XL Tyres

[as400]

Needed two new tyres and bought two same make model size etc as the two which are staying on the car. Only after having paid for them noticed they were rated XL.

Must admit they were at a good price and I rushed the whole purchase process.

Now if they are on the same axel will the car be safe to drive?...would they require a different air pressure?...I usually do 31psi all-round.

The XL's are 88H and the standard tyre is 84H.

Any ideas?

Also god there are a lot of tyres out there marked XL!...I didn't realise so many people carried heavy loads around in their cars!...I mean I could understand such a rating on a tyre designed for a VW Touareg or something similar but tyres designed for sporty cars?

Though thinking about it would an XL tyre give your alloys some protection going over potholes?

Hmmm anyway back to the original question, would I be foolish to mix XL and non XL to a car?

 

[toby1]

You'll be fine

 

[brandwooddixon]

Use the same tyre pressure whether the tyres are XL rated or not.

Quite a few manufacturers produce XL rated tyres sue to cars getting heavier.
You can use heavier rated tyres than required without problems, but not the other way around.

The only difference that you may notice is a slightly harsher ride.

 

[Rory]

The only difference that you may notice is a slightly harsher ride.

This is one of those things you never seem to be able to get a straight answer to.

I as offered 87H XL tyres for my wife's Honda Jazz to replace the original 83H tyres. The ride is harsh enough without doing anything to make is worse.

I'd always assumed the higher load index tyres would have stiffer sidewalls, due to extra plys in the sidewall, but was assured they're no different and the load index figure is only valid at the maximum tyre pressure the tyre will stand anyway.

In the end I didn't buy the tyres and fitted winter's instead so I still don't know if there would have been a difference.