20" Tyre Advice - sizing / brand / pressure

Simon66 said:
Yeah was just looking your location up... Lovely part of the world too.

What goes around comes around so I've no doubt plenty of people in your area will read your excellent advice on this forum and come to you.

As a new member to this game its great to have so many helpful people who are happy to help the rest of us out. Thanks again.
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I’m north of Andover and hope to get down to Chris when Lockdown 2 is done! I’m only having minor work done, most of which I could probably do myself....! The way I look at it is that it’s a nice drive after being cooped up!
 
Simon66 said:
Yeah agreed - real shame for the Transporter market.

The other option for me is 275/35 but I think that’s just too wide for an 8.5” alloy unless you think otherwise?
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That was my first choice but unfortunately too wide for an 8.5...
 
Simon66 said:
Yeah agreed - real shame for the Transporter market.

The other option for me is 275/35 but I think that’s just too wide for an 8.5” alloy unless you think otherwise?
Click to expand...
Too wide for the 8.5" wheel in my opinion. There are people who disagree and it can be hard to argue because VW recommend the 275/35. There's a reason for that though; they had 3 boxes to try and tick; Load Rating, overall diameter (close to standard size), width. It's hard to tick all three and the 275/35 is good for load rating and diameter, but not so good on width. Having said that, the VW option 20" wheels are all Supermetal, which are 9" wide, so the 275/35 works OK, but probably only just.

Once you go to 8.5 a 275 is too wide, it sounds silly only being 1/2", but it's close to being too wide on a 9" rim and that last 1/2" makes the difference. I wouldn't class it as unsafe or anything, it's just not ideal.

In the past, when thinking of supplying supermetal wheels with tyres (at my usual brilliant pricing, sorry, couldn't help myself) and the van is T30 I would fit a 275/35 because it's the VW recommendation and works OK on the 9" rim.

If I'm suppling an 8.5" wide rim, I have preferred to recommend the 265/40, which whilst slightly taller is slightly narrower and just sits on the rim better.

Having said all of that, if the weight plate on T30 indicates that a 101 is OK then I would change that recomendation and go 255/40. That's closer to the diameter of 275/35 and a better width again for the 8.5" rim. Loads of manufacturers are doing the 101 load rating in that size too.

I haven't got a T30 here to double check the weight plate.
 
ChrisR said:
Too wide for the 8.5" wheel in my opinion. There are people who disagree and it can be hard to argue because VW recommend the 275/35. There's a reason for that though; they had 3 boxes to try and tick; Load Rating, overall diameter (close to standard size), width. It's hard to tick all three and the 275/35 is good for load rating and diameter, but not so good on width. Having said that, the VW option 20" wheels are all Supermetal, which are 9" wide, so the 275/35 works OK, but probably only just.

Once you go to 8.5 a 275 is too wide, it sounds silly only being 1/2", but it's close to being too wide on a 9" rim and that last 1/2" makes the difference. I wouldn't class it as unsafe or anything, it's just not ideal.

In the past, when thinking of supplying supermetal wheels with tyres (at my usual brilliant pricing, sorry, couldn't help myself) and the van is T30 I would fit a 275/35 because it's the VW recommendation and works OK on the 9" rim.

If I'm suppling an 8.5" wide rim, I have preferred to recommend the 265/40, which whilst slightly taller is slightly narrower and just sits on the rim better.

Having said all of that, if the weight plate on T30 indicates that a 101 is OK then I would change that recomendation and go 255/40. That's closer to the diameter of 275/35 and a better width again for the 8.5" rim. Loads of manufacturers are doing the 101 load rating in that size too.

I haven't got a T30 here to double check the weight plate.
Click to expand...

You need me to check anything on a T30? I can pop out to the carpark?
 
ChrisR said:
Too wide for the 8.5" wheel in my opinion. There are people who disagree and it can be hard to argue because VW recommend the 275/35. There's a reason for that though; they had 3 boxes to try and tick; Load Rating, overall diameter (close to standard size), width. It's hard to tick all three and the 275/35 is good for load rating and diameter, but not so good on width. Having said that, the VW option 20" wheels are all Supermetal, which are 9" wide, so the 275/35 works OK, but probably only just.

Once you go to 8.5 a 275 is too wide, it sounds silly only being 1/2", but it's close to being too wide on a 9" rim and that last 1/2" makes the difference. I wouldn't class it as unsafe or anything, it's just not ideal.

In the past, when thinking of supplying supermetal wheels with tyres (at my usual brilliant pricing, sorry, couldn't help myself) and the van is T30 I would fit a 275/35 because it's the VW recommendation and works OK on the 9" rim.

If I'm suppling an 8.5" wide rim, I have preferred to recommend the 265/40, which whilst slightly taller is slightly narrower and just sits on the rim better.

Having said all of that, if the weight plate on T30 indicates that a 101 is OK then I would change that recomendation and go 255/40. That's closer to the diameter of 275/35 and a better width again for the 8.5" rim. Loads of manufacturers are doing the 101 load rating in that size too.

I haven't got a T30 here to double check the weight plate.
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Thanks loads for the detailed reply Chris. Agree with everything. It’ll be 265/40 unless the axle weights allow 255/40...
 
Simon66 said:
A photo of the VIN plate in the engine bay with axle weights on it would be awesome. Or do they vary from van model to van model?
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I wouldn't expect much variation, but It's always safest to check the axle weights on your own van. I haven't seen hundreds of each variant to be able to say with 100% certainty that they are all the same.
 
Van is back and I can confirm we’re good for the 101 rated tyres :D

F641CB33-34AF-4303-9AB3-43621308BBA8.jpeg

The question is which tyres to go for. I know the Goodyears are excellent and will be slightly cheaper with the cash back but I’m tempted by the lower dB noise level of the Falkens...

6EB29CAB-76B7-424F-823C-DF049A3930B7.jpeg

Will probably go with the Goodyears but thought I’d throw the other option out there in case anyone has any strong opinions to the contrary.
 
Simon66 said:
Van is back and I can confirm we’re good for the 101 rated tyres :D

View attachment 92861

The question is which tyres to go for. I know the Goodyears are excellent and will be slightly cheaper with the cash back but I’m tempted by the lower dB noise level of the Falkens...

View attachment 92863

Will probably go with the Goodyears but thought I’d throw the other option out there in case anyone has any strong opinions to the contrary.
Click to expand...

The Eagle assy 3 is quieter, so maybe take a look if available in that size. I can’t quite work out why the latest tyre has gone up in noise - almost seems a step backward. We love the Goodyear eagle Assy
 
Cheers. I’ve had them on my cars from time to time and I think they’re great too. With that in mind I don’t think it’s worth paying extra for the slightly quieter Falkens unless someone says they’re brilliant. Will look around for some Asymmetric 3s tho. Bringing the van to you on the 10th for the suspension so see you then :cool:
 
I can get Falkens for £155 fitted locally here, or I hope I still can... been waiting to take the plunge

Edit: it is Elite Tyres and Wheels, Reading. They honoured that price and the tyres have arrived
 
Last edited:
Good Morning Everyone , a have bought a set of Velare 08 Staggered wheels for my camper and they came fitted with
275 40 20 tyres.
I have monutube projekt coilovers fitted .
I want to get as low as I can but can,t get any lower than 50mm drop due to the catching on bumps etc
The wheel widths are 8.5J front 10J rear
So was thinking of changing tyres? Would this solve the rubbing problem?
 
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