larger tyres and insurances

Submitted: Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 07:17

ThreadID: 24603 Views:2603 Replies:7 FollowUps:5

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joeblogs

I have just returned from the cape we had an absolute ball, the patrol went like a dream. We did the full length of the otl but took the by-pass around gunshot, I would of liked to of done gunshot but some real damage to the rear bumper would have been the end result maybe breaking rear tail lights also..The good news is my wife can now see the benefit of a steel rear bar (with twin wheel carriers) and larger tyres. I currently have cooper st 265/70/16 and while the tyres are great I would like a little bit more height. I live in nsw (go the blues) and legally I can only go 15mm in overall from what my vehicle specifies insurance is also a problem. What can I do to go to 285/75/16 do I need an engineers certificate and how much does this cost and what insurance company will cover this? The guys that did the otl with larger tyres made it look easy without so much as a rub or a scrape on their vehicles.
PS I REALLY WANT LARGER TYRES

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Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 10:22

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 10:22

Most of the people I know who have larger wheels/tyres just assume that the insurance companies will pay if they make a claim, and when they are unlucky enough to need to make a claim which is rejected, the insurance companies are given hell.

You must ask first and then have the vehicle inspected by your insurer and a legal document amending your policy issued by the insurer stating that you have cover. If you don't have this, you don't have insurance.

My son had a 60 series with 33" muddies and he took it to AAMI for inspection. The inspector said no problem, so the documents were issued and he was covered.

AnswerID: 119734

Follow Up By: joeblogs - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 11:01

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 11:01

Thanks for the reply but how do I get around the nsw roads and traffic authority that say I cannot put any rubber on that is greater than 15mm larger than what my tyre placard states. So 265/70/16 is what is on that placard, this means that even 265/75/16 are illegal in my state and no insurance company will insure an unroadwothy vehicle. There are thousands on the roads now and it is not policed, even annual roadworthy checks seem to miss this annomoly.I have spoken to my insurance company (suncorp metway) they will only insure factory sized tyres

FollowupID: 374817

Follow Up By: Gerhardp1 - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 11:24

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 11:24

You are right to be concerned regarding the roadworthy aspect. In my son's case, the 8" wheels and 33x12.5 tyres were not technically roadworthy. I think it could come down to whether the revenue raising man who pulled you over had met his quota yet or not.

Also, when putting larger tyres on a very large vehicle, it can be regarded as a sensible thing rather than a modification of a hoon.

Try getting a quote from AAMI or another company who understands that the difference between oversize tyres and standard HTs is not really any more dramatic than changing to an aggrtessive MT in a standard size.

As long as your load and speed rating are equal or higher than the placard requires, you should be able to find a company that will cover it.

FollowupID: 374819

Reply By: BenSpoon - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 10:32

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 10:32

I had 285/75/16's on an 80 that was written off- Insured thru RAC and they didnt even ask about them. The 2 conditions for insurance is that a) they know about it, and b) its road legal.
I still dont know for sure if they are road legal, but I have been pulled over by coppers a few times, they mention I am going faster than I should have been, and then they attribute it to the size of the larger tyres. Nothing more said- only a mention to get my speedo calibrated.

You should have them listed on the policy anyway as otherwise if they do get pinched, you will be given stock factory rubber and rims to replace them.

AnswerID: 119737

Reply By: Shawn - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 11:26

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 11:26

Mate,
get onto RTA Wheels & Tyres site
Have a read and have a look at your vehicle spec. handbook, it should have in it somewhere about the different size tyres that can be fitted to your vehicle as apart from the tyre placard label.
I'm not willing to take on my insurance company, thats why I stuck to 265/75R16
Cheers
Shawn

AnswerID: 119745

Reply By: flappa - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 12:57

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 12:57

The easiest way is to get a Engineers cert (approx $300) , to make it all nice and legal. the Majority of Insurance Co's will accept that increase.

Another is to get hold of a new Tyre Plaque from Nissan. Apparently , the new Utes run 315/70/R16 or something like that. Its perfectly legal to have the new plate on a GU. Would make fitting 285/75/R16 legal with no certs needed.

Its been talked about on the Nissan Yahoo group for ages.

I just run 265/75/R16 on mine.

AnswerID: 119757

Reply By: Member - Pezza (QLD) - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 13:03

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 13:03

G'day joeblogs,

Am interested in why you went around the gunshot by-pass, when I went through in 03 there was a track right beside the 2 dropoffs that you could drive a commodore though, I would expect a bit of erosion due to the wet season floods but it couldn't be that chopped out already could it?

Avagoodn
Pezza

AnswerID: 119759

Follow Up By: joeblogs - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 15:41

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 15:41

Peeza
There were about 7 dropoffs all to steep, almost all I spoke to did not attempt any of them. A few motor bikes did come down what I would of called the easiest grade but no vehicles. I did meet a guy in Weipa
who said he had done it in a GU patrol with 2 inch lift but he had broken both rear lights and damaged his rear bumper extensively. I could not justify doing willfull damage to my pride and joy

FollowupID: 374861

Follow Up By: Member - Pezza (QLD) - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 19:02

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 19:02

I can understand your actions, I woud've done exactly the same, no good damageing anything that far from help.
Am quite suprised at how much the track changes from year to year though. Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip.

Avagoodn
Pezza

FollowupID: 374889

Reply By: brett - Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 19:17

Monday, Jul 11, 2005 at 19:17

Who's actually had an insurance claim (or know's someone) rejected because they had 265/75 instead of 265/70 tyres fitted?

AnswerID: 119823

Reply By: Scubaroo - Friday, Jul 15, 2005 at 09:57

Friday, Jul 15, 2005 at 09:57

"I currently have cooper st 265/70/16"

How do you rate these tyres seeing as they are passenger construction? What types of ground have you taken them over? Any damage, premature wear?

AnswerID: 120474

Follow Up By: joeblogs - Friday, Jul 15, 2005 at 13:42

Friday, Jul 15, 2005 at 13:42

Hello scubaroo I have done about 22000 klms on these tyres and they are still going well. I did get one puncture near Cooktown but had 32psi in the tyres, I then lowered the pressure to 24psi and had no further punctures.The lugs on the tyres are fairly damaged with some large chunks taken out of them.Traction wise I dont think I spun a wheel anywear along the otl, got stuck on way to Pennefather river in sand got out by lowering tyres to18 psi.Depending on useable mileage that I get from them I will purchase them again as they meet my needs perfectly, they are queit on the blacktop and seem to preform well offroad. How ever my next tyres will be 285/75/16 and I will need an engineers certificate to fit this tyre.

FollowupID: 375553