Tyres - Plies and load ratings

[GeorgeHurst]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum and have a quick query regarding tyres. I'll be putting up a resto/conversion thread in due course for my Mk6 Transit, but for now just tyres!

I have two new pairs of tyres, each a different brand and different load rating, but the construction of the tyres seems incongruous.

(Sorry this is a nerdy thread, not for everyone I expect...)

The tyre specs are as follows:

Goodyear Cargo G26 195/70/15C
Load rating: 100/98R
Tread: 6 ply
Sidewall: 2 ply

Continental Vanco Eco 195/70/15C
Load rating: 104/102R
Tread: 4 ply
Sidewall: 1 ply

I bought the Goodyears first but then realised that the load rating is undersized for my van, so I bought the Continentals which have the correct load rating.

What confuses me is that the Goodyears, with the lower load rating, have MORE plies than the Conti's which have a higher load rating.

The Conti's feel much much lighter and altogether weaker than the Goodyears, which is what made me check the plies etc.

Anyone have any thoughts on why this might be?

I guess as the Conti's have the load rating I need then they will be fine, I'm just curious to hear from anyone who knows more about this sort of thing

Thanks in advance,
George

[Punto443]

You'll have to tell us what van you have dude

[GeorgeHurst]

Its a 51 plate SWB Transit 300 75ps

VIN Plate states 1450kg for front and 1700kg for rear, so I need a load rating of 98 on the front and 102 on the rear.

Obviously this means the Goodyear tyres will be ok on the front, but I want all tyres the same so they can be swapped around - so I need a minimum of 102.

What I'm interested in though is why the higher load rated tyres have a seemingly weaker construction?

[albo baggins]

Its a 51 plate SWB Transit 300 75ps

VIN Plate states 1450kg for front and 1700kg for rear, so I need a load rating of 98 on the front and 102 on the rear.

Obviously this means the Goodyear tyres will be ok on the front, but I want all tyres the same so they can be swapped around - so I need a minimum of 102.

What I'm interested in though is why the higher load rated tyres have a seemingly weaker construction?

there not, a single ply can be stronger the two plus ect,as a single ply are steel

hear you go http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/ ... ?techid=55

[albo baggins]

Its a 51 plate SWB Transit 300 75ps

VIN Plate states 1450kg for front and 1700kg for rear, so I need a load rating of 98 on the front and 102 on the rear.

Obviously this means the Goodyear tyres will be ok on the front, but I want all tyres the same so they can be swapped around - so I need a minimum of 102.

What I'm interested in though is why the higher load rated tyres have a seemingly weaker construction?

there not, a single ply can be stronger the two plus ect,as a single ply are steel

hear you go http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/ ... ?techid=55

Today's load range/ply ratings do not count the actual number of body ply layers used to make up the tire's internal structure, but indicate an equivalent strength compared to early bias ply tires. Most radial passenger tires have one or two body plies, and light truck tires, even those with heavy-duty ratings (10-, 12- or 14-ply rated), actually have only two or three fabric plies, or one steel body ply

[GeorgeHurst]

Thanks for the reply also.

I'm aware that the traditional '8 ply' or '6 ply' ratings aren't actually relevant any more, but the reason I ask is that the number and type of plies are listed on the sidewall of the tyres...

Goodyear
"Tread: 6 plies - 2 polyester cord + 2 steel cord + 2 nylon cord"
"Sidewall: 2 plies - polyester cord"

Continental
"Tread: 4 plies - 1 polyester + 2 steel + 1 polyamide"
"Sidewall: 1 ply - polyester"

The above is taken verbatim from the tyre sidewall.

Just holding the tyres you can feel the difference in weight and rigidity, which confirms one has more plies in it's construction than the other.

As I said before, I'm not questioning the load rating, it is what it is, I'm just confused why a 'stronger' tyre would have less plies than a 'weaker' one

Cheers

[Altransit]

Modern tyre technology is far more complex than it used to be.
You don't need several heavy plies to make the tyre stronger, it's all about the type and density of the material used in the plies, so heavy weight doesn't necessarily imply a stronger carcase.

Having had, and seen, several premature and random failures of Goodyear tyres over the last 3 years, on both car and van tyres, I will no longer fit their products from choice