One for Mottie (other replies welcome.)

[charliegolf]

Mottie, I have 2 questions...

Context: I have winter tyres 225/50/17 and front fit (= 'kin expensive) chains to go with them. Off my previous car. For going to the alps in winter.

I now have a new car with 18 inch wheels. Grrr.

1. Can I buy 17" steel wheels, fit my tyres and stick them on my new contract hire Volvo? Will it work, is it legal?

2. How do I buy 4 used rims off ebay and be sure my tyres will fit; and know they will fit on the hubs?

The alternative is to shell out £600 on new tyres and chains. Maybe £750.

Cheers.

 

[johnny2007]

17 inch tyres will not fit on 18 inch rims, this you surely know.
If you buy 17 inch rims to fit your tyres, make sure the manufacturer spec for your car accepts this change.
The different wheel sizes that can be fitted on your car are listed on your manual and in some cars, in the fuel flap.
If you fit wheels not specified by the manufacturer, your insurance might be invalidated in case of an accident serious enough for them to inspect the car.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Are you able to modify the ECU to allow for a different wheel size?

 

[Mottie]

Are you able to modify the ECU to allow for a different wheel size?

How would that allow you to fit 17” tyres on 18” rims? It’s not the wheel size that affects anything, it’s the tyre size
.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Why do people keep talking about that when the OP has neither asked about it nor said thats what he is going to do?

 

[Mottie]

Why do people keep talking about that when the OP has neither asked about it nor said thats what he is going to do?

Well he certainly ain’t talking about anything ecu related.

 

[charliegolf]

I'm asking if I can get a set of 17 rims, and put my 17" tyres them on for the winter. Then swop them for my current 18" ones.
Moot point now, Volvo are kinda suggesting it void the warranty if I do that.

 

[Mottie]

I now have a new car with 18 inch wheels. Grrr.

What is the size of the tyres on your 18” rims?

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Well he certainly ain’t talking about anything ecu related.

If he ends up with a different tyre circumference to the one he currently has, what will happen?

 

[Mottie]

If he ends up with a different tyre circumference to the one he currently has, what will happen?

As said, that’s nothing to do with wheel size.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Volvo are kinda suggesting it void the warranty if I do that.

So is the model you have not offered with any other wheel/tyre sizes in any of its variants or lists of options?

 

[Captain Nemesis]

As said, that’s nothing to do with wheel size.

So no matter what wheel size he fits, the outer circumference of the tyre will be the same?

 

[charliegolf]

What is the size of the tyres on your 18” rims?

235/45/17

 

[Mottie]

So no matter what wheel size he fits, the circumference of the tyre will be the same?

Depending on the aspect ratio of the tyre, yes.

 

[Mottie]

235/45/17

Eh? You have 17” tyres on your 18” rims?