Amendments to Queensland’s traffic regulations have been announced, and these changes have resulted in us having a greater legal choice in tyres for our 4WD vehicles.

In the past, the ridiculous speed ratings specified by vehicle manufacturers restricted our tyre choice. Most makers specified ‘S’ rated tyres, but you try finding an ‘S’ rated mud tyre. S is 180kph, by the way.

The new regulations basically state that on a 4WD, you can fit a tyre with a speed rating of ‘N’, which equates to 140kph, regardless of what the vehicle’s tyre placard states.

Please note that the load rating specified on the tyre placard is the minimum, you must not go lower than this.

If you don’t know your current tyre’s ratings, it is written on the side wall - 3 numerals followed by 1 letter, eg: 116Q means a load rating of 116 and a speed rating of Q, which is 160kph.

John Parkinson
Technical Officer