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Mixing tyres

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 10 8:17 pm
by GTXJim
Might be a silly question but why can't you have bias ply tyres on the front and radials on the back, I'm after fitting Mickey T front runners 28/7.5/15 on the front and Mickey T street radial 315/60/15 on the back, also is this illegal or MOT failure, I wont be doing many miles probably 20/25 miles to brooklands once a year maybe wheels day and krispy kreme once a month.
:thumbright:

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 10 8:35 pm
by Pete
I am NOT an expert, but I think you can.
You must NOT have them on the same AXLE :thumbright:

I await a correction :read2:

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 10 9:03 pm
by latil

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 10 11:15 pm
by GTXJim
I may be a little thick, but I'm still not clear on this?


a. one tyre is of a different type of structure from another tyre on the same axle

b. a 3- or 4-wheeld vehicle fitted with single wheels, and

i. a cross-ply tyre or bias-belted tyre fitted on rear axle and radial-ply tyre is fitted on front axle, or

ii. a cross-ply tyre fitted on rear axle and a bias-belted tyre fitted on front axle.

Note: Any tyre ‘type’ mix between different axles is acceptable for vehicles that have

. 2 axle and ‘twin’ wheels on the rear axle

. 3 axles, one steering and one driving

Note: This does not apply to vehicles with an axle fitted with “super single” tyres having a road contact area at least 300 mm wide.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 8:04 am
by PaulR
It is OK to have Bias front Radial rear as a tyre combination for the MOT.
The list you posted is the Reasons for Rejection (Failure) items for tyre structure combinations.
It does look a bit complicated but the only bit that would apply to a car is this:-


a. one tyre is of a different type of structure from another tyre on the same axle

b. a 3- or 4-wheeld vehicle fitted with single wheels, and

i. a cross-ply tyre or bias-belted tyre fitted on rear axle and radial-ply tyre is fitted on front axle, or

ii. a cross-ply tyre fitted on rear axle and a bias-belted tyre fitted on front axle.


All the stuff listed below this applies to more oddball vehicles that would be tested in the MOT scheme such as an old 3 axle Bedford coach with both front axles steering. Much of this text was added when the Class 3,4 and 7 manual was combined with the Class 5 manual back in June .The coach example above would fall into Class 5 as a private passenger vehicle with 13 or more seats if it was not used as a PSV.