Tyres; Wheels; General About Wheels And Tyres - Volvo V70 Owner's Manual

General about wheels and tyres

All tyres have a dimension designation, such as 215/55R16 93W.
These tyre size designations, which are used by all tyre manufacturers, can
be interpreted as follows:
215 section width (mm)
55 relationship between the section height and width (%)
R means radial tyre
16 wheel rim diameter in inches (")
93 code digits for maximum permissible tyre load, in this case 650 kg
W specifies that the tyre is manufactured for speeds up to
270 km/h (168 mph).
Your car is fully approved, which means that you may not deviate from
those dimensions and performance ratings indicated in the vehicle registra-
tion. The only exception from these regulations concerns winter tyres and
studded tyres, which may have different dimensions and a different speed
rating than indicated in the registration. If you select tyres with different
dimensions, do not drive at speeds faster than those permitted. The most
common speed ratings are indicated in the following table:
Q 160 km/h, used most often with studded tyres
T 190 km/h
H 210 km/h
V 240 km/h
W 270 km/h
Note: maximum permissible speeds indicated.
When you change tyres: be sure to use the same type (radial), dimension,
designation, and brand on all four wheels. Otherwise, there is a risk that
the handling characteristics of the car could change Check with your dealer
regarding dimensions which are available for your car. Keep in mind that
the road surface can determine how fast you may drive, not the tyre speed
rating.
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General
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Winter tyres
We recommend winter tyres of dimension 195/65 R15 except for cars
with turbo engines. 205/55 R16, 215/65 R16 (for XC70) and 225/45
R17 (for V70R) are recommended for these vehicles.
Always use winter tyres on all four wheels!
NOTE: Always consult your Volvo dealer as to which wheel and tyre type
is appropriate for your car.
Studded winter tyres
Studded winter tyres should be run in for 500-1000 kilometres
(300-600 miles), softly and gently so that the studs sit in the tyre correctly.
This extends the service life of both the tyres and the studs while making
the drive a bit quieter. Ensure that the studded tyres have the same direction
of rotation throughout their lifetime. If you wish to shift wheels, see to it
that they remain on the same side as previously.
Please remember: The regulations for using studded tyres vary from
country to country.
Snow chains
Snow chains may only be used on the front wheels.
Because of the limited space in the wheel arch we recommend that you do
not use conventional snowchains. (Conventional snow chains can be
used with 195/65R15 dimension tyres).Volvo has approved snowchains
for recommended standard tyre/wheel rim combinations. Seek advice
from your Volvo dealer.
New tyres
Bear in mind that tyres are perishable goods - after a
few years they begin to harden while their friction
properties deteriorate little by little. Try to use fresh
tyres when changing.
This is especially important for winter tyres.
The week and year of manufacture is indicated with
4 digits (e.g. 1502 indicates tyres manufactured
week 15, 2002)