Tirerack automatically registers your tires with DOT

Did you buy high capacity assault tires or something?

First they came for the tires, but I said nothing, because mine were DOT-approved.

Shoot, wish I'd known that. Would have helped ID my stolen wheels and tires when they came up on craigslist. All worked out though.

Last night a helicopter flew over our house and I explained to my 10 year old daughter about the helicopter scanner and the strip in the new $100 bills and they (the man) can detect how much money I am sitting on.

Then I told her I was kidding.

Curmudgeon wrote: Federal law requires that DOT tire numbers be registered in case of a recall. That's more fallout from the Explorer/Firestone debacle a few years ago, along with the tire pressure monitoring systems.

It is amazing after all that.. I still see more than a few SUVs with the sidewalls wornout from running underinflated. Most of them seem to be Explorers from that era too.

Datsun310Guy wrote: Last night a helicopter flew over our house and I explained to my 10 year old daughter about the helicopter scanner and the strip in the new $100 bills and they (the man) can detect how much money I am sitting on. Then I told her I was kidding.

Big mistake. How do you know she isn't working for them?

dean1484 wrote: What if you put tires on a vehicle that are not speed rated to that vehicle? I am betting that all warranties / recalls would be void. Why I purchase tires by size and not by vehicle type at Tire Rack.

Wifey's Solara came with V rated tires. I wanted to replace them with H rated tries. The best tire dealer in town wouldn't do it. He said their attorney wouldn't let them. Discount Tire had no problem. I wonder if we are in the naughty database somewhere?

JohnInKansas wrote: Okay, I'll play devil's advocate. Classic Mini tires are TINY, and options are limited to say the least. The majority seem to be imported from the UK, and are specifically marketed as "not DOT approved". Will it raise a little red flag somewhere if TireRack registers non-approved tires on a vehicle I have tags on and use on the road?

I'm surprised you could get any tires from UK that are not DOT approved. Some parts dealers will not ship parts to the US because of our litiginous ways. Makes it really hard to get parts for cars like the Triumph Renown.

spitfirebill wrote:

dean1484 wrote: What if you put tires on a vehicle that are not speed rated to that vehicle? I am betting that all warranties / recalls would be void. Why I purchase tires by size and not by vehicle type at Tire Rack.

Wifey's Solara came with V rated tires. I wanted to replace them with H rated tries. The best tire dealer in town wouldn't do it. He said their attorney wouldn't let them. Discount Tire had no problem. I wonder if we are in the naughty database somewhere?

Naughty database? No. "I know nothing about tires and anything will work" crowd, yes.

I refuse to go down in either load rating or speed rating on tires I purchase. If the manufacturer has a rating minimum, I'm not going to go below it.

Bobzilla wrote:

spitfirebill wrote:

dean1484 wrote: What if you put tires on a vehicle that are not speed rated to that vehicle? I am betting that all warranties / recalls would be void. Why I purchase tires by size and not by vehicle type at Tire Rack.

Wifey's Solara came with V rated tires. I wanted to replace them with H rated tries. The best tire dealer in town wouldn't do it. He said their attorney wouldn't let them. Discount Tire had no problem. I wonder if we are in the naughty database somewhere?

Naughty database? No. "I know nothing about tires and anything will work" crowd, yes. I refuse to go down in either load rating or speed rating on tires I purchase. If the manufacturer has a rating minimum, I'm not going to go below it.

In our case the cars with 15" wheels have H rated tires. The 16"s went with V rated. If this was on anything other than a pokily driven Solara, I wouldn't have done it.

fast_eddie_72 wrote: Shoot, wish I'd known that. Would have helped ID my stolen wheels and tires when they came up on craigslist. All worked out though.

That's an interesting thought. Wonder if you could make it work for you in that case.