Just took all the spare wheel stuff out of the car to have a look for audio installation, flipped the wheel over to discover it has a speed limitation sticker on it! Anyone know why this is? Its a full size spare with the same tyre as the alloys, but it says don't exceed 50mph on it! Anyone know why this is? A lightweight weak steel wheel? Or just paranoia on Skodas part?

Apparently its because of the tread on the tyre!

but some tech bod will come and confirm that....

The tread on the tyre is exactly the same.

I havent been able to figure it out as yet,

I havent been able to figure it out as yet' date='[/quote']

:eek:

Is this the same with ALL Fabia Spare wheels?

Probably a case of it being standard procedure to stick the sticker on the spare (full size or space saver...) at the factory....

:eek:

Is this the same with ALL Fabia Spare wheels?

Not to my knowledge.

My Fabia came with steels from the factory, so it's unlikely these had any speed restrictions.

Its why I'm taking a full size 16" alloy to CZ with me. I don't want to be using a narrow wheel and be speed limited on the autobahns.

3 wheels of one weight and one wheel totally different.. not good for balance of car at great speed

3 wheels of one weight and one wheel totally different.. not good for balance of car at great speed

Hmmm

be speed limited on the autobahns.

Something that I really want to do that - drive a fast car along there....

I can't see the weight of the wheel having any major difference though. Fair enough if its a space saver, as they're a lot thinner and sometimes a completely different size, but the spare in my boot is full size 16" steelie!

Just took all the spare wheel stuff out of the car to have a look for audio installation, flipped the wheel over to discover it has a speed limitation sticker on it! Anyone know why this is? Its a full size spare with the same tyre as the alloys, but it says don't exceed 50mph on it! Anyone know why this is? A lightweight weak steel wheel? Or just paranoia on Skodas part?

It has the sticker in case the wheel is fitted with a directional tyre. Because you could be running it the opposite way depending on which side of the car the spare goes on, hence the speed limitation.

The Michelin Pilot Primacy (that I have) aren't directional, and I don't think Continental's also used for standard fit are either (but check), so the sticker is not required.

This all taking for granted the spare tyre and wheel are the same size as the other 4

Thats a very good point! But yeah, you're right, the standard tyres aren't directional... or if they are I can't see a reason for it.

It has the sticker in case the wheel is fitted with a directional tyre.

So why arent alloys fitted with a sticker, just in case someone fits a directional tyre.

Still stick by my theory, of different wheels = different wights = different balance = strange info to wheel sensors = possible dodgy things from traction control/abs systems at high speeds.

Least thats the theory from Ford.

Directional tyres do also come into play... factories do many things in bulks soif all wheels are stickered with a limit its on the off chance a bulk of directional tyres are fitted, even if they are not.

Only issue I can think of, in a straight line and not extreme cornering is a 16" + tyre is about 3% smaller than a 205/40 17. Two different rolling radiai on the same axle might be a slight issue? If a front tyre went on my trip, I would probably move all front wheels to the back, and back wheels to the front, replacing the dodgy tyre with the spare alloy on the back where it's less vital.

I'm sure the spare in my boot is a full size 16" alloy. Must be a bonus of having an ex-Skoda UK car.

So why arent alloys fitted with a sticker, just in case someone fits a directional tyre.

What alloys, road wheels or the 'spare'?

With road wheels the tyre fitter is unlikely to refit the wheels with the wrong direction of travel when the tyres are replaced.

With the spare, it's likely to be fitted in any position is required, and the owner may know nothing about directional tyres. Hence the sticker to remind them as a caution.

With an alloy spare I've no idea if they do have the sticker when new.

The question Skoda couldn't answer was why they use the sticker when the car doesn't even have directional tyres in the first place. So, I would guess all the spare wheels have the sticker as a precaution.

I'm sure the spare in my boot is a full size 16" alloy. Must be a bonus of having an ex-Skoda UK car.

Don't know about all Fabia's, but the vRS has a ful size (steel) spare, so imagine they all do.

My 06 Fabia came with a full 205 tyre wrapped around the steel.

My 06 Fabia came with a full 205 tyre wrapped around the steel.

And does your wheel also have the speed restriction sticker? You'll only see it if you take the wheel out and look at the outside.

Yes, Unfortunately... I also attended a meet with the big yellow sticker on it. At the Ace Cafe. I walked passed some Biker's and heard them say. "He could of atleast sprayed the sticker.. black"

Came with the same tyre, that was on the original alloys, the day i took it out of the dealers.

Something that I really want to do that - drive a fast car along there....

I was over in Germany last week. I saw a sustained genuine (satnav verified) 136 on a downhill stretch of Autobahn just south of Cologne.

The German luxobarge drivers are very aggressive towards small cars going fast though and you do need the extra accelleration in 5th to keep up with the traffic sometimes.

I also took the opportunity to visit the Nurburgring and I have to say I was scared rigid. My TomTom SatNav took me off the main road and up and down twisty a hillside about 5 miles before the main road to the 'ring. I had far more doing that than the actual track. In fact I had so much fun I did it 4 times in each direction.

I would definitely recommend it!

As for spare tyres - I just call out a mobile AA Tyre fitter. They are usually as cheap as the cheapest tyre places and they come to you, at the roadside within 1 hour so you don't have to get your hands dirty. If a 1 hour wait sounds like a long time - I reckon it takes me about 25 minutes to change a tyre at the side of the road. In addition to which it's always raining and I can never get the tools back in the holder so they don't rattle and I don't have to go to the tyre fitters afterwards either (that always takes more than 1 hour!) - actually I'm just a lazy so and so...

Still stick by my theory' date=' of different wheels = different wights = different balance = strange info to wheel sensors = possible dodgy things from traction control/abs systems at high speeds.

Least thats the theory from Ford.

Directional tyres do also come into play... factories do many things in bulks soif all wheels are stickered with a limit its on the off chance a bulk of directional tyres are fitted, even if they are not.[/quote']

In the early days of ESP Audi actually recommended changing all 4 tyres together as there was a spate of reports (may have been urban myths) about women drivers swappings ends on the Autobahns under heavy braking when the ESP system got it's knickers in a twist after 1 tyre was changed following a puncture.

Given what ESP does, I'd be pretty concerned if I had 1 different wheel entirely on my car, let alone running at high speed on the Autobahn.