Dear car talk,
My 2020 Nissan NV3500 calls for 50 psi for the front tires and 80 psi for the back tires. I was recently sold a set of Continental VikingContact 7 winter tires, which have a max pressure of 51 psi. The local dealer gave me the van with the rear tires inflated to 80 psi. When I asked about it, they said it was industry standard to obey the vehicle placard. This didn’t sit right with me. The tire says a max load of 2600 lbs. I have weighed my vehicle on a CAT scale in the summer with all the family and camping gear, and the rear axle weighed 4100 lbs. (In fact, with the travel trailer hooked up, it only weighed 5280 lbs.) So, it seems to me that I should listen to the tire manufacturer’s recommended pressure maximum and drive these at 51 psi, and ignore the TPMS warning all winter.
Any thoughts?
This is one for @CapriRacer
I think the shop is trying to pull a fast one.
1st off, what size are your tires, as I am showing the OEM size is a LT245/75R17 E?..
Tire Rack says the snow tires in question are not even made in your size…
So what size did they even put on it??
You require a LT in a load range E/ index121 (3197 LBS)
Did you put custom oversize wheels on it??
If you have OEM wheels:
OK, looks like they installed a P245/70R17 XL with a load index 114, it should be 121…
Basically they put the wrong size tire with P metric load range XL on it… Completely wrong for your vehicle…
From Conti’s website…
The shop has installed the wrong kind of tires on your truck. Open the door to the truck and find a yellow sticker. Notice it says the tire size should be LT245/75R17 E.
Now look at your tires. Do they have the letters “LT” in front of the size? [Hint: They don’t]
The shop has to make this right. They installed unsafe tires on your truck.
Thanks to davesmopar for getting this right!!
Yeah, that’s the one. I won’t be trailering in the Canadian winter, so the max load doesn’t seem critical. But, if this is an inviolable rule, then please let me know.
The sidewalls are not as heavy/thick and can sway in corners (possible roll over) and probably affect braking in an emergency maneuver… Not to mention they are NOT meant for your vehicle…
Firestones/Tires Plus or Wheel Works computer system will NOT even let them sell a tire less than LT— E specs on your vehicle without tricking (different vehicle, carry out) the POS system (point of sale), and we could be reprimanded if caught doing so… Huge liability…
As the tire master himself said above, they have to make it right, at least in the US, I know nothing about north of the boarder laws…
The yellow sticker says LT245/70R17 E.
The tires do not have an LT in front of the number. They have the XL rating that another member mentioned.
I don’t disagree that they installed unsafe tires, but primarily because they overinflated them by 30 psi. That should have rattled anyone with half a brain.
I’m skeptical about this load rating business being “unsafe”. I’m not trailering in winter. That would be unsafe. Using a hefty tire meant for a heavy load that it will never see when I want to maximize contact with the frozen earth also seems unsafe.
I’m not trying to exonerate the dealership. I think they were idiots. I’m surprised the tire didn’t explode on the way home. I am trying to maximize safety in winter driving. And I am not convinced that a lower pressure tire is not the better option.
Ok, that’s more convincing.
Ask Ford and Firestone what happens when you lower the air pressure to much in a tire for a vehicle… (hint, Explorer)
lol, what happens?
To be clear, the tire wall thickness for manoeuvres argument was convincing. I was focused on total vertical load, but lateral load is also important and harder to quantify. Driving like a granny in a snowstorm? Probably fine. Emergency manoeuvres? Less than ideal.
But, to be clear on the lower tire pressure argument, I didn’t mean under inflated, I meant max pressure for the tire but less than the pressure on the van’s placard.
Seems the problem is interpreting the placard, does it list both passenger and cargo versions?
Cargo takes 75 aspect ration, passenger 70. Tire pressure should be different.
Not sure what trim options are for your 2020 Nissan NV3500?
Choose from the trim options below.
- Version/Option
Tire Size
-
S Cargo Van245/75R17
-
SL Cargo Van245/75R17
-
SL Passenger Van245/70R17
-
S Passenger Van245/70R17
There in lies the problem, shtetl tire dealership interpreted the placard wrong. My limited knowledge would say it is not an industry standard to grossly overinflated the tires.
They both call for a load range E, so even though they are a 70 vs 75, they both have the same LT—load range E with a load index 119 (2998 LBS) specs for them…
No excuses other than someone simply does not know what they are doing…
Yes the dealer service writer, parts guy if he/she saw the WO/RO, and lastly the mechanic that installed the tires should have noticed that the LT was missing from the tires… at least 2 if not 3 or more persons looked at this and failed to notice something was wrong…
I can not find an LT245/70R17 E, only E load rating in a 75 aspect ratio.
Snow tires LT245/70R17 E from tire rack…
Only 2 of the 4 are LT’s
Hmm, I googled that size, no luck! I stand corrected!
Sounds like the OPs tire stored screwed him over.
He should return and get correct tires mounted.
The OP wanted winter tires, are any of those winter tires?
Click on the link…
Maybe we have more options here in the frozen North.
So, good news! The service manager called me first thing Monday morning and, without hesitation, said those tires aren’t the right fit and offered three alternatives at their expense. Although it messed up my weekend plans, I forgive them for making poor decisions at 4:15 on a Friday. They weren’t idiots, just exhausted.
I chose the Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw LT. I’ve had Coopers before and they are good. The load range is E, although the load index is 119. Any problems there? The yellow sticker doesn’t specify load index, so I am guessing that there is wiggle room there.
A related follow up question for the experts. I have a set of Motomaster Eliminator X-Trail A/T LT245/70R17 119/116S load range E off my old Chevy Express. Any problems with putting those on? (They’re actually rebranded Coopers too if the service manager at Canadian Tire was right.) They still have lots of tread (10/32nds).
Thanks!