So looking at my spare wheel it's a full size 16" black steel with 205/55 R16 91V rubber. So why does it have a 50mph max sticker on it? Same size wheel and tyre as my old golf and I drove that much faster.

Health and safety gone mad. Wheel is a different weight, hence the speed limit sticker. Also if your tyres are directional, the spare tread pattern will face the wrong way if fitted to the opposing axle.

Ah, OK, will check tread. I actually quite like the look of the wheel.

 

Good then for use on your old Golf without the need to slow down once fitted!

 

?

It is not the same size, weight, rubber compound, tread as the other 3 tyres / wheels that will be on the car if you use the spare is it.

Or even as the tyre / wheel on the same axle?

 

warning notices are for those that sometimes do not think!

Rebuke gratefully accepted

Keep in mind it’s also a generic wheel, used over multiple makes and models, with varying specs and wheel sizes. Warning will be applied to all spare wheels as it won’t be know which car it’s being put into. 

If the wheel and/or tyre are different size to the other wheels/tyres fitted to the car then with the spare fitted you will have mismatched wheels/tyres on an axle, and under braking the car can become unstable so to minimise the problem the spare carries the speed limit sticker - even if the tyre is much higher speed rated.

 

The only situation when the speed limit isn't relevant is if the spare is EXACTLY the same as the other wheels/tyres fitted to the car.

I guess it won't be properly balanced either. Good points all, curiosity satisfied. Thread closed.

You don't say what size your other wheels are. My full size steel spare does not have a warning sticker on it. It appears that on more recent models they've started putting warning stickers on all spare wheels regardless as to whether they're the same size as the other wheels.

Have just replaced my crappy repair kit with a full size steel 16” rim and tyre. No warning stickers, but it was from an aftermarket company. The post suggesting limiting speeds irrespective of warnings I feel is quite correct. If I have one wheel & tyre that does not match the other 3 then it makes sense to use caution and replace as soon as possible. I was caught out last year in the wilds of Scotland with a bolt in the tyre and a totally ineffective gunk/inflation repair system. I now have some peace of mind.

There are wide variations in the sizes of spacesaver spares fitted to cars.

The spacesaver spare fitted to the Superb (Australian showroom) looked smaller than a motorbike wheel/tyre combination, I did not note the size. I had a 80kph warning sticker and quite honestly I would be worried going anywhere that speed with a tyre apparently half the width of the standard fit.

My Octavia is fitted with 17" 225mm tyres  and has the 16" 205mm size steel spare mentioned, which is much more substantial than that on the Superb and on one occasion I had to use it for an extended journey on a rear wheel (puncture late at night in remote location).

Other than the spare being incredibly noisy there was no apparent effect on handling or ride, nor would I expect there to be being only 20mm less tyre width than standard. On dry, empty straight roads it was difficult to resist going faster than the recommendation.

Well my car has the 18" Golus 225/40 R18 Y92, so yes the 205/55 R16 91V is a "lower spec" with less rubber contact and will even be slightly different diameter so I suppose, on reflection, a warning sticker of some sort is appropriate. It's just a little odd to me that they focussed on the speed element. I guess the 50mph Max warning is just shorthand for please drive carefully with this spare?

On 16/05/2018 at 09:20, SWBoy said:

If the wheel and/or tyre are different size to the other wheels/tyres fitted to the car then with the spare fitted you will have mismatched wheels/tyres on an axle, and under braking the car can become unstable so to minimise the problem the spare carries the speed limit sticker - even if the tyre is much higher speed rated.

 

The only situation when the speed limit isn't relevant is if the spare is EXACTLY the same as the other wheels/tyres fitted to the car.

So by implication, if I have a full set of identical correctly sized, spare wheels labelled with a 50mph sticker, but otherwise appearing to be standard (as can be bought on a popular auction website) with identical correctly sized/rated tyres,  fitted to my car, that would be ok for normal driving? I suppose my question is whether wheels supplied by the manufacturer and described as 'spare' and labelled with the 50mph limit are somehow less suitable structurally.

2 hours ago, tintinandcharlie said:

So by implication, if I have a full set of identical correctly sized, spare wheels labelled with a 50mph sticker, but otherwise appearing to be standard (as can be bought on a popular auction website) with identical correctly sized/rated tyres,  fitted to my car, that would be ok for normal driving? I suppose my question is whether wheels supplied by the manufacturer and described as 'spare' and labelled with the 50mph limit are somehow less suitable structurally.

If all the wheels fitted to the car have the same size wheel and same size &, construction tyre, then the speed limit is dependent the speed rating of the tyres.

 

Currently if you fit 4 space saver spares, then the 50mph limit will still apply as that is the limit for those tyres under EU Law - but there are moves to introduce uprated space saver tyres with an 80mph limit..

 

'Space Saver' tyres / wheels and Spare tyres / wheels that save space are different things. 

 

4 H Speed Rating tyres on a car are not limited to 50mph in the EU / UK or under EU Law.

They also tend to be pumped up to quite a high pressure when cars are new, so getting them warm by going to high speeds without correcting the pressure first might not be a great idea. 

Apologies. To prevent misunderstanding I should have written 'correctly-sized, wheels that look identical to standard alloy roadwheels but labelled with a 50mph sticker'' . There are such wheels available that appear to have been full sized spares similar or identical to OE fitment on higher end cars  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A6-ALLROAD-SPARE-WHEEL-WITH-TYRE-205-70-R16-Never-Been-Used/292906720400?epid=1109333979&hash=item443299dc90:g:CLoAAOSwQrVb4FcW:rk:36:pf:0,

as opposed to a full set of skinny space-savers (who does that? https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-chrisharris/chris-harris-video-c63-amg-on-space-savers/24995 )

 

My question still stands: Are wheels (as described above) supplied by the manufacturer and designated as 'spare' and labelled with the 50mph limit, somehow less suitable structurally? Could I buy and fit a full set of these without detriment?

25 minutes ago, tintinandcharlie said:

My question still stands: Are wheels (as described above) supplied by the manufacturer and designated as 'spare' and labelled with the 50mph limit, somehow less suitable structurally? Could I buy and fit a full set of these without detriment?

Since the manufacturer is labelling the wheels as 'spare' and labelling them with a 50mph sticker then even if they are designed to be structurally sound for higher speeds and fitted with suitably rated tyres, you would have a difficult time explaining  to your insurance company that the wheels/tyres were not a factor in any accident.

 

If you could find a suitably qualified automotive engineer who was prepared to write you a report that the wheels were structurally OK for use at speeds higher than 50mph AND your insurance company were willing to accept that report then maybe YOU would be prepared to take that risk - personally I wouldn't.

29 minutes ago, tintinandcharlie said:

To prevent misunderstanding I should have written 'correctly-sized, wheels that look identical to standard alloy roadwheels but labelled with a 50mph sticker''

 

Could I buy and fit a full set of these without detriment?

 

Contact your insurer and ask if you'd still be covered if you drove with four spare wheels marked 'do not exceed 50mph' at 70 mph on a motorway.

 

I'm not in anyway suggesting your question is stupid, far from it, but I am saying it's pointless.  It just ain't going to happen is it?

 

 

If the 'spare' wheel has the same part number as the ones without the 50mph sticker I'd say there's no problem using them, assuming suitable tyres fitted.  Wheel part numbers are usually to be found near the bolt holes, I think.

The Same Steel wheels that VW Group might Fit or sell at Dealerships and have 'Speed Limit Stickers' on can be bought that do not have Speed Limit Stickers on.

 

These are Type Approved, Tested TUV etc.

You will sometimes see them inside the door of VW Group / Skoda Dealerships as 'Winter Wheel & Tyre Packages. 

Steel Wheels and Steel Wheels that are used as Spare Steel wheels can be identical wheels.  But then the markings will be stamped on the wheels.

http://cars.tyreleader.co.uk/steel-wheels

 

Edited 23 January, 20197 yr by Skoffski

Question answered, cheers.

 

Supplementary questions (sorry): How are such wheels situated in the spare wheel location different to OE fitment (other than a 50mph sticker)? Are they just standard wheels with a sticker added? If the sticker was removed (or never applied in the first place) would one be able to tell the difference structurally?

 

 

As are those in the time it's taken me to compose a reply to Dave and Scot....

 

Thank you Wino & Offski!

Edited 23 January, 20197 yr by tintinandcharlie

This insurance *******t that comes up every time even when someone wants to put an air freshener in their car is getting a bit much, I'm sure an insurance company will be delighted to recieve a call from someone considering replacing all 4 wheels and tyres with ones bought from Ebay with 50km/h stickers on them.

 

I might ring my insurer and ask what will happen if I adapt my engine to run on simien semen like the guys moped in the Viz comic.

As a parent you sometimes find yourself in unusual circumstances.

In my case this was around 1 am, about 250km from home having to replace a punctured 17" rear tyre (nail) with the 16" space saver spare.

The roads were empty, straight and dry and so I might have exceeded the nominal 80kph limit....a bit.

The 205mm tyre width is quite generous compared to motorcycle size versions I have seen on other cars. If it wasn't for the huge road noise that one tyre generated then I would have not known it was fitted because handling and ride were barely affected.

I wonder in fact whether the tyre noise is deliberate as I have heard other cars with the spacesaver fitted drive by and their tyre was also making an awful noise. Not knocking it either because it is a pretty cunning idea to ensure a proper replacement is fitted asap.

The other thing that was interesting was the 16" tyre and steel rim combination was about 6kg lighter than the 17" and aluminium rim fitted.

Is the 16" spacesaver steel rim lighter than the standard steel 16" rim?