I hit a pothole last week, and the tyre got cut, so I replaced it. As it's opposite number was 3/4 worn, I get the new tyre swapped off the spare, so I have a 3/4 worn spare and a pair of new tyres.

However, as I got the spare out, I noticed it has a 50 kmh warning on it, despite the tyre being a 205/45 16 83W, just like all the others. Why is this? Is the rim narrower than the alloys?

this is a good question , one which has been answered before , but whether the forum actually reached a definative conclusion is anybodies guess

i think the rim is the same width , iirc the steel rim is the same as is fitted to other VAG cars without alloys , which obviously wont have a speed restriction on them , so who knows why there is a 50kmh sticker on the spare

Is it just that other cars come with a spacesaver, so they just put the sticker on anyway?

I haven't checked the steel rim, but it looks like the sort of thing a Bora might have.....

its in case you have a unidirectional tyre on that rim as if you were to put it on the wrong side if you needed to then the tyre would be running the wrong way and possibly making the tyre unstable at high speed :eek: if you do not have directional tyres on it you do not have to worry about it i have took the stickers off as if i needed to use that wheel and a pupil had a test the examiner would not take the car out

richard

I think its for the reason that Richard has just mentioned. If a directional tyre is running the wrong way and its wet then the tyre wil be unable to dispell the water because the tread maybe running in the opposite direction to that intended.

That makes sense. I suppose it is easier to just limit the speed than say 'if you fit it the right way round, it's OK'.

The Contis on mine aren't directional in that they have to rotate one way, but they do have an inside and outside.

That makes sense. I suppose it is easier to just limit the speed than say 'if you fit it the right way round, it's OK'.

The Contis on mine aren't directional in that they have to rotate one way, but they do have an inside and outside.

The contis will be assymetrical as you say, with the marks defining which way round the tyre fits on the rim.

The benefit of assymetrical tyres on a spare wheel is you don't have to worry about how you use the spare - it can replace any of the four wheels.

As a tyre fitter, if they don't get an assymetrical tyre the right way round, they shouldn't be a tyre fitter in the first place

Having said that though, the 50kph is probably also to cover the fact that your spare tyre may well not be the same type (directional or assymetrical) as your other three wheels, so the limit is not so much to do with your spare on its own, but how the overall vehicle handling with having a different tyre on the same axle.

As a tyre fitter, if they don't get an assymetrical tyre the right way round, they shouldn't be a tyre fitter in the first place

Didin't stop a nearby Nissan dealer......

Having said that though, the 50kph is probably also to cover the fact that your spare tyre may well not be the same type (directional or assymetrical) as your other three wheels, so the limit is not so much to do with your spare on its own, but how the overall vehicle handling with having a different tyre on the same axle.

Probably. That's why I didn't take much notice of the fitter telling me I was wasting my money on the Conti to match the others. I always at least try to match an axle pair.