How do you have the tyres on a T3 Syncro approved?

In this post, I’m going to explain the process I followed to fit the wheels on my T3 Syncro.

I’ve already fitted the tyres and alloy wheels to the VW T3 Syncro. To be honest, it’s one of the most significant changes in terms of appearance. It makes a massive difference – it’s as if it’s had a work-out at the gym. Amazing.

Right, so they’re fitted now, but here comes the tricky bit.

Getting the wheels approved for the T3 Syncro?

As the size of the new tyres is different to the originals, it’s important to be clear about certain details before buying anything, as you need to know whether the new size will pass the MOT or cause problems.

To do this, we’ll first need to check the vehicle’s technical specifications and see which size(s) are listed there. This is a very important step in determining whether we’ll be able to get the tyres approved for the T3 Syncro. My technical specifications list the following tyre sizes: 185R14C-N – 205/70R14 95R and 215/65/R15.

Once we’ve checked this, we need to find out what the current legislation says:

• If the change in profile, diameter or width varies by less than 3 per cent of the distance travelled per revolution, no action is required. We’ll be able to pass the MOT without any problems.
• If the change is between 3 per cent and 10 per cent, we can either have the tyres approved or go directly to the testing centre.
• If the change is greater than 10 per cent, you’ll need to consult an engineer to see if that size can be approved (and you’ll almost certainly have to carry out a braking test).

In my case, taking the original size 215/65 R15, they can be approved directly by the laboratory (just about, as it represents a 9.77% increase). My new size is 215/80 R15.

Steps for having the tyres on a T3 Syncro approved by a laboratory

What I did was contact the laboratory by email. They ask for the technical specifications, the vehicle registration document, photos of each side of the van, photos showing that the tyres do not protrude, photos measuring the rear bumper (as it must not exceed 55 centimetres), photos of the tyre showing the type-approval code, size and load index, and a workshop certificate. Once you’ve provided all that and paid 120 euros, they’ll issue a compliance report. With that report and the workshop certificate, you can then go to the MOT test centre.

By the way, you also need to make sure you haven’t increased the track width. In other words, if you’ve changed the rims and they have a different ET, you need to measure them to check they match the measurements noted on the vehicle registration document.

In my case, I was coming from the original Syncro rims, which are ET25. On the new ones, the ET is now 37, meaning that the higher the ET, the less the offset. This means that my track width is practically identical.