Should they be 225/45/17 91W all round?

 

Only reason I asked is because mine currently has 94Y XL on the rear, and I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a different requirement for the rear...before I spend a few hundred pound replacing the set.

 

Was tempted by the Rainsport 3s, but for £12 or so more per corner I think I'll go with the Goodyear Eagle F1s, £337 for 4 delivered in 91Y:

 

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?show=109608

 

 

The tyres should have the same load / speed rating all round.

 

The vRS doesn't need extra load tyres so it seems the rears have been fitted out of spec.

 

Octavia vRS factory standard specifications:

 

17" - 225/45R17 W 91

 

18" - 225/40R18 Y 92

The last digits are for the load rating - if the car takes a 91 as standard, the 94 is an 'Extra Load' tyre, designated by XL. I don't see you're going to do any harm running a higher load rating but you don't really want to drop below the minimum (which I'm guessing is 91). I have heard of a few users of Michelin Supersport running a load rating of 88 (rather than 92) on a 225/45/18 tyre without any ill effect.

Thanks for confirming!

The last digits are for the load rating - if the car takes a 91 as standard, the 94 is an 'Extra Load' tyre, designated by XL. I don't see you're going to do any harm running a higher load rating but you don't really want to drop below the minimum (which I'm guessing is 91). I have heard of a few users of Michelin Supersport running a load rating of 88 (rather than 92) on a 225/45/18 tyre without any ill effect.

 

A 94 load rating does not necessarily mean XL rating.  There is another thread that describes load ratings of tyres.

 

 

Here is an explanation of XL  (eXtra Load) tyres sent to me by a friend who works for Michelin.

 

Extra Load tyres are designed to be used at higher pressures than normal tyres. They have the same maximum load capacity as a normal tyre with the same Load Index but achieve this at a higher pressure. Normal tyres are inflated to pressures between 2 bar and 2.5 bar. They reach the maximum load capacity as specified by the Load Index when inflated to 2.5 bar (35psi), e.g., for a Load Index of 94 this is 670kg. Extra Load tyres can be inflated to pressures up to 2.9 bar (41psi) and actually have a lower load capacity at the same pressure as a normal tyre with the same Load Index. To get the 670kg load capacity for a Load Index of 94, an Extra Load tyre must be inflated to 2.9 bar - at 2.5bar it will only have a load capacity of 595kg.

 

 

So if you fit a 94XL tyre instead of a 94 tyre and run it at the same pressure it will actually have a LOWER load rating and therefore only be be capable of supporting a lower weight.

Ordered:

 

4 x Goodyear Tyres / Car / Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 - 225/45 R17 91Y FP TL (OFFER) Fuel Eff.: C Wet Grip: A NoiseClass: 2 Noise: 69dB 

 

TOTAL £337.92

 

Excited (Sad, I know!). Should probably get some 4 wheel alignment too... whilst I'm at it.

Edited 14 December, 201312 yr by ethos

I got the very same tyres on my vrs and very impressed with them. Bonus is the chunky rim protectors on the sidewall. Even my wife has not overcome them (yet..)

Ha, yes  the protectors are excellent. Bit strange when you first look at them, but do offer a good level of protection. 

 

Be interesting to see if they reduce the rear tyre noise from the Rainsport 2s I currently have on.

Massive reduction in tyre noise going from the Rainsport 2s to the Eagle F1s- so much so I can actually hear my exhaust now!