Hi all.
Hoping that someone can help me figure out the load rating I should have for my 1989 xj40 3.6 with 15" wheels. It's a Japanese import and the tyre placard only seems to have pressures on it, no mention of load or speed. I have seen conflicting reports online of it being either 97 or 98 and also a tyre placard someone has posted on another forum from a Daimler VdP (I think) which says as low as 93! I've posted a picture of both mine and the other placard.
Essentially, I'm finding it somewhat difficult sourcing anything in the right size over 96 rating. Not too fussed about the speed rating thanks to the draconian speed enforcement in Australia.

Thanks in advance!

 

Tire rack can give you some good pointers, I took the liberty of entering your car's specs into their calculator, even though the link title refers to kitchen stuff(!) it does work!

I have 16" wheels on my car and I run 98W tires.

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HTH,


Larry

 

Hi jryall,

A quick search of my records doesn't show a specification for load rating, but the speed rating was V. The original tires specified in the U.S. were Pirelli P5 Cintauro 205/70 VR15. Here's the page from the 1988 Technical Introduction:





I think that any tire designed for luxury performance sedans with at least a V speed rating in the correct 15 inch size should have a sufficient load rating. Personally, I would recommend you stick with the V speed rating or better even though you have no plans to drive at 149 mph. The suspension was designed and tuned with the stiffer and stronger sidewalls of V-rated tires, and using tires with a lower speed rating will reduce the steering precision, lateral stability and emergency handling due to sidewall roll.

Unfortunately, I think you will find that your options for 15 inch tires are very limited, since the entire industry has been moving to lower-profile tires over the past 20 years.

Cheers,

Don

 

We've had a similar discussion before about tyre rating. As Don says, the OE tyres are 'V' rated.

In the UK we don't have an option to use lower speed rated tyres. If the vehicle is specified by the manufacturer as requiring a 'V' rating then fitting a lower rated tyre invalidates insurance.

I understand from previous posts that a similar situation with insurance does not apply in the USA but I haven't seen posts about this from Australian members.

Graham

 

Thanks for all the replies. It seems in my Japanese manual, the only things specified are for V rated rated tyres (albeit metric) and for pressures. Although its in Japanese so who knows. In Australia, specifically Queensland, tyres may be changed to a minimum of S (180kph) rated, no requirement to be the OE specified speed. However load rating must match or exceed the OE specification.
Thanks,
Joe