20" Tyre Advice - sizing / brand / pressure
- Thread starter Keaney
- Start date
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- 10j rear 20" 245/40/20 255/35/20 265/40/20 275/35/20 275/40/20 275/45/20 40mm springs 50mm springs 8.5j front wheel 9j front wheel 9j rear wheel accelera tyres haida tyres kumho tyres landsail tyres lowering suspension nankang tyres offset supermetal trident wheels t28 team silver twin monotube projekt tyres velare wheels
What are the acceleras like as a tyre in the wet and dry? If they are any good you could buy some winters with the money saved
i dont have a problem wet or dry weather they perform great and I've just ordered another 8
everybody drives differently and so any tyre will let go if pushed to the extreme
if money is not an problem then spend over £1000 on MCC , but if you havent tried Acceleras you wont know
JOT6 i use budget winter tyres too and find no difference to the more expensive ones
everybody drives differently and so any tyre will let go if pushed to the extreme
if money is not an problem then spend over £1000 on MCC , but if you havent tried Acceleras you wont know
JOT6 i use budget winter tyres too and find no difference to the more expensive ones
John A
VCDS User
I've read the (old) thread about 275/35/20 being the 'correct size' for a 20" wheel, and rather than resurrect it I thought I'd post here.
I've got a T32 and there appears to be next to no options for 275/35/20s with the correct load rating. Everything I have found so far is only offered in a load rating of 102 - the T32 needs at least 103. So the only other option I appear to have is to go down to 265/40/20
Who is running a 275/35/20 with a 103+ load rating?
I've got a T32 and there appears to be next to no options for 275/35/20s with the correct load rating. Everything I have found so far is only offered in a load rating of 102 - the T32 needs at least 103. So the only other option I appear to have is to go down to 265/40/20
Who is running a 275/35/20 with a 103+ load rating?
Unless you're running a wider rear of 9.5 or bigger then a 255/40/20 101 is perfect for a T28/T30. Generally 275 is too wide for an 8.5" or 9" rim and the popular 275/40/20 is too big a rolling circumference compared to OEM. This will be pretty evident with lower power vans that will struggle on an incline as the gearing isn't designed for a larger tyre.
I’ve always used a premium brand tyre and paid best part of £1k for a set of four. My issue is I’ve only done 13k miles in nearly for year and although the fronts are in need of replacement the rears are not but have cracked. I have looked at the Accelera IOTA ST 68 which are by far a cheaper tyre but as the van is used to carry the family I don’t want to compromise grip by going on the cheaper tyre. Interested to hear peoples feedback if they have used them. (265/40 20 104Y) I believe you get what you pay for but a lower cost tyre is probably safer than a cracked premium brand.
Bit of freedback for anyone interested
Just swapped from 275/40/20 all round to 245/45/20 on the front and 275/40/20 on the rear.
Running Uniroyal Rainsports on 8.5 inch front and 10 inch rear.
Feels so much lighter with the narrower fronts. Hoping when I get some speed up it’s a bit quieter too
Just swapped from 275/40/20 all round to 245/45/20 on the front and 275/40/20 on the rear.
Running Uniroyal Rainsports on 8.5 inch front and 10 inch rear.
Feels so much lighter with the narrower fronts. Hoping when I get some speed up it’s a bit quieter too
Bit of an update.
Much quieter on the road. No rubbing in full lock. Bonus.
I don’t think the 245’s look quiet as aggressive as the 275 on the front but I’m very pleased with them.
If people are after a compromise between the two then 265/40/20 may be the way to go as @BognorMotors and @CRS Performance have suggested many times!
Much quieter on the road. No rubbing in full lock. Bonus.
I don’t think the 245’s look quiet as aggressive as the 275 on the front but I’m very pleased with them.
If people are after a compromise between the two then 265/40/20 may be the way to go as @BognorMotors and @CRS Performance have suggested many times!
We never use 265 40 20 , the reason some do is because they cant find or be bothered to find staggered tyres for the staggered wheels , 265 Kinda fits 8.5 J fronts and 10 J rears and is less likely to touch on the front . 245 45 20 and 275 40 20 is the perfect balance , all the tyres look good on the rims the van will behave better be more responsive in cornering and there is less drag , generally feels much better .
265/40/20 is by far the best tyre for a Transporter that's not running staggered wheels (eg 9J all round) They are also 103 rated for T32. (Unless it's considerably lowered of course)
FYI most German wheel manufacturers get the TÜV approval based on a 275/35/20. They don't really get T32's over there though.
275/40/20 is ok ish on staggered rears, that's all. Being a 106 rated tyre they are a really hard, stiff walled tyre. The ride is very firm. I've known countless people drop to a 265/40 and find the ride massively improved. It grinds my gears when I see wheel suppliers fitting 275/40's. It's just lazy. They can say there are load rated for everything, and don't actually seem to care the ride is so hard. You ever seen someone commenting they hate their 20's because the ride is hard, you can guarantee they have 275/40's on.
275/40/20 on the front will also rub on bumpers, and on full lock plus puts your Speedo out by about 8%.
If you're low low, we worked with a factory to make a 103 rated 255/35/20. It's a budget brand but we've been really impressed with them.
FYI most German wheel manufacturers get the TÜV approval based on a 275/35/20. They don't really get T32's over there though.
275/40/20 is ok ish on staggered rears, that's all. Being a 106 rated tyre they are a really hard, stiff walled tyre. The ride is very firm. I've known countless people drop to a 265/40 and find the ride massively improved. It grinds my gears when I see wheel suppliers fitting 275/40's. It's just lazy. They can say there are load rated for everything, and don't actually seem to care the ride is so hard. You ever seen someone commenting they hate their 20's because the ride is hard, you can guarantee they have 275/40's on.
275/40/20 on the front will also rub on bumpers, and on full lock plus puts your Speedo out by about 8%.
If you're low low, we worked with a factory to make a 103 rated 255/35/20. It's a budget brand but we've been really impressed with them.
The 275/40 is too big for a Transporter and only used because it’s cheap! (it’s an ex Range Rover size so plenty of availability) we never have used this size in 20 years of working with Transporters like most others in the know - it seems to be mainly the online retailers who sell wheel deals who use the 275/40! . It’s between 5.5- 8.3% bigger than the factory sized tyres (16&17”), lowering with a 275/40 on the front at any decent drop will rub! The only place for oversize is with a 17” wheel when lifting a van.
After speaking with Supermetal wheels the other day, they have already got TUV approval on certain certificates for 265/40. The 265 is less than 5% oversize than all the factory wheels so perfect.
For 4motion you can use 265/40 both front and back and lower with no issues and with a staggered setup as we’ve proved and you retain your VW warranty.
On a 2wd you can also run the 245/45 on the front, and then even with a slimmer front wheel than 9”, with a staggered rear and 265/40. The difference is less than 1.5% front to back so unnoticeable.
Obviously my post is for T32 - There are other options for T28/30 as suggest above by @Solow Suspension .
Pics so you can see they work as suggested
This is 9j all round 265/40 - Perfect
4Motion, 9j 265/40 all round
4motion van, staggered wheels with the 265 all round - perfect.
After speaking with Supermetal wheels the other day, they have already got TUV approval on certain certificates for 265/40. The 265 is less than 5% oversize than all the factory wheels so perfect.
For 4motion you can use 265/40 both front and back and lower with no issues and with a staggered setup as we’ve proved and you retain your VW warranty.
On a 2wd you can also run the 245/45 on the front, and then even with a slimmer front wheel than 9”, with a staggered rear and 265/40. The difference is less than 1.5% front to back so unnoticeable.
Obviously my post is for T32 - There are other options for T28/30 as suggest above by @Solow Suspension .
Pics so you can see they work as suggested
This is 9j all round 265/40 - Perfect
4Motion, 9j 265/40 all round
4motion van, staggered wheels with the 265 all round - perfect.
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Personally I'd be listening to
@BognorMotors & @Solow Suspension Andy and his team have worked extensively with the manufacturers to get products right and tyres especially as it's such a crucial part when lowering a van.
Oli has extensive experience with wheel a tyre setups, just look at some of the threads he's posted it proves he knows his stuff in this area.
We never fit 275 when supplying wheels. In short 275/40 tyres are crap. They just don't work with the van.
@BognorMotors & @Solow Suspension Andy and his team have worked extensively with the manufacturers to get products right and tyres especially as it's such a crucial part when lowering a van.
Oli has extensive experience with wheel a tyre setups, just look at some of the threads he's posted it proves he knows his stuff in this area.
We never fit 275 when supplying wheels. In short 275/40 tyres are crap. They just don't work with the van.
Here is the TUV certificate for the 9x20 Supermetal Rocket for example, showing that 265/40, 255/35 and 275/35 are the correct tyres.
Great factual info Oli
