Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/664171
didn't matter because the installer had virtually no insur- ance, so the plaintiff went after the wholesaler who had a policy with a much higher umbrella. Installing tires with diameters outside the 3% limit is going to come with a higher degree of risk. It's been out there long enough that dealers should know about it and, therefore, follow it at all times. There's always going to be the customer who wants to push the limits of plus sizing, so the retailers who are focused on those types of sales just need to know that they come with increased risk. 2. Do not downgrade the speed rating if it is listed on the placard. T h e r e i s s o m e c o n t r o - versy about speed ratings for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is the fact that speed limits in North America prohibit anything even close to the maximum speed for the tire. That's why I've always described them as "perfor- mance ratings" because they say more about the degree of performance than the speed. T h e i s s u e a t h a n d i s t h e following RMA guideline: Speed rating must be equal to or greater than what is spec- ifed by the vehicle manufac- turer if the speed capability of the vehicle is to be maintained. If that statement seems contradictory, then it will be easier to understand how speed ratings relate to potential legal action. The manufacturers provide enough "gray" for the dealer to install a tire with a speed rating that differs from the specifcation on the placard, so they include a disclaimer that says the speed capability is reduced. Individual manufacturers will warn about handling differ- ences when lower speed ratings are selected and everyone still agrees that the best practice for selecting replacement tires is to use the exact OE size, load index and speed rating. If the goal is to avoid a lawsuit, then retailers should never downgrade the speed rating. There are just too many disclaimers, warnings and cautionary statements against reducing the speed rating if one is listed on the placard. On the other hand, if the placard does not indicate a speed rating, then it shouldn't be an issue. Just remember, if t h e O E f i t m e n t o n the placard includes a s p e e d r a t i n g , t h e maximum speed of the replacement tire must be equal to or greater than the speed rating listed. If it isn't and the vehicle is involved in an accident that results from the loss of control, the plaintiff will certainly point to the lower speed rating as a contributing cause. Why take a chance? 3. Make sure the wheel is compatible with the vehicle. Custom wheel manufacturers publish ftment guides, and they are the authority when it comes to selecting the proper wheel for a vehicle. Installers must look beyond things like bolt circle and hub bore diameter to make sure there are no addi- tional factors that can lead to a problem. In other words, just because the bolt pattern is identical and the wheel appears to ft the hub it doesn't mean the ftment is correct. Years ago I was involved in a case where a dealer rotated a set of custom wheels and shortly after the rotation, one of the wheels became loose and caused an accident. The plaintiff discovered that the wheels in question were not approved for the vehicle, so a different retailer did not follow the manufacturer's recommen- dations at installation. Like the 3% case and the wholesaler, the installing dealer did not have much in terms of insurance but the retailer that rotated the tires was a large company. It was a classic case of the "deep pockets theory" and once again, the insurance company eventually settled. The legal principle known as "Standard of Care" basically determines what the reason- able expectations would be in a given scenario. In no way do I think it's reasonable for a dealer to check and see if a custom wheel fitment made by someone else followed the manufacturer's fitment guidelines. There has to be some degree of common sense in these situations because there are literally hundreds of different custom wheel options, and no one could be expected to even maintain a library of every wheel on the market. However, the retailer who sells and installs the custom wheels is held to a much higher standard, so every ftment deci- sion must be consistent with the guidelines and recommen- dations established by the wheel manufacturer — without exception. This vehicle informa- tion placard clearly indicates a load index of 91 and an "H" speed rating for the tire. Whatever replacement or custom tire size that is used, the load index must be at least 91 and the speed rating "H" or greater. 20 Feature