Stretched tyres, how do insurance feel about them?

[marcusgrant]

Basically, if you run tyres outside of the limits a manufacturer recommends, what happens when you crash? can the insurance company refuse to pay out due to the tyres?

Also, where can you find out the limits a manufacture recommends?

[Kez1990]

i thought it ws as long as the tyre was conceled by the arch it was legal :/ not sure lol

[scotty_82]

Here is Yokohamas guide to their widths

http://www.yokohamatire.com/customer_service/customizing_width.aspx

[nfbr]

Basically, if you run tyres outside of the limits a manufacturer recommends, what happens when you crash? can the insurance company refuse to pay out due to the tyres?

In this sort of a situation the insurance are well within their rights to refuse to pay out. I've heard recently in a lot of cases where insurance companies refuse to pay out it can also deem the car a write off even if it is not so.

[Philplop]

The recommended range is usually on their site, but not always easy to find,you may have to do a bit of snooping about on there.

[DarkStryder360]

Say the stretch was incurred during the accident, or slash the tires so they wouldn't know. Say it was excess debris.

[IDGM]

Outside specific manufacturers fitting recommendations = insurance fail.

[marcusgrant]

Outside specific manufacturers fitting recommendations = insurance fail.

i thought as much. so all these people driving around with there pride and joy who have spent thousands on it could possibly not get a pay out if they crash.... hmmm not good!

[marcusgrant]

but not delaring something like that is a bit different to driving round on tyres which could be classed as dangerous.

imagen if i was driving home a bit too fast and throw the car into a tree... the insurence companies could say that the crash was caused due to ill fitting tyres and that they are not going to pay out. that would not be good!

[IDGM]

Yeh theres loads of ways for them not to pay out now.

Have you seen on websites when getting a quote and adding mods theres an option for adding the chilli pack on minis as an optional extra/mod?

How many people are probably driving around with a mini with the chilli pack and dont realise.....

Mmm. I had a new Mini Cooper with the Chili pack and full leather. You don't need to declare it as a seperate modification because it's factory fitted (ie a standard car) rather than retro fitted by the dealer or A.N.Other. As such the Salt, Pepper and Chili packs were referred to as supplementary trim levels on the model range.

As far as I know, this still holds true for all new cars with factory options.

[REDLooP]

but not delaring something like that is a bit different to driving round on tyres which could be classed as dangerous.

imagen if i was driving home a bit too fast and throw the car into a tree... the insurence companies could say that the crash was caused due to ill fitting tyres and that they are not going to pay out. that would not be good!

Have you ever thought about not ' throwing your car into a tree a tree'?

If your worried about it just dont go silly strech, subtle still is niceish!

[JamesU]

I'm not sure on your question. But if any of the wheel sticks out of the arch it's illegal. Regardless of where the tyre wall ends.

[LoopEd]

But if any of the wheel sticks out of the arch it's illegal. Regardless of where the tyre wall ends.

I was under the impression it was the tread that wasn't allowed to be outside of the bodywork, this is to stop spray.

[marcusgrant]

Have you ever thought about not ' throwing your car into a tree a tree'?

If your worried about it just dont go silly strech, subtle still is niceish!

Wouldnt exactly be done purpose

[bithmeister]

ffs dont you kids do anything thats close to being a little risky anymore

run a little stretch, keep it to your self

the simple answer is dont drive like a plank and you wont crash

hence no insurance issues

[HAIRBear]

the simple answer is dont drive like a plank and you wont crash

hence no insurance issues

some tit drives into you = insurance issue!

Insurance is the worlds biggest scam.

[JamesU]

I was under the impression it was the tread that wasn't allowed to be outside of the bodywork, this is to stop spray.

So was i, until i got pulled over, argued the case - got the girlfriends uncle (high up traffic cop) to do a lot of research from me, after a week of reading a **** load of books he came back and said its any part of the wheel - tread or not.

[LoopEd]

So was i, until i got pulled over, argued the case - got the girlfriends uncle (high up traffic cop) to do a lot of research from me, after a week of reading a **** load of books he came back and said its any part of the wheel - tread or not.

Fair enough, i was just going by a chat i had in a petrol station with a couple of hotrodders

[nfbr]

some tit drives into you = insurance issue!

Insurance is the worlds biggest scam.

Not really... If you are driving carefully and hit a patch of diesel and spin off into a very expensive house. What would you do if you caused £20,000+ worth of damage and were ordered to pay for it ?

Insurance is there to protect you and pay for stuff you'd probably have no chance at all of paying!

[heartagram]

Insurance companies don't make money from paying out. So they only need a small excuse to get out of paying out.

[BenLAST]

I'm not sure on your question. But if any of the wheel sticks out of the arch it's illegal. Regardless of where the tyre wall ends.

Thats utter tosh.

Legislation from VOSA for SVA testing Section D:

Wheels, if there are no pointed or sharp features which projects beyond the external plan of the wheel rim, no wing nuts are fitted and there are no projections beyond the vehicle body form aprt from wheel discs or tyres (including central wheel securing nuts) if the latter have a radius of curvature of not less than 30mm and do not project by more than 30mm beyond the vehicle body plane.

Said that exact paragraph to an officer who pulled me over for running poke, and all i got was "very well, you sound like you know your stuff."

Regarding stretched tyres and insurance, as said, if the tyre is out of its recommendation, then insurance can get out of paying out easy.

[Jowey]

I dont think 'poke' and 'stretch' are covered in the MOT. So a car with both can be deemed roadworthy.

however if atraffic cop really wants to get you I think there is osme kind of usage and gratification thing.. where by all though the tires are of legal tread depth and in good conditiont hey are mounted in properly. same goes for suspension etc etc. etc.

[jamiea7x]

Here is Yokohamas guide to their widths

http://www.yokohamatire.com/customer_service/customizing_width.aspx

to be fair at the top all they say is failure to fit outside these guidelines "may" cause poor tyre performance and "possible" tyre failure, thta is just covering their own arse its hardly conclusive evidence the same could be said for alot of other things

[IDGM]

So was i, until i got pulled over, argued the case - got the girlfriends uncle (high up traffic cop) to do a lot of research from me, after a week of reading a **** load of books he came back and said its any part of the wheel - tread or not.

That is incorrect. According to our VOSA North West area manager, only the top of the tread has to be covered by bodywork or wings, unless the vehicle is registered as an agricultural vehicle that travels at less than 20mph. The rim may protrude up to the widest fixed part of the vehicle, which is usually the door handle, but a plan view will tell all. I would trust VOSA rather than the Police on any matter relating to C&U regs.

I did post up some communications I had with the Dept of Transport about the matter, but they kind of gave up on interpretation of the law. One cop may say it's OK, another might say it's bad m'kay.

---

Just had a rummage in my stuff here at work, and the MOT does not test for either tread or wheel protrusion, only fouling of bodywork and other components, so no help there. Some state 2" wheel 'poke' is allowed. C&U Reg 100 only refers to not causing danger to other road users, that could be the Police's Get You In Jail Free card.

Oddly enough, if you have a bald tyre and have broken down, you cannot be done for the defective tyre!

Edited November 15, 2010 by IDGM

[Dec]

Myt brain is rattled after reading all that lol all i know is the minute my car is in a collision if im not too far from home im paying someone to bring my standard wheels down sharpish if we all worry about this then we'd all be driving round in identical standard cars! i'l start worrying when im about 30 and got kids!