I had a set on a 1984 mini metro
these would actualy go flat, but the design is such that even when flat, the won't slip off the rims.
I actually had a flat on a rear tire once, and did not realize it until other drivers pointed it out. (driving 80 km/h on a straight highway).
I would expect if it had been a front tire, the steering would suffer, but you could drive to the repair shop without having to stop and use the fix-a-flat.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by druid-2
Yes It Does !!
Qualified yes, d-2.
The reason you SHOULD have one is that the handling capabilities of a near-flat runflat tire is so similar to a correctly inflated one, you may actually run for way too long on a flat before you figure it out.
Do you absolutely HAVE to have one? Not really. But any OEM application of a runflat will have tire pressure monitoring, and you really should figure out how to get it on your car.
Location: Wilds of Canada, or the Pac NW, or the Upper Penninsula of MI...
Quote:
Originally Posted by druid-2
my guess is you are also an "insider"...with that much knowledge !!!
Let's just say I have good access to many "insiders" occasionally, and had this very conversation with someone from both Goodyear and BMW about this very subject a while ago.
And, I have a penchant for remembering technical trivia...
I had runflats on my 2004 MINI Cooper S. I hated them. They were very heavy, had a very stiff ride, and were very expensive. Most of the "performance" oriented Cooper owners ditched them ASAP for lighter rims and tires. I wound up selling my Cooper S before I switched them out, but my friend (who still has an 04) will never go back to runflats.
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Run craps are very HEAVY tires adding unsprung weight. But you don't HAVE to have the tire sensors. Though if not you should keep close track of tire pressures on a much more regular basis.
We have a Toyota Sienna AWD that came with Run-Flat tires. They had a hard ride, poor traction, and wore quickly. I didn't rotate them often enough and the rears cupped, causing shakes after finally rotating them. After about 18K miles I replaced them with regular tires, bought another rim for a spare, and rotate them with every oil change. The tire pressure sensors didn't work the two times I had caught a nail. I had to go to a specially equipped tire dealer since they require different equipment to handle the stiff sidewalls. I hope most of those problems have gone away in the last two years.
Location: Wilds of Canada, or the Pac NW, or the Upper Penninsula of MI...
Quote:
Originally Posted by pgtr
Run craps are very HEAVY tires adding unsprung weight. But you don't HAVE to have the tire sensors. Though if not you should keep close track of tire pressures on a much more regular basis.
For comparable sizes, this is very true.
A P245/45R18 tire weighs in the neighboorhood of 27-28 lbs, for example. A run-flat version of same tire will weigh >30 lbs or maybe as high as 32 lbs. That's PER TIRE!!!
However, if you compare a smaller sized tire (say a P245/40R18) run-flat, you'll be in the same range as the NON-runflat version in the larger size (P245/45R18). Give or take some Kentucky windage...
Of course, the harder sidewall is the major reason they ride so hard.
I hope somebody tries these on a Sol, who's gonna be the Guinea pig?
(Kentucky windage... surprised to see that "term" on this forum, I use it all the time and people look at me funny)
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My son-in-law works for Nissan and has a lease with run flats on it. It also has the tire sensor system. He just had a flat and another is loosing pressure. He took it to the dealer and was told it would take a few days to get them. Also they had to replace the rim and the tires. $800 each!!!!
As a lease he doesn't have to pay for them at Nissan. WOW!
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