fit the wheels as they leave the rim edges protruding and other tyres offering adequate protection, looking like they must be a bigger size but aren't.
All tyres are very different so don't just go off the size.
Good luck 👍
Click to expand...
Cheers, good point, I'll check before deciding.
Mac.
 
  • Like
Reactions: A2Z
Ball park figures,
What is the weight difference between XL tyre and standard tyre of the same manufacture and model? Or is it more than just the weight but sidewall rigidity also?
I've just bought what tread pattern looks well designed and that suited the money in my pocket.
🙂👍
Front Axle: Yokohama 4S
Rear Axle: Yokohama Es32
Jedi mind trick on the part of the manufactures.
These are not tyres you are looking for 205 40 17 H 80.
 
Last edited:
rotifer II said:
Ball park figures,
What is the weight difference between XL tyre and standard tyre of the same manufacture and model? Or is it more than just the weight but sidewall rigidity also?
I've just bought what tread pattern looks well designed and that suited the money in my pocket.
🙂👍
Front Axle: Yokohama 4S
Rear Axle: Yokohama Es32
Jedi mind trick on the part of the manufactures.
These are not tyres you are looking for 205 40 17 H 80.
Click to expand...
I don't know.
The 80 load rating, that is the OEM spec, supports a maximum of 450 kgs max per tyre.
The 84 load rating supply 500 kgs per tyre.
So, I'd assume the 84 rated tyre is "stronger" than the 80 rated one. I'd guess that means it's physically heavier, and of "stiffer" construction.
The unknown bit is, as you say, what's the difference between an SL, (Stand Load), and an XL, (Extra Load/Reinforced), tyre of the same load rating?
In my searching, in the 205/40 R17 XX V size, I found only XL/Reinforced to be available.
So, it seems SL is dead.
The combination of a too high load rating, (84 is the lowest I could find), and the XL/Reinforced construction, must result in a gross mismatch with an A2.
The 80 load rating, (SL or XL), will support a maximum load, car, luggage and passengers, of 1,800 kgs. The 84 version, 2,000 kgs, so not a big difference.
Whatever the XL/Reinforced construction adds, it is not going to be good for an A2's handling, or comfort.
Mac.
 
Last edited:
Google's AI says this:

XL on a tire sidewall means "Extra Load," indicating a reinforced tire designed to handle heavier loads than standard tires of the same size.

So, there are, apparently, lighter, SL kgs, and heavier, XL kgs. The standard variety are hard to find though. That's inflation for you!
Mac.
 
Michelin's website state:

... reinforced tyres are not intended for off-road use. They are tyres with an increased load capacity. They allow you to drive in good conditions while supporting a higher load due to the mass of the vehicle ...

... the load index of the tyre (which is marked on the sidewall of the tyre) is higher on an XL tyre than on an SL tyre, which means that it is able to support a heavier vehicle.

My local tyre shop makes it even simpler, they say: any tyre, from 84 load rating upwards, is XL.
Mac.
 
There is only one load rating on a tyre not two and that is the number before the speed rating (the letter).

The XL (extra load) or RF (reinforced) is simply an indication that the tyre is capable of withstanding extra loads than a lower load rated tyre and is a quick and easy way for any normal person without any specific tyre knowledge to know that they are stronger than a lower load rated tyre designed to carry less load which I suppose could be deemed as standard although standard doesn't really exist, just the load rating number which correlates to a specific load weight that a tyre is designed to safely withstand.

Basically the higher the number the stiffer and stronger the sidewalls will be so just concentrate on the number and forget the XL.

Roadholding and handling won't be compromised by a stiffer sidewall, in fact quite the opposite, it's the comfort and firmness / potential harshness that will be the negative effect of higher load rated (or XL) sidewalls if you like.

Run flats have Kevlar lined sidewalls hence why you can still supposedly drive on them when punctured but you can't really as the Kevlar cuts through the tyre shoulder after a while and the sidewalls offer no give hence why BMW wheels always crack at the sight of a pothole, so in my opinion are to be avoided. They are also claimed to not be puncture repairable which is nonsense, as other than the sidewalls they are the same and as long as they haven't been run on flat (and ruined/ they can be plugged and repaired in the central tread area like any other tyres can.

That is and has always been my understanding of it anyway, if I'm wrong I stand to be corrected, will eat humble pie and apologise 😊👍
 
What I can't understand is how there can be two types of load, with the same weight.
Load is kgs. There is only one sort of kilogram. From Michelin again:
... a reinforced tyre [XL] is heavier than a standard tyre, which implies more stiffness with the disadvantage of a slightly less comfortable ride. It also has a higher rolling resistance, which means that it consumes a little more energy.

My gripe is that tyres are simply not available, (other than with very low speed rating), in the lower load ratings.
Mac.
 
Last edited:
PlasticMac said:
What I can't understand is how there can be two types of load, with the same weight.
Load is kgs. There is only one sort of kilogram. From Michelin again:
... a reinforced tyre [XL] is heavier than a standard tyre, which implies more stiffness with the disadvantage of a slightly less comfortable ride. It also has a higher rolling resistance, which means that it consumes a little more energy.
Mac.
Click to expand...
How do you mean the same weight Mac?

The weight is referring to the actual physical weight of the tyres not the load it can carry.

The higher load rated tyres are physically heavier as the extra weight goes into the sidewalls to strengthen them 👍
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top