Stretched tyres - discuss

[si-mate]

i disagree with stretch tyres being dangerous at 80mph...because on my 'private road' ive done 80mph on stretch tyres suprise suprise im still here to tell the tail...

At least I know that my vehicle is designed to take me to 80mph and sit there safely....and the added risk of doing 80mph rather than 70mph is minimal.

The tyre manufacturers that Lee contacted have told you in no uncertain terms that stretched tyres are dangerous yet you seem to know better

 

[muddyboots]

Oh god...How bored/anal must you be to take a disscussion on 'stretch tyres' off a forum to the point of e-mailing goodyear haha.

Well this is where you and I obviously differ; I like to learn and make informed decisions based on sound technical info.
This thread - "Stretched tyres - discuss" - has two different points of view within, so how to decide what is correct ? Should we just continue the futile "Yes they're safe" / "No they're not" debate ? The obvious answer is to ask the technical experts on the subject.

Maybe you find writing emails difficult, but writing a whole 3 lines of text (shorter than many of your replies on here) to several people at once wasn't particularly taxing, yet it could provide factual answers to settle the discussion - which it has.
As for taking the discussion of tyres off this forum, have you never emailed or posted on the subject of stretched tyres outside of this forum ?

Interestingly, I got another reply to the same email from a different tyre company today, this time from Continental.
Here's a short extract:

In reply to your e-mail regarding the practice of fitting tyres to wide
rims, we would strongly recomend against it.
We have seen similar photographs of low profile tyres fitted to rims wider
than the recomended rim fitment, and would go so far as to say that it's
positively dangerous, because the tyre cannot flex as it would under normal
conditions, and therefore cannot respond properly when cornering.

An inconvenient truth ?

As to how bored/anal I am - well I'm off work sick, and this is providing far more entertainment than watching daytime TV.
And I'm strictly pink thankyou.

So, you just carry on driving on stretched tyres in the full knowledge (based on expert opinion) that what you're choosing to do is not only endangering yourself, but other road users around you.
I hope that you never hit a pothole when your tyres are loaded mid corner, otherwise you'll be crushed into the nearest tree/wall/oncoming car before you can even blink if your tyre pops off. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Mind you, I'm sure afterwards when your Mum/Dad/relatives are placing flowers at the roadside and sobbing at your grave, they'll take great comfort in thinking "well at least he though his tyres looked good".

 

[cappitman]

God I must be getting old !
For starters I hadn't heard of "stretching" and now I have I can't believe how s**t it looks! It must be my age as I can never understand why you would mod a car to perform worst than if you mod it correctly doesn't make sense to me ?

 

[JB!]

ANYONE HERE KNOW WHAT THE TUV TEST IS?


for those that don't, its the germans super-strict MOT...

they have fitment guidelines as to what tyres are acceptable on what width wheels, i'm trying to track them down to post up here...


p.s. love you leigh!

 

[muddyboots]

In case the replies from Goodyear, Continental and Toyo weren't enough, I got a reply from Dunlop yesterday too.

Quite short and to the point:

It is not safe to stretch a tyre to fit the wheel.

 

[warren_cox]

nice one Muddy, good to see some useful research has bought this thread to a useful conclusion.

No doubt there will be those who continue to make a stretch 'scene' under the banner of 'cool', but it's the mentality behind the argument that gets to me is where one person decides that because they have tried something and they are still here to tell the tale they must be the expert and authority above all others, therefore it's safe - it must be FACT!

I'm all for people throwing their experiences and opinions into the mix, but when people become so tunnel visioned and closed minded, I guess all you can do is provide useful informative contributions to the thread which benefit those who can accept there is more than just their own point of view. Respect to you for doing the research and presenting the facts mate.

 

[UncleFester]

I still don't get the confusion. If a tyre company says the product was used outside of its operating limits and outside of their reccomended use then it becomes unwarrantable. If you deliberately and knowingly drive around using something outside of the manufacturers guidelines and then crash and your tyres are found to be as above then they'll throw the book at you simply because you won't have a legal leg to stand on. If you're really inlucky your insurance will be voided - quite honestly this counts as 'modification' and as such needs to be mentioned on your insurance, if you don't ( and why would you as they'd never insure it) and you have a crash .... potentially no insurance pay out - quite a hefty cost just to look 'cool'.

As for the TUV - what difference does it make, German law doesn't apply in England or vice versa.

 

[traumapat]

ANYONE HERE KNOW WHAT THE TUV TEST IS?


for those that don't, its the germans super-strict MOT...

they have fitment guidelines as to what tyres are acceptable on what width wheels, i'm trying to track them down to post up here...


p.s. love you leigh!

not really sure what a German mot test has to do with how tyres are manufactured and used?
The makers have stated its dangerous. End of.

 

[J0N]

Very interesting thread, although now I'm a bit worried about driving on motorways at all nevermind over 70mph knowing that there may be someone on the same stretch of road who has wilfully made their car dangerous by fitting stretched tyres! Ok, I must say that they can look cool on some show cars but any modder worth his salt would surely put his normal road wheels back on and no doubt adjust to a suitable ride height for the journey home. Also, there is nothing at all boring or anal about gathering proper information (as if it were really required) to back up a valid point and to say driving at 80mph is even in the same league of dangerous as driving with stretched tyres is complete nonsense.

 

[JB!]

not really sure what a German mot test has to do with how tyres are manufactured and used?
The makers have stated its dangerous. End of.

beacuse they test things to the limits, and do thousands of miles of tyres to deem them TUV worthy...

I still don't get the confusion. If a tyre company says the
As for the TUV - what difference does it make, German law doesn't apply in England or vice versa.

the TUV is STRICTER than a UK MOT. i daresay 60% of cars on the roads right now wouldnt pass a TUV test...


still hunting for their guidelines... which is their limits on safe stretch.

 

[UncleFester]

The reality is that as far as the people ( lets call them the experts) who make the tyres are concerned, you're operating them outside of their safe limits - i don't much care what the TUV says or what the 'scene' says - if the people who make them tell me they're not safe then that's all there is to it.

 

[traumapat]

beacuse they test things to the limits, and do thousands of miles of tyres to deem them TUV worthy...



the TUV is STRICTER than a UK MOT. i daresay 60% of cars on the roads right now wouldnt pass a TUV test...


still hunting for their guidelines... which is their limits on safe stretch.

And they know they limits of every single bit of rubber do they? They do more Research and testing on tyres than goodyear do?

Are dunlop tyres banned in Germany? If they Know that stretching tyres is dangerous they obviously dont meet TUV standards?

I cant believe after comments made by manufactuers stating its dangerous your still argueing that it isnt.

 

[Fl@pper]

thought the trolls had moved on to the other forums? but just so you don't think we are all boring - i love the look and the style but not the extreme some idiots are going to lately just reminds me of people squeezing 18's on to corsa's - roll on the next fad

it's a show thing so keep it that way - wouldn't dream of using em on road myself or anywhere near day to day use god help us. You won't ever be able justify it as safe/legal/correct or useable in day to day fashion ever

as soon as the full legal road rules change (in september last i heard) you'll be screwed anyway as they are changing it to rims & tyres must not protrude outside the body silhouette of the vehicle without sufficient coverage - so no more open wheeled hotrods

 

[cupra.al]

so silhouette of the vehicle without sufficient coverage - so no more open wheeled hotrods

 

[truss]

im looking forward to the "stretchers" slating them in due course, like the chrome ****, big kits and lexarse lights.
And that berk saying that 80mph is unsafe. its laughable. poor counter-argument to a debate where he hasn't got a leg to stand on.

 

[Brummy]

I just pray Im not going at 80 in the opposite direction when his PHAT wheels decide to take a bid for freedom from his rims..

seemingly his location strapline gives the game away..

 

[Jinxy69]

Not knowing much about tyres and the dynamics in general, but just going of my limited experience...
1. not all stretches are cosmetic, some are subtle stretches to prevent rubbing/bumping
2. the correct tyre for a 8.5j rim is 235, but a 225 is a legal fitment, so is that not a slight stretch ? obviously yes

I am currently in the proccess of getting new tyres fitted to new rims 19x8.5
the recommend fit is 235, but 225 is also acceptable AND fully legal and certified, but the fitter said its perfectly safe to fit 215


Oh and bump

 

[Jinxy69]

Some more useful info here, tho only goes to 18" diametre
http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=473241