Stretch Tyres, Legal or illegal??

[Dub_Dude_16v]

Right guys! Im sure this question has been asked before but i havent been a member for long and really havent a clue on this one 

Asked my local garage if they would put stretched tyres on my rims but they said no because its dangerous. Something about if ya go round a roundabout too quick they could come off the rim?
Also is it legal or illegal? And is it an MOT failure?

Thanks dude! 

[ronnie'C']

I have never heard of stretch tyres. Where did you hear about them and what do they do?

[Ozz]

Theyre not illegal and will go through an MOT, as far as I'm aware, but have heard they are more likely to come off under extreme cornering etc. They do look damn cool on fat wheels tho 

[Dub_Dude_16v]

Sorry meant "stretched" tyres. Its where you put a smaller width of tyre on a rim than what's supposed to be on it and stretch it on. For example a 7x15 wheel will take 195/45/15 tyre but you could stretch a 175/45/15 on it. If that makes sense 



Not a brilliant pic but ya can kind of see it.

[ronnie'C']

try this :

http://www.ukmot.com/4-1.asp

[mr.s]

If my memory serves me on the subject of phat wheels, in most of Europe you can ft whatever wheel tyre combo as you wish, so long as the tyre tread sits within the body. However in the UK if you have any moving parts outside the wheel arches, for instance the wheel its self then it constitutes dangerous parts, for which you can be reported...points etc.
 

[Ozz]

I was pretty sure that the wheel could stick out a bit as long as the tread was not prodtruding from the arch, even in the UK. Also I thought you had to increase the profile of the wheel to compensate for the stretch, so in your example you'd have to use a 175/60/15 or something??

[Dub_Dude_16v]

Mk 2 ozz ya probably right mate, i'mm not too up on the stats of it all. 

Cheers for the info ronnie c 

[Thom89]

Hi guys.. Please don't get the safety issues mixed up, tyre/wheel size in relation to the wheel arches is in place to keep pedestrians safe, and such like.. exposed wheels can be a hazard etc etc..
Stretching undersize tires on to wider rims is exceptionally dangerous, heres why..
first off, your tires will give your wheel virtually no protection against kerbing.
secondly, you will get excess heat build up causing poor tyre lifespan.
third, due to the angle of the side wall, it will put immense pressure on the edge of the wheel, where the bead of the tyre fits, times this pressure by many when cornering normally, let alone going fast!.. causing fatigue that can make the rim actually break of the wheel, I,ve actually seen this happen on quite a few occasions.. the worst being a Suzuki Vitara 4x4, that veered of the road, straight into a bus shelter... luckily no one injured.
fourth, people like to do this over extra wide rims, with too much offset, your wheel bearings will get hammered! your car will drive like a dog, touch a white line and you'll be all over the road, don't forget the insurance implications either.. expect a short prison sentence, if you killed anyone!
and lastly, in my opinion they suck, because they are not a subtle or clever mod!
Sorry to be a killjoy, but I would rather share my knowledge on important safety issues, than keep it to myself, we've already seen one Golf go up in smoke this week... those guys were very lucky, could have been a very different story had the central locking circuit been breeched by the fire!
Tom

[shaft69]

Depends on how stretch i'd say i work for BMW as a tech and m3 rear tyres are very stretched from factory. Rear rims are 10jx19 with 255/40/19's.