Wheel and tire packages: what to check before you buy

In short. A wheel and tire package is four wheels with tires mounted, balanced and usually fitted with valves or pressure sensors, sold for one vehicle. Before you pay, check that the bolt pattern, centre bore, offset and lug nuts match your vehicle, that the tires carry at least the load and speed on its placard, that the overall diameter stays close to the original, how old the tires are, and what happens to your tire pressure monitoring. Each check below gives the rule in the US, Great Britain, New South Wales and Quebec.

What a package is, and what it moves to the seller

With a package, the seller has chosen the tire for the wheel and often the lug nuts and centre rings, on a screen, from the vehicle you typed in. You are accepting a fitment you did not see, so the checks matter more, not less.

The car maker's own list of sizes is the starting point. In the US, every vehicle up to 10,000 lb carries a placard on the driver's side B-pillar giving the tire size designation and the maker's recommended cold inflation pressure for front, rear and spare (FMVSS 110, S4.3). In Australia, Transport for NSW notes that every vehicle made since 1973 has a tire placard giving the maker's wheel and tire combinations, load capacity, speed rating and pressure (VSI 09, Rev. 5, 28 February 2019). In the UK, Michelin points to the driver's door sticker and the owner's manual (Michelin UK).

Write down what your placard says before you shop. Onyx Forged does not recommend a size or an offset: we explain each number and send you back to your vehicle's documents, which the what size wheels fit my car guide explains how to read.

The twelve checks before you pay

The table is our compilation from the texts listed at the end, not a legal summary for every state or province.

Will the wheel bolt on? Bolt pattern, bore, offset, nuts

Bolt pattern. Transport for NSW says the wheel "must be designed for the particular hub/axle in respect to bolt pitch circle diameter and wheel nut tapers", and that wheels with slotted stud holes must not be used (VSI 09, page 2).

Centre bore. UN Regulation 124, on replacement wheels for passenger cars, describes a "pattern part" wheel as one whose design, offset, rim size, PCD and spigot mounting diameter correspond to the original wheel (UN R124, 2.4.4). A wheel with a larger bore needs centring rings; ask whether they are in the box.

Offset and width. The offset (ET) is the distance between the wheel's mounting face and the centre line of the rim, positive, zero or negative (R124, 2.6). NSW sets numbers: an alternative wheel must not widen a passenger car's track by more than 25 mm beyond the maker's maximum (50 mm for off-road four-wheel drives and goods vehicles), and on vehicles with diagonally split brakes the front offset and front track must stay as original unless the maker allows otherwise. The wheel offset calculator shows how far a change moves the face and the inner edge.

Lug nuts. The listing should say which seat (cone, ball or flat) and thread. R124 asks the wheel maker to tell the buyer about substitute fixings, "for example, longer wheel bolts or studs with alloy wheels", and to say the fixings must be tightened again after 50 km (UN R124, Annex 10, 1.4). In Great Britain the MOT records "a wheel and its fixings not compatible" as a major defect (MOT manual, 5.2.2 (d)). Seats, threads and torque are covered in the wheel nut torque guide.

Will it carry the vehicle? Load index and wheel rating

The load index on the sidewall is a code for the maximum load one tire can carry. Michelin UK's table gives, for example, 91 = 615 kg, 94 = 670 kg, 104 = 900 kg, 112 = 1,120 kg and 115 = 1,215 kg (Michelin UK, updated 8 September 2026).

What the law asks:

• United States. For passenger cars, the vehicle maximum load on the tire "shall not be greater than the applicable maximum load rating as marked on the sidewall" (FMVSS 110, S4.2.1.1). For trucks and multipurpose vehicles, the sum of the load ratings of the tires on an axle must be at least the axle's GAWR on the vehicle's label (S4.2.2.1).
• New South Wales. "All replacement tyres must have a load rating equal to or higher than the rating of the original tyres fitted by the vehicle manufacturer" (VSI 09, page 4).
• Great Britain. The MOT records a load capacity or speed rating below the minimum as major, and a load capacity insufficient for the axle weight as dangerous (5.2.3 (a)). The manual says those load and speed checks apply only to test classes 5 and 7; a private car falls in class 4. For a car the duty sits in regulation 27(1)(a) of the Construction and Use Regulations: a tire must not be "unsuitable having regard to the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is being put or to the types of tyres fitted to its other wheels" (legislation.gov.uk).

The wheel has a load rating too, per wheel. Our reading: two wheels on an axle should together carry at least that axle's rating on your vehicle's label, and the wheel maker's sheet says which figure applies; the wheel markings guide shows where it is stamped.

Speed rating and overall diameter

Speed rating. The ETRTO, the European tire and rim body, says replacement tires must have a load index and a speed symbol at least equal to the original tires, unless the vehicle documents allow lower codes (ETRTO Recommendations, 2 September 2024). The exception is winter tires marked with the three-peak mountain snowflake: a lower speed symbol is allowed if the driving speed stays within it and a maximum speed label is shown inside the vehicle. NSW allows a lower rating where the original is above 180 km/h, never below the vehicle's top speed (VSI 09, page 5).

Overall diameter. A plus-size package should keep the outside diameter close to the original, or the speedometer and the clearance change. Michelin UK says some countries allow an exemption within -2 per cent and +1.5 per cent. In NSW, replacing tires that change the overall diameter by more than 7 per cent of the largest size on the placard, or that affect speedometer compliance, needs a compliance check by a licensed engineer under the state scheme (VSI 06, item 15, Rev. 4, 1 July 2026); so does a rim or tire wider than the widest listed combination by more than 25.4 mm (item 16).

Our calculation, using the nominal size (rim diameter × 25.4 + 2 × width × aspect ratio) from a 225/45 R17 base:

The formula gives 711.3 and 776.3 mm for the NSW example sizes (listed there at 712 and 776 mm); when clearance is tight, use the tire maker's published diameter. A +2.98 per cent diameter means that when the speedometer reads 70 mph, the car is doing about 72.1 mph. These sizes are illustrations, not advice for any car; the tire size calculator does the sum for your own sizes.

Rim width. In the US, each rim must be built to the dimensions of a rim "listed by the manufacturer of the tires as suitable for use with those tires" (FMVSS 110, S4.4.1 (a)). For other combinations, the ETRTO sends you to the tire and rim makers.

How old are the tires?

The last four digits of a tire's identification number are its date code: week, then year. In the regulation's own example, 0109 stands for "the first full calendar week of 2009", and a calendar week runs from Sunday to Saturday (49 CFR 574.5, (b)(3)). A code of 2324 read today, 16 October 2026, means the week starting Sunday 9 June 2024: about two years and four months old before the tire has turned.

The ETRTO says tires "age even if they have not been used or have only been used occasionally", and that tires stored on rims should be kept at reduced pressure, out of sunlight and heat. Neither sets a maximum age for a car tire. In Great Britain, the ten-year limit in regulation 27 applies only to front axles of buses and heavy goods vehicles and to single wheels on minibuses (paragraph 1A), not to cars. Ask for the date codes before you pay; the tire age guide gives what the tire makers write.

Tire pressure sensors and valves

A listing should say whether sensors are fitted. Three things to settle:

• Does your car need them? In the US, FMVSS 138 applies to vehicles up to 10,000 lb, and all vehicles made on or after 1 September 2007 must comply. It requires the owner's manual to warn that malfunctions can come from "the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly" (FMVSS 138). Federal law also says a dealer or repair business "may not knowingly make inoperative" a device fitted under a safety standard (49 U.S.C. 30122).
• Will the MOT check it? For M1 vehicles first used on or after 1 January 2012, a TPMS "malfunctioning or obviously not working" is a major defect (MOT manual, 5.2.3 (h)).
• New valves. The ETRTO recommends a new valve whenever a new tire is mounted on an existing wheel; the valve stems guide covers rubber, metal and sensor valves.

Sensors have to be paired to the car: ask who does it.

Mounting, balance and the first drive

Check the tire direction arrows and the "outside" marking: the MOT records a tire not fitted in line with the sidewall instructions as major (5.2.3 (i)). Once fitted, turn to full lock both ways and look for contact: a tire fouling a part of the vehicle is a major defect (5.2.3 (f)), and NSW requires no contact even at full lock with the suspension fully compressed. Tighten the nuts to the vehicle maker's torque and check them again after 50 km (30 miles), the interval R124 asks wheel makers to give in their fitting instructions. If you work under the car, it must be raised and resting on axle stands, never on the jack alone. If the car vibrates, pulls or rubs, have it checked before driving on.

Packages for trucks

In the US, when passenger-car tires (P-metric) are fitted to a truck or multipurpose vehicle, "each tire's load rating is reduced by dividing it by 1.10" before you add them up against the axle rating (FMVSS 110, S4.2.2.2). In NSW, fitting car tires to a van or goods vehicle for which light truck tires are specified needs a compliance check (VSI 06, item 17).

Our worked example, with an invented rear axle rating of 1,800 kg:

Use the GAWR on your own label. Truck rims must also be marked with the source of their dimensions, "T" for The Tire and Rim Association or "E" for the ETRTO (FMVSS 110, S4.4.2). A lifted package moves track and diameter at once: in NSW, watch the 50 mm and 7 per cent limits.

Winter packages

In Quebec, a tire used from 1 December to 15 March must carry the three-peak mountain snowflake pictogram or be studded, on vehicles registered there (Government of Québec, updated 5 October 2026). Transport Canada advises sets of four sharing "the same type, size, speed rating and load index" (Transport Canada). British Columbia's dates and routes are in our Quebec and BC winter tire guide.

For a winter package, add two checks: a lower speed symbol needs the maximum speed label, and a car with direct TPMS needs a second set of sensors or the warning light stays on. Size, steel or alloy and sensors for a winter set are covered in the winter wheels guide.

Used packages

The ETRTO writes: "Used tyres should not be fitted if their previous history is unknown." A used package adds wheel checks: cracks, buckles, repairs, bolt seats. Ask for date codes, tread depths and photographs of the inside of each wheel. The used alloy wheels guide has the full inspection.

Are wheel and tire packages worth it?

A package is worth it when the seller shows the fitment data (PCD, bore, offset, width, tire size and load index) for your exact vehicle, states the tire date codes, says what TPMS work is included, and supplies the right nuts. It is a poorer deal when the listing says only "fits your vehicle" without the numbers, or when the tires have sat for years.

Frequently asked questions

What is a wheel and tire package?

Four wheels with tires already mounted, balanced and usually fitted with valves or pressure sensors, sold for one vehicle.

Do wheel and tire packages come balanced?

A mounted package should be, but do not assume it: ask for the balance to be stated on the invoice, and have it checked if the car vibrates after fitting.

Can I put P-metric tires from a package on my truck?

Only if they still carry the axle. In the US, FMVSS 110 divides each passenger tire's load rating by 1.10 on a truck or multipurpose vehicle before the sum is compared with the axle rating; in NSW, car tires where light truck tires are specified need a compliance check.

Does a package need new TPMS sensors?

If your car has direct TPMS, yes, or your old sensors must be moved across. A dead system is a major MOT defect on cars first used from 2012.

How old can the tires in a new package be?

No US or ETRTO rule sets a maximum age for a car tire. Ask for the four-digit date codes before buying.

Is a bigger wheel package legal?

In NSW, more than 7 per cent change in tire diameter or more than 25.4 mm extra width needs a compliance check; in Great Britain, a tire that fouls the vehicle fails the MOT and an unsuitable tire breaks regulation 27.

Do I need to tell my insurer about a wheel package?

Transport for NSW advises checking with your vehicle's maker and your insurer before changing wheels or tires outside the placard, because it might affect the warranty and your cover.

Are winter wheel and tire packages worth it?

A second set on its own wheels saves mounting tires twice a year. In Quebec, the tires must carry the snowflake pictogram or studs from 1 December to 15 March.

Where to go next

For made-to-order forged wheels designed to JWL/VIA standards, worked out from your vehicle's own documents, see customise your wheels.

Sources

• FMVSS 110, 49 CFR 574.5, FMVSS 138, 49 U.S.C. 30122.
• GOV.UK, MOT inspection manual, section 5.2; The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, regulation 27.
• UN Regulation No. 124 (22 March 2007), definitions, paragraph 6.7 and Annex 10.
• Transport for NSW, VSI 09, Guidelines for alternative wheels and tyres (Rev. 5, 28 February 2019) and VSI 06, Light vehicle modifications (Rev. 4, 1 July 2026).
• ETRTO, Recommendations, edition 2, 2 September 2024.
• Michelin UK, tyre load rating and speed rating (8 September 2026) and changing your tyre's size (3 September 2025).
• Government of Québec, requirements for winter tires (5 October 2026); Transport Canada, using winter tires (6 October 2025).

All pages were read on 16 October 2026. The federal Australian code (VSB 14) and the Victorian modification page did not respond to us that day, so the Australian rules given here are those of New South Wales; other states publish their own.

The Onyx Forged design office.