Hi all,

I have a 1996 850 sedan with 350,000+Km's. I was looking to replace my all-seasons and was wondering if I could run a P195/60R/15 87 S. I'm wondering if the 87 S will have a problem handling the load or whether I should try and find an 88 S which is looking difficult and more expensive. Just trying to see if this can be done and searching before I couldn't find any other info.

Thanks and see you around the forums,

Ben

 

Depends on what you do with your Volvo. How many people do you haul and how often, do you ever tow ??

If you use it mostly as a daily driver by yourself and don't load it much a lighter rated tire should work ok. You might be giving up some handling and or ride quality with a lighter duty tire. If you tow at all or often carry a lot of people or cargo then you should stay with the factory recommended tire.

When in doubt ask someone at a tire store or two and see what they say.

 

I would get tires that are rated at least H but if you never drive faster that 90 mph (145 km) it probably doesn't matter. My guess would be that the tire company would cause them to wear out or go bad (dry rott) faster.

 

Looking at the specs, an 87 is what is called for on a 95 850 wagon.
An 87 is rated at 1201 pounds / 545 kg per tire. An 88 is rated at 1235 / 560 so the weight handling capacity isn't much different. Why do you think you need the 88's ??

What rim and tire do you have on it now and where are you located ??

From the owners manual
15 x 6" (Steel) .............................. P195/60 H R15
15 x 6.5" (Aluminum) ......................... P195/60 H R15
16 x 6.5" (Aluminum) ......................... P205/50 Z R16

The "S" is the speed rating. It does make a difference in how the car handles not just a designation of how fast you can safely spin the tire. From looking at Volvo the rating changes with the size and type of the rims your vehicle comes with. You should be good with an "S" as it's an upgrade for a 15" but a downgrade for the 16". Like Rspi said I'd get at least an "H" as it's what Volvo designed the suspension and brakes to work with and you'd be compromising those systems by getting anything less. Lower speed rating would be weaker in construction and sidewall and would compromise both handling and safety. I didn't catch what your vehicle is but my wagon calls for the "Z" rated tire and it makes a big difference in road feel.
I went through this when I was trying to replace the tires on my Thunderbird and they wanted over 500 bucks a piece for directional Z's. I spent some time learning about tires and ratings and tires make a big difference in how much of a good or upgraded suspension or engines power you're able to put to the ground and keep there.

 

I need to replace my tires too. Tire Rack shows a brand named Kumho as well as BF Goodrich for the 16" size. Any opinions on brands? For all-season touring. Kumho prices are a lot cheaper when you include the road hazard warranty.

Tire Search Results

Tire Rack info says that a W rating is actually higher speed than the Z rating:

Tire Tech Information - How to Read Speed Rating, Load Index & Service Descriptions

What advantages are there to going to a 55 from the spec 50 width? They do scrape the inside of the wheel well when turning all the way.