run flat tires?

[stuffy]

what are they? i got a thing from toyota in the mail that briefly mentions them and says that you no longer have to carry the spare around, but doesn't go into much detail.

i thought this would be a great way to eliminate some weight.

[ricko]

Run-flats are tires that you can drive VERY SLOWLY for a short distance while flat. I think the technology is based on racing tires like those used by Nascar. I didn't know our tires were Run-flats, but then I have not read ALL of the manual yet.

[jcove]

Run-flats are tires that you can drive VERY SLOWLY for a short distance while flat. I think the technology is based on racing tires like those used by Nascar. I didn't know our tires were Run-flats, but then I have not read ALL of the manual yet.

I'm fairly sure these tires aren't run-flats. Why would there be a spare...? I'm still thinking about getting rid of the spare and putting in the pump with tire sealant. That's just my idea.

[stuffy]

just to clarify- no, the yaris tires are not run flats, it was mentioned in a promotional flyer from toyota.

the thing i wonder about run flats then, is how do you know your tire is flat? you could be driving with a flat and not know even know it.

[jcove]

just to clarify- no, the yaris tires are not run flats, it was mentioned in a promotional flyer from toyota.

the thing i wonder about run flats then, is how do you know your tire is flat? you could be driving with a flat and not know even know it.

Good point, anyone had experiance with run-flats??

[Ron]

i'd imagine with run flats, that if your tire was indeed flat, the handling would be noticeably different, and there would be more road noise. run flats work by having a really stiff sidewall in the tire, so stiff that even without air, the tire does not collapse under the weight of the car. but the tire does get more squirrely in cornering situations.

if you guys have ever used falken azenis, they are a stupid stiff sidewalled tire. not to the same extent as run flats, but you can drive them with very low pressures without even knowing it.

[stuffy]

sounds kind of dicey to me

[swng]

With stiff side walls, run flat tires cannot provide the same degree of ride comfort as ordinary tires. That is what I believe. Also, cars with run flat tires have to be equipped with some kind of tire pressure monitoring/warning system to alert the driver when tire pressure is too low.

[paco]

I am currently driving a MINI Cooper and it is equipped with run-flat performance summer tires.

The car is able to tell if there is a flat tire by comparing the rotation of each wheel at a given speed. The light usually goes on once after I switch wheels during spring or fall.

The manual states you can drive at 80km/h when there is a flat.

The ride is definitely very harsh! Although very convenient when a flat happens on the highway, I would rather have a spare than run-flat tires since we have so many potholes here in Quebec.


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paco

[Leenis24]

Some run-flats even have a Gel like substance inside the tire when you buy them. So when you get a small puncture, the hole is filled with the gel only temporarily till you can get another tire.

[swng]

I am currently driving a MINI Cooper and it is equipped with run-flat performance summer tires.

The car is able to tell if there is a flat tire by comparing the rotation of each wheel at a given speed. The light usually goes on once after I switch wheels during spring or fall.

The manual states you can drive at 80km/h when there is a flat.

The ride is definitely very harsh! Although very convenient when a flat happens on the highway, I would rather have a spare than run-flat tires since we have so many potholes here in Quebec.


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paco

Thanks paco for confirming what I said above :biggrin: :bow:.
Also, I believe that it is a legal requirement for a car to carry a spare tire, except if the tires are run flat tires. So you are right paco, if you do not have run flat tires, you need to have a spare tire.

[jcove]

Thanks paco for confirming what I said above :biggrin: :bow:.
Also, I believe that it is a legal requirement for a car to carry a spare tire, except if the tires are run flat tires. So you are right paco, if you do not have run flat tires, you need to have a spare tire.

It's not a legal requirement, or else BMW and Merc's are breaking the law. Some of these vehicles don't have spares. I think same with Porsche.

[why?]

All 3 of those companies use run flat tires to some extent on thier vehicles.

Run flat tires don't save weight though, to make the sidewall that much stiffer they weigh a whole heck of a lot more than a normal tire.

[paco]

Thanks paco for confirming what I said above :biggrin: :bow:.
Also, I believe that it is a legal requirement for a car to carry a spare tire, except if the tires are run flat tires. So you are right paco, if you do not have run flat tires, you need to have a spare tire.

No problem! ;)


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paco

[ozmdd]

Run flat tires are expensive and very stiff, meaning the ride quality is poor. Most have a center "ridge" that supports the tread when ther eis no air. It still gets ruined when you "run flat", but allows you to get somewhere. That's one of the misconceptions about them: you still have to replace the tire after you drive more than a few miles on it when flat. Unlike a traditional tires, you aren't stranded with a flat.

I know a bunch of Cooper S drivers here in DFW who switch to standard tires after their run-flats wear out and find the ride and traction to be MUCH improved. They just carry a can of fix-a-flat and maybe a Harbor Freight mini-compressor as insurance.

IMHO, run-flats are a waste of money unless you spend a lot of time on the road in very remote places, and even then, a can of fix-a-flat will do just as well in any situation other than a blowout.

BTW - spare tires are NOT required by law anywhere that I know of. Cooper S Mini's come without a spare, the Accord Hybrid came w/o a spare, and many BMW's and Benz's come that way. If that was true, half of the pickup trucks in TX would be illegal!

[bearda]

Thanks paco for confirming what I said above :biggrin: :bow:.
Also, I believe that it is a legal requirement for a car to carry a spare tire, except if the tires are run flat tires. So you are right paco, if you do not have run flat tires, you need to have a spare tire.

Nope. The Mazda RX-8 does not include run-flats and has no spare unless you order it as an option. A lot of manufacturers are starting to just include a patch kit.

All vehicles sold with runflats are (were) required to have a TPMS. If the tire gets punctured the light on the dash goes on when it detects pressure loss. That was at least until 2008, when all cars were required to have TPMS no matter what type of tire they had.

[lilredrocket]

Holy thread revival!!! From the dead 3 1/2 years ago!!!

[severous01]

i thought this would be a great way to eliminate some weight.

runflats are heavier due to a super-thick, super-hard sidewall. check out tirerack's shipping weight on goodyear eagle vs goodyear eagle runflat

and, air weighs nothing, compared to rubber and metal. so, i'd rather have less metal and rubber and more air....just me

[YarisSedan]

BTW run flat tires are EXTREMLY heavy. I used to work at a tire shop years ago. And i remember hating to install them. They were super super heavy and the sidewall was so stiff it was near impossible to mount them. especially low profiles. We always had to get the aid of one of the exeprience techs and even he had trouble.

[YodaBird]

I think my Yaris came with RFT (2012) I got a pamphlet with the car, so I assume that there are RFT with the car and a spare. I prefer the RFT, for one reason, you can get to a dealership without having to mess around with a spare tire especially when you least expect it.