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I was driving home last night and got a low tire pressure warning, it popped up at 30psi, by the time I got home, less than 2 miles it was under 25 psi.
I could hear air escaping, so I took the wheel off to see what was up, what I found was a 6” split in the shoulder on the backside of the tire, right where the side wall meets the road surface 🙁
luckily my local Good Year shop is less than 4 miles from home and had tires in stock, sitting here waiting for them to put a pair of tires on the rear 🤷🏻♂️
I was happy to drive a short distance on the ROF, but after seeing the damage I would have wanted to have driven any distance.
Correct, no damage to the wheel, although I have had that wheel repaired recently. Cost of ownership on maintenance parts is starting to add up 🤷🏻♂️
I debated going with NRF, but I’m worried about getting a flat on a road trip and not having a spare. The trunk space is already limited, and I don’t see how you would fit a spare and luggage for four.
I’ve replaced all four tires in the last few months, hopefully they last. I do think that the 20” wheels and ROF make the ride tougher than it should be, it’s great on smooth roads (Which we mostly have in GA), but I feel any bumps and dips.
Like you said though, after seeing the damage you would not have wanted to drive any distance, so what would the purpose of the run flats be?
Thats my issue with the argument for run flats, a run flat is not a spare...you have the same issues with the RF on a trip you do with the NRF. You have to find a tire before you can continue on your trip.
If it was a nail hole, I can slime or plug, much the same as a NRF. If this had happened on the highway, I wouldn’t have been in a position to take the wheel off and inspect, I would have been happy to get to the next exit, maybe even drive the 50 miles. Would I be prepared to do the same on a NRF, I don’t know (I don’t recall having ever had a flat in the highway). All said, it’s a sense of comfort thing, at the sacrifice of some ride quality 🙁
But having seen the split in my tire, I would have been weary of driving just a few miles with NRF, but with ROF I was willing to do so.
But if you chose to keep driving, who is to say the RF wouldn't have flown apart? RF tire manufacturers will tell you not to drive on a RF if there is a sidewall tear. The safest thing to do when you have a flat tire is just to stop, the RF lets you get off an exit or something, but I would just stop off an exit and call AAA. You can drive a short distance on a totally flat tire too if you have to, it just ruins the tire. Well, with a sidewall tear the RF tire is ruined too...
If you look at the additional cost and tradeoffs of run flats over the course of the years you drive in between something like that happening...I just struggle to see the real benefit.
Correct, no damage to the wheel, although I have had that wheel repaired recently. Cost of ownership on maintenance parts is starting to add up 🤷🏻♂️
I debated going with NRF, but I’m worried about getting a flat on a road trip and not having a spare. The trunk space is already limited, and I don’t see how you would fit a spare and luggage for four.
I’ve replaced all four tires in the last few months, hopefully they last. I do think that the 20” wheels and ROF make the ride tougher than it should be, it’s great on smooth roads (Which we mostly have in GA), but I feel any bumps and dips.
I am currently keeping the factory slime kit but I was told it may cause a big mess if ever used.
I am currently keeping the factory slime kit but I was told it may cause a big mess if ever used.
When I replaced my front tires (recently), I spoke with the guy at the tire shop about using slime, and his view was that it’s easy for them to clean up, now how much mess it makes when you are filling, I have no idea.
I’d like to see the photo, but it sounds like run-flats are the cause of the failure. After three bulged sidewalls, I decided to never use them again.
Sorry I didn’t get a photo, I realized I should have done after putting the wheel back on and as I am not a tire specialist, so I wouldn’t like to speculate.
Nice to see it serves its purpose but honestly the point of run flat should be driving but it doesn't warrant you to drive the car as if nothing happened to the tires . At least , you could drive the car without having to pull over .So, I think that's main priority of having a run flat tire but you will have to eventually replace it or visit a tire shop to repair or replace it
Nice to see it serves its purpose but honestly the point of run flat should be driving but it doesn't warrant you to drive the car as if nothing happened to the tires . At least , you could drive the car without having to pull over .So, I think that's main priority of having a run flat tire but you will have to eventually replace it or visit a tire shop to repair or replace it
Thats my point, my LS sedans had full sized spares on matching wheels. THAT is a spare that you can truly continue your trip on. Runflats are not a replacement for a spare, so why deal with the negatives is my viewpoint.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by BenzV12
Nice to see it serves its purpose but honestly the point of run flat should be driving but it doesn't warrant you to drive the car as if nothing happened to the tires . At least , you could drive the car without having to pull over .So, I think that's main priority of having a run flat tire but you will have to eventually replace it or visit a tire shop to repair or replace it
The thing is I don't recommend driving any further if there is sidewall damage, it could just burst at anytime... just my opinions and concerns... that's all
The thing is I don't recommend driving any further if there is sidewall damage, it could just burst at anytime... just my opinions and concerns... that's all
That's a nice point as well . Anyway. there's a limit for its capacity in terms of mileage as well. I remember one of forum members ( I don't remember which forum sorry ) had said he had driven a car his car up to 100 miles without going over its recommended speed on his run flat
I caught a flat on my drivers rear RF tire (same wall curvature area) yesterday while on the highway. I made it home safely (about another 20 miles). I've never taken this car on a road trip and probably never will due to the lack of a spare. Being able to drive an additional 50 miles is pointless if (1) you're in the middle of nowhere or (2) it's after hours and no major tire shops are open.
Now, I'm debating on just replacing the blown tire with another RF or just going with NRF's since it's roughly 50% more for the RF's. Any general consensus on what folks have been doing?
You seriously would never take your S Class on a road trip because of lack of a spare!? Thats ridiculous lol. If it bothers you that much, just buy a spare. Even temp spares though you aren't supposed to drive more than 50 miles on.
Sadly, no. I live in the dessert SW with vast stretches of barren land heading in all directions, oftentimes with extremely limited cell coverage. After catching a flat heading to Tucson under similar conditions in my BMW with RF's late at night, I made the decision that it's not worth it. The distance isn't what bothers me, its the lack of proximate facilities to get it fixed. Especially with unique tire sizes, it's not like our neighborhood llantas shop is likely to have our size just laying around. I usually drive my pick-up truck on road trip.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by BenzV12
That's a nice point as well . Anyway. there's a limit for its capacity in terms of mileage as well. I remember one of forum members ( I don't remember which forum sorry ) had said he had driven a car his car up to 100 miles without going over its recommended speed on his run flat
I wonder the temperature is also a factor too on how far you can actually go on a complete zero pressure run-flat tire.
03-25-2023, 08:40 AM
