82 v 86 Load Rating, Michelin Cross Climates, and other tyre questions for my Skoda!

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

I am planning on having some Cross Climate tyres fitted to my Skoda Fabia Estate (2003, 1.2) and wondered if anyone could help with some questions please? Three of my current tyres are: 185 - 60 - R14 - 82H. The other one is: 185 - 60 - R14 - 82T.

1. Load Rating. The best matched Cross Climate has a load rating of 86. Is it ok to use this on my car where the existing tyres have a load rating of 82?

2. Speed Rating. Only an “H” rating is available in my size tyre. Do you think this will be ok based on the fact that I currently have a mixture? My manual doesn’t specify which is required for the car.

3. The manual for the car says that new tyres should be “run in” for the first 500km. Is this necessary for the Cross Climates? If so, what would people recommend in terms of “running in”?

4. The manual also states that winter tyres should be inflated +0.2 bar compared to standard tyres. As the Cross Climates are somewhere between the two types, what would folk recommend with regards this?

5. For the time being, I am only putting Cross Climates on the front of the car. Someone I spoke to at a tyre fitting shop said that whilst not as effective as having them on all four wheels, it will still be a lot better than not having any at all. He also said it should be adequate for occasional winter driving where conditions are not too extreme. I wondered what people here think about this? Also, does having different tyres front and back ever affect car insurance claims?

Crikey, I'm tyred after typing all of that. (I'll get my coat....)

Many thanks

 

[Burnerman]

To be absolutely correct, as least for insurance purposes, you should stick to the exact tyre specification for your car.
However, you are increasing the load rating for the new tyres, so this is fine......86 being higher than 82.
The other rating relates to speed, and I doubt if your Fabia will do more than 130 MPH!
In theory, all tyres should be 'scrubbed in' as the release agent used in the mould is slippery. This is hardly relevant on car tyres but it is applicable to motorbike tyres. By the time you have done a few miles you can forget about it - but everyone needs to cover themselves!
'Chunky' tread tyres usually have a couple of more psi added to the recommended pressure, this helps to keep the sipes open to clear water. Again in real life you wouldn't notice and just keep the pressures as specified.
Cross climate tyres are brilliant at what they do....that is, give traction which, on a FWD car, needs to be on the front. Purists will say that its possible for the car back to 'step out' but in reality this doesn't matter......if you slide on a FWD car, taking the throttle off will bring the back into line, no problem.
A good buy, I think....I feel all tyres will be eventually heading this way.
John

 

[Notch7]

I am planning on having some Cross Climate tyres fitted

I put michelin cross climates on my car -Ive been very pleased, comfortsble ride, not noisy and great in winter -at least in the wet and icy conditions, not had any real snow to offer any experience.

I got them from tyresonthedrive which from the name you can guess its a mobile fitting company, price was better than a bricks n mortar co.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Hi

A couple of updates on this after having spoken to Michelin…

1. As per the answer above, they confirmed 86 will be fine, although a bit of a harder ride they said.

2. He confirmed that H will be fine.

3. He said their recommendation is to run new tyres in for 500km. However, when I asked what this entailed he said just driving normally! So perhaps the better way to put it is to not drive like a maniac for the first 500km (or "out of the pit stop" )! I am doing a 300 mile motorway run very soon after having them fitted. I tend to do 80-85mph on the motorways. He said that would be fine.

4. He said: In summer treat them as a summer tyre, and in winter treat them as a winter tyre, all according to car manufacturer specs. So we concluded to run them at normal pressure in summer and at +0.2bar in winter.

5. Michelin’s recommendation is to put them on the rear if only putting on two. I think that is a general recommendation to a certain extent – i.e. always put new tyres on rear. More to do with how they wear… But when I asked specifically about winter performance, he said that if you were to loose traction, you would want the grip where you can't control the vehicle, so that it is less likely for the rear to spin out. I've read that elsewhere too, but also the opposite. I’ve been reading more about it since and it seems a very divided subject and quite hotly debated!

On a more disappointing note, he said that they will be discontinuing this size of the CC tyre, likely within the next 6 months or so

Oh, and the insurers.... They said they do not need to know about any of the above, so long as the tyres are road worthy and safe and do not impact the cars performance.

Huge thanks for all the replies and input.

 

[Burnerman]

People always thrash out the argument of where to put their winter tyres.....
The way I see it, my 2wd car with ordinary radials wouldnt even come off the drive - with winter tyres traction was brilliant.
So, if you cant even move, winter tyres on the back arent any use at all! Therefore, on the front they go for me.
I was wanting CC’s for my 4wd Yeti but they were going to be 180 sovs each, whereas Goodyears were just on the ton. Goodyears won, this time.
John

 

[Rad1o]

Hi all

I am planning on having some Cross Climate tyres fitted to my Skoda Fabia Estate (2003, 1.2) and wondered if anyone could help with some questions please? Three of my current tyres are: 185 - 60 - R14 - 82H. The other one is: 185 - 60 - R14 - 82T.

1. Load Rating. The best matched Cross Climate has a load rating of 86. Is it ok to use this on my car where the existing tyres have a load rating of 82?
86 is o.k.
2. Speed Rating. Only an “H” rating is available in my size tyre. Do you think this will be ok based on the fact that I currently have a mixture? My manual doesn’t specify which is required for the car.
H is fine and the T tyre at present is the limiting factor for you.
3. The manual for the car says that new tyres should be “run in” for the first 500km. Is this necessary for the Cross Climates? If so, what would people recommend in terms of “running in”?
Just be gentle. That is all it means.
4. The manual also states that winter tyres should be inflated +0.2 bar compared to standard tyres. As the Cross Climates are somewhere between the two types, what would folk recommend with regards this?
I "overinflate" my summer and winter tyre to max. load all the time for better tyre wear.
5. For the time being, I am only putting Cross Climates on the front of the car. Someone I spoke to at a tyre fitting shop said that whilst not as effective as having them on all four wheels, it will still be a lot better than not having any at all. He also said it should be adequate for occasional winter driving where conditions are not too extreme. I wondered what people here think about this? Also, does having different tyres front and back ever affect car insurance claims?

NEVER just put TWO winter tyres on a car on the front wheels. Ideally you should always have the tyres with the better grip on the back because the rear tyres control / avoid a spin rather than the fronts. Any object will spin around the end with the highest friction. If you have a lot of grip at the front and hardly any at the back (winter tyres front / summer tyres back) your car will inadvertantly spin off the road or into oncoming traffic and you cannot control it. This is also called oversteer. If you have more traction at the rear your car will stay in line when braking or in corners you will have understeer which is much easier to control.

Crikey, I'm tyred after typing all of that. (I'll get my coat....)

Many thanks

 

[Burnerman]

If your FWD car wont even move due to snow and ice, you can have the best snow tyres in the world on the back - but you still wont move
Thats why I need traction first! The skinny tyres used years ago were so much better at digging through the soft stuff than present day rubber.
John

 

[JohnD]

My car has a special gear for use in snow and ice.

"P"

 

[Rad1o]

...... you can have the best snow tyres in the world on the back - ....
John

Not "snow tyres on the back" - snow tyres on all four.

I have a special pedal for snow and ice - Accelerator!