Your thoughts on run flats

[obi_waynne]

Has anyone had any experience on run flat tyres?

I imagine they are heavier than a conventional tyre due to the thicker walls but does this extra rigidity translate into better handling or cornering or does it make things worse?

I have an open mind but at the moment am pretty skeptical about the whole concept of run flats when you can get tyre weld additives to repair and seal punctures instantly.

 

[HDi fun]

I had Michelin TDX run flats on my Montego. It severely limited choice of tyres to Michelin or Dunlop. Not as good as today's run flats but apparently they do stop the tyre parting company with the rim even when competely flat. Apparently the TD in TDX stands for total deflation.

The rules now state that a car withg run flat rims and tyres must also have a tyre pressure monitoring and warning system.

Note you must not fit run-flat tyres to standard rims or vice-versa.

My opinion is that they probably are ultimately very good in absolute emergency but it's not a substitute for lookng after your tyres. The stiffer sidewall must comrpomise the handling a little. I assume car makers will use softer suspension in their run-flat-equipped models.

 

[obi_waynne]

I didn't realize run flats had specific rims, so this is not really an option for most cars then. If they are standard equipment then you are stuck with them.

 

[jarrus]

I guess so,

BMW use run flats and they make the car ride really hard, especially the 5 series, stiffer side walls should improve responsiveness from the steering as well as feedback from the steering,

 

[pgarner]

mate had run flats for a while and they were unbearable

you can fit run flats to normal wheels but as said youve to fit a pressure mointering system

 

[HDi fun]

I guess so,

BMW use run flats and they make the car ride really hard, especially the 5 series, stiffer side walls should improve responsiveness from the steering as well as feedback from the steering,

The extra stiffness of the sidewalls (of runflat tyres) isn't always to the benefit of handling and steering feel. Radial ply tyres are designed to offer some flexibility in the sidewalls in order to maximise the area of the contact patch that a tyre has with the road surface.

It's for this reason that the crossply tyre geometry was abandoned 30+ years ago.

 

[RobBentley]

Run flats are much heavier too, which won't help with handling. I moved two piles of tyres for an X5 a while back, one set being run-flat. The run flats where stupidly heavy by comparison!!

 

[geraint13]

never liked the thought of run flats. would rather know i gt a puncture than not and end paying the price for it in a prang or somthing.
only good thing i can think of is you dont lose pressure straight away like air or nitrogen filled tyres.