17" wheel question

[Steve Webb]

Just had this mail through


Hello, I'm Piero from Brescia Italy an I?ve a blue nord 155 Q4.

Now I?m going to elaborate this.
I've only a question for you:
Why in the Q4 register there are a lot of Q4 with the 17'' wheels, it's not omologate here in Italy.
On my booK car i have the max size 205-45-16.
What can I do to have the 17'' wheels but regular?
Thankyou and compliments for this site!!!
By and alfa forever !!!

Are there restrictions in Italy, or other EU countries on what wheels you can use on your car? Do wheels have to be homologated for use with each vehicle? A little confused on what the actual question is, but it got me thinking about restrictions when it comes to wheels and tyres.

Oh and I've asked for some pics of his Lord Blue 155.

[wrinx]

I think he's asking what tyres to use to make them the "regular" size???

205/40/17 if so.

Might be worth warning him about them potentially catching on the wheel arch liners but that depends on the offset of the wheels.

wrinx

[cuore_sportivo_155]

in belgium, there's a limit on the tyre size difference... you could find it on www.goca.be... iirc it's about 1.5% smaller and 2% bigger then homologation tyres... besides that, you're free to change the rim size and tyre wall heights, as long as your track width stays the same (+- 2% also)

edit: just looked it up, the numbers are correct...

[OpaNkaR]

He is not asking about the tire size.
By regulations he can't (could, but not allowed) put 17" wheels on his 155 unless they are homologated.
It's the same story here in Slovenia. Very stupid.
For homologation of the wheels you need T?V cirtificate, which you get with the wheels and is provided by the manufacturer of the wheels.

[wrinx]

Ahh, we don't have TUV in the UK....mainly Germany I think??? We have our own manufacturing standards (BS) but can put any wheels on that we want :D

wrinx

[Steve Webb]

Just a hypothetical question, but in this age of litigation and the like, say you had an accident and had put a set of 17" wheels on a 155. Now the 155 was never designed (for the road) to run with 17" wheels. Do you think it likely that your insurance company would try to wriggle out of paying up because of the wheels?
Do you think it best practice to tell your insurance co. about every change you make to the car? I'm asking as on a thread on another forum a Porsche driver is having trouble with his insurance paying up for an accident as he didn't have the Porsche specified tyres on his car. Correct size, just not Porsche approved.

[wrinx]

Any insurer cuold easily refuse to pay out if they were not notified of a change to the vehicle...but not usually because it's not an OE part. There is, as you know, a shuge aftermarket business in the UK so that wouldn't be a problem.

I'm surprised the Porsche owner is having this problem, unless it's been specified that he must run the car with these tyres I can't see how the insurers are refusing to pay out.

Direct him to the pepipoo forums ;)

wrinx

[cuore_sportivo_155]

Just a hypothetical question, but in this age of litigation and the like, say you had an accident and had put a set of 17" wheels on a 155. Now the 155 was never designed (for the road) to run with 17" wheels. Do you think it likely that your insurance company would try to wriggle out of paying up because of the wheels?
Do you think it best practice to tell your insurance co. about every change you make to the car? I'm asking as on a thread on another forum a Porsche driver is having trouble with his insurance paying up for an accident as he didn't have the Porsche specified tyres on his car. Correct size, just not Porsche approved.

not here, and i think even with a porsche the rating could only influence warranty issues...

if he went off the road, he drove beyond his capabilities, period. The porsche rated tyres don't make that much of a difference... byu that's what he has insurance for...

insurance companies will try to wriggle out of paying any way they can, always have... a letter from a sollicitor usually makes them sing to a different tune...