Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
I just put four V rated Yokies on an "08 V6 Camry which "requires" a V rated tire . They are better than the "Fat Guy" tires I replaced a bit early given New England winter conditions. I think the Vs are overkill for New England speed limits but on the internet they were almost the same price as the H version. They balanced to perfection on steel wheels at my indy shop with no Road Whatever system needed. They stick well and are quiet so far.
Speed Rating = Heat Tolerance. You want the heat tolerance because you will exceed the speed rating at lower actual speeds if, for example, you are loaded near the vehicle's GVW, or the tire is slightly under-inflated, etc.
The Speed Rating is the equivalent of what would be referred to as Vne in an airplane ... Velocity Never Exceed. Just one incident near the speed rating can permanently damage the tire.
Remember, with a passenger car, each occupant counts toward the GVW, and you may only have perhaps 700 lbs to play with, plus it includes your fuel load (6.7 Lbs/USGallon). It's hardly unheard of for just a driver + full tank of fuel to be beyond 300 lbs these days.
Load a car with 4 passengers and you probably are pushing the load limit if it's not a truck or SUV. Most people can't even tell you what the load limit is on their vehicle.
Personally I would want a speed rating equal to my highest average speed less 15 mph to help mitigate issues; it doesn't pay to save a few dollars and then have your belts de-laminate on you (which can happen at any mileage, including the day you put the tire on the vehicle, if the tire gets hot) severely reducing tire life.
Kind of strange, that most of the totally trashed tires I see are V+++ rated tires in the lower profiles. Bubbles in the sidewalls, bent wheels, and rubber crumbs inside the tire. How can that be safe? I think the ideal minimum sidewall for todays roads should be 50 series plus. A T rated 70 series tire could be safer than a W rated 30 series tire.