Tyre tread, legal or illegal?

[L John]

Both tyres are Dunlop Cargo.
It's a Ford Transit Custom.
Tread depth of the main sypes in the top photo is 4mm, 4mm and 4mm.
Legal or illegal.
Discussion of the reason for your decision would be very helpful.
Thanks.



Bottom photo for comparison, this is a new tyre, exact same make and tread pattern.

 

[Wighty]

Illegal , 3/4 of the width needs legal tread , the bald edge has no visible tread and looks wide enough to exceed the 3/4 measurement required .

 

[L John]

There's a little more to this thread than I've posted (I've started a conversation with Wighty that anyone can join in).
All will be revealed on this thread within a week.
I'm eager to get opinions on the condition before giving the full tale on the thread.
Full story is in the conversation for anyone wanting to join before the thread is informed.
Now sure how others join the conversation, I guess they need to ask to be invited.

 

[mikestrivens]

I wouldn't have such a tyre on any of my cars.

 

[L John]

Is it legal though? There's still 2.4mm of usable tread before the minimum of 1.6mm is reached.

OK, I've found out how to add members to the conversation.
Anyone replying to the thread just add a note in your post if you want to join in the conversation and I'll add you as soon as I see it. I think anyone in the conversation can add members to the list as well.

I wouldn't have such a tyre on any of my cars.

 

[m2287]

I would say it’s legal, I had one just like that on my company car and kwik fit wouldn’t replace it as the leasing company say it has to be under 2mm whereas all three bars were showing 3mm.

 

[L John]

I would say it’s legal, I had one just like that on my company car and kwik fit wouldn’t replace it as the leasing company say it has to be under 2mm whereas all three bars were showing 3mm.

Ding ding, correct answer. I wasn't expecting that to come for some time yet
My company also replace at 2mm so at 4mm on the above tyre there's still 2mm of use left.
The bald outer edge is legal according to the servicing company, they gave the tyre a green pass AND I got a second opinion from a good tyre shop, they said it was a commercial tyre and even bald as shown, it's totally legal.

There's no way I would continue using it if it was my vehicle which is why I took it off but it's a company leased vehicle so the best I can do it keep it as the spare.

 

[Headhurts]

Whether legal or not I would certainly never knowingly drive a vehicle with tyres like that.

Even though legal it must be dangerous to drive on such tyres?

You did the correct thing in my opinion in changing it.

Robin


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[L John]

Whether legal or not I would certainly never knowingly drive a vehicle with tyres like that.

Even though legal it must be dangerous to drive on such tyres?

You did the correct thing in my opinion in changing it.

Robin


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'd be embarrassed to put it back on if I had a flat tyre and needed to use it.
I can't imagine how bad it will look by the time it's down to 2mm.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Sorry was distracted this morning! Would have been interesting

 

[L John]

It looks to me like the tyre edges will be showing cords before it gets down to the legal limit.
I change my Mercedes tyres when they look like that regardless of the tread depth.
Annoying that I put winter tyres on my car every winter but have to drive a works vehicle in snow and ice on tyres that give as much grip as a pair of clogs. The other tyres are OK as it happens but that tyre would have to go on if I got a puncture even if it happened in snowy weather.... and all four could be as bad as that and they wouldn't get changed.
Thank goodness the limit got raised from the old 1mm.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Tyres!

I was waiting for my car to go through the mot in Malta (actually called the Vrt - Vehicle Roadworthiness Test).
The vehicle under test before mine was a butch 4x4. The tester (laughingly so called) walked round from the front to the nearside wing, all the while with the bonnet up looking at the engine. As he leaned over the wing he snagged his overalls. Looking down he saw wires poking out from the nearly bald tyre.
The vehicle passed!

That tyre in the photo above would have been sold as a good used tyre on Malta!

 

[Droverunner]

I still say illegal like Wighty. If you measure the tread on the screen it is only 50% of the tyre width so doesn't meet the 75% rule.

 

[L John]

I still say illegal like Wighty. If you measure the tread on the screen it is only 50% of the tyre width so doesn't meet the 75% rule.

100% agreed, I think my jaw is still on the tyre shop floor after they said it was still good to use down to 1.6mm (currently at 4mm) and the bald edges were OK as it was a commercial tyre.
I've never heard of commercial tyres having a different regs?

 

[Droverunner]

>>>never heard of commercial tyres having a different regs?

Actually they do over 3500kg gross. The 75% rule still exists so this would be a fail... but they are allowed to go down to 1mm.

 

[L John]

Motorbikes are still 1mm minimum too.
Just looked up Transit Custom. It's 1786–2020 kg.

The Transit is not a car derived van, does that make any difference?
They say it's legal (actually they say it's well above legal) because it's commercial. Not sure if they meant the van or the tyre.

 

[Droverunner]

If you measure that tyre (rather than my guestimate from the image) and it's below 75% width of tread to 1.6mm it's illegal. The only variance for commercial is with specialist tyres where when made they have a smooth central portion and this is allowed to be counted as part of the 75%... like the one below.

 

[L John]

If you measure that tyre (rather than my guestimate from the image) and it's below 75% width of tread to 1.6mm it's illegal. The only variance for commercial is with specialist tyres where when made they have a smooth central portion and this is allowed to be counted as part of the 75%... like the one below

Main dealer say it's good (tick in the green box) and two guys at a major tyre branch agree its a green pass.
Hard to argue that all of them are wrong when they're the ones trusted to check these things as part of their daily job.
I could have accepted it may be a marginal pass but not a part worn good tyre.

It's hard to tell from a photo as it looks less, but all agree it has 4mm 4mm and 4mm at the three test points.
My concern as you and others is the bald tyre edges but apparently it's still good.
If I get stopped by plod I'm not sure my pass paperwork would save me from a fine and points on my licence especially after another couple of mm's of further wear. There would be no proof that tyre was the one they passed.

 

[Droverunner]

The only rule that matters is MOT law... anyone else's opinon is just an opinion.

Look up the MOT testers handbook and see if you can find any way that tyre of yours could be legal!

 

[L John]

Many thanks, I'll also see my manager in a couple of weeks and show him. Maybe we will be able to push to get it changed.