Run flat tire replacement question?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
Likes: 68
From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
Run flat tire replacement question?
So I have Primacy MXM4 Run flat all season tires. I don't recall what I had on my 2004 S500 but they were Continentals. On the 2020 S560 the front is 245/45R19 and rear are 275/40R19. I can browse the tire sites but I suppose the rear are larger?
My real question is, have you ever needed a tire replacement on a trip while using run flats and if so, how easy or how difficult was it to get replacement, if like me, you have different sizes? I thought about a spare but I guess that wouldn't work when the front and rear are different sizes.
My partner and I would like to drive cross country in a few years so it's something I think about.
EDIT: I found one of the tire threads where there are two spare tire options listed. I'll check those out.
My real question is, have you ever needed a tire replacement on a trip while using run flats and if so, how easy or how difficult was it to get replacement, if like me, you have different sizes? I thought about a spare but I guess that wouldn't work when the front and rear are different sizes.
My partner and I would like to drive cross country in a few years so it's something I think about.
EDIT: I found one of the tire threads where there are two spare tire options listed. I'll check those out.
Last edited by zitsky; Aug 10, 2023 at 04:51 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 253
From: SD
Various
I have the same tire as you. Are you thinking of repairing a puncture or replacing a destroyed tire?
I carry a pump and tire repair kit and basic tools to remove a nail or screw, or to fix other things. If needed it’ll get us somewhere for a proper fix. Run flats being what the are I’d have no issue driving on one a long way to get somewhere for help. Hope I never have to deal with a tire with significant damage, a tow, and that drama.
I used to carry a jack and tire changing stuff. Now it’s just these things and a few other items that make up my tire kit. It all fits nicely in the lower trunk space.
I carry a pump and tire repair kit and basic tools to remove a nail or screw, or to fix other things. If needed it’ll get us somewhere for a proper fix. Run flats being what the are I’d have no issue driving on one a long way to get somewhere for help. Hope I never have to deal with a tire with significant damage, a tow, and that drama.
I used to carry a jack and tire changing stuff. Now it’s just these things and a few other items that make up my tire kit. It all fits nicely in the lower trunk space.
Last edited by NbyNW; Aug 10, 2023 at 05:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
Likes: 68
From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
I have the same tire as you. Are you thinking of repairing a puncture or replacing a destroyed tire?
I carry a pump and tire repair kit and basic tools to remove a nail or screw, or to fix other things. If needed it’ll get us somewhere for a proper fix. Run flats being what the are I’d have no issue driving on one a long way to get somewhere for help. Hope I never have to deal with a tire with significant damage, a tow, and that drama.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used to carry a jack and tire changing stuff. Now it’s just these things and a few other items that make up my tire kit. It all fits nicely in the lower trunk space.
I carry a pump and tire repair kit and basic tools to remove a nail or screw, or to fix other things. If needed it’ll get us somewhere for a proper fix. Run flats being what the are I’d have no issue driving on one a long way to get somewhere for help. Hope I never have to deal with a tire with significant damage, a tow, and that drama.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used to carry a jack and tire changing stuff. Now it’s just these things and a few other items that make up my tire kit. It all fits nicely in the lower trunk space.
I would prefer to find a tire store. But what if I am not close to one.
Do you use something you spray into the tire, a sealant?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 409
Likes: 211
From: Atlanta, GA
2020 S450 4Matic, 2022 GLS450 4Matic, 2015 C300
I have a pair of pliers, I tire plug kit and a small slime compressor in my trunk. Supposedly you can drive up to 50 miles on a run flat, I had one catastrophically fail and I was able to drive it a few miles to the shop.
My thinking is that in most case your are going to pick up a nail or screw, and I think that I’m equipped to deal with that and can keep on going well beyond 50 miles. However if you get a sidewall failure, or a split on the shoulder of the tire, as I had, you are restricted to the range of the run flat. To be honest, when mine went I was two miles from home, and I took it to the tire shop the next morning which was about 5 miles. I didn’t want to have to take it in the highway to get to the dealership, and thanks to Good Year I didn’t have to.
My issue with a spare is that these cars aren’t equipped to hold one, the trunk is already not that spacious. As for keeping a spare at home, I have other vehicles that I can use to take a wheel to the shop if I don’t want to drive on it. If the failure that I had occur, had happened on a non run flat, and I don’t have a spare in the car, I would have been stranded 🤷🏻♂️
I’ve replaced all 4 tires in the last 12 months, i stayed with runflats, despite the rough ride on 20s, and bought a slime compressor!
My thinking is that in most case your are going to pick up a nail or screw, and I think that I’m equipped to deal with that and can keep on going well beyond 50 miles. However if you get a sidewall failure, or a split on the shoulder of the tire, as I had, you are restricted to the range of the run flat. To be honest, when mine went I was two miles from home, and I took it to the tire shop the next morning which was about 5 miles. I didn’t want to have to take it in the highway to get to the dealership, and thanks to Good Year I didn’t have to.
My issue with a spare is that these cars aren’t equipped to hold one, the trunk is already not that spacious. As for keeping a spare at home, I have other vehicles that I can use to take a wheel to the shop if I don’t want to drive on it. If the failure that I had occur, had happened on a non run flat, and I don’t have a spare in the car, I would have been stranded 🤷🏻♂️
I’ve replaced all 4 tires in the last 12 months, i stayed with runflats, despite the rough ride on 20s, and bought a slime compressor!
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 409
Likes: 211
From: Atlanta, GA
2020 S450 4Matic, 2022 GLS450 4Matic, 2015 C300
This is the slime compressor that I have in both my S Class and my sons C300 (which is also on run flats).
https://slime.com/products/flat-tire-repair-kit-digital
https://slime.com/products/flat-tire-repair-kit-digital
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,141
Likes: 4,630
From: Maryland
2024 S580
This is a mental thing.
The reality is runflats will only help you in the event of a puncture, which is never going to leave you stranded anyways. Punctures can be patched at the roadside or a gas station. All the runflat does is get you from the roadside to a safe spot or a gas station. I have maybe had 3 flat tires in 25 years of driving, and I have spent many of those years driving 25,000+ miles a year. Of those 3 flat tires I have only had to put the spare on one time, the other two times roadside assistance plugged the tire at the roadside. The time I had to put the spare on was a total sidewall rupture, which would have also rendered a runflat useless.
So, without a spare the one time I needed a spare I would have been just as stranded on the roadside if I had runflats.
The slime/inflator kits will get you moving and to a safe place to have the tire patched if getting it done at the roadside is impossible. But, with a patch kit you can easily plug a tire yourself.
I don't have a spare in either the S560 or our Pacifica. The Pacifica never had runflats, it just has no spare. The S560 I replaced the runflats and bought a inflator/slime pump and a patch kit. I drive it on rural road trips with total confidence. If you need a tire out in the middle of nowhere, you're gonna be stuck a couple days unless you have a full sized spare which few cars have anymore. A temporary spare will only again get you to safety.
This is the pump/slime kit I have:
https://www.griotsgarage.com/12v-tir...SABEgJNZPD_BwE
And the patch kit:
https://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-...iABEgLRlvD_BwE
The Pacifica came with an inflator/slime unit but I also bought the patch kit for it too. If I ever got a nail or something, I would just patch it myself, the difficulty is doing that without being able to take the tire off the car...
The reality is runflats will only help you in the event of a puncture, which is never going to leave you stranded anyways. Punctures can be patched at the roadside or a gas station. All the runflat does is get you from the roadside to a safe spot or a gas station. I have maybe had 3 flat tires in 25 years of driving, and I have spent many of those years driving 25,000+ miles a year. Of those 3 flat tires I have only had to put the spare on one time, the other two times roadside assistance plugged the tire at the roadside. The time I had to put the spare on was a total sidewall rupture, which would have also rendered a runflat useless.
So, without a spare the one time I needed a spare I would have been just as stranded on the roadside if I had runflats.
The slime/inflator kits will get you moving and to a safe place to have the tire patched if getting it done at the roadside is impossible. But, with a patch kit you can easily plug a tire yourself.
I don't have a spare in either the S560 or our Pacifica. The Pacifica never had runflats, it just has no spare. The S560 I replaced the runflats and bought a inflator/slime pump and a patch kit. I drive it on rural road trips with total confidence. If you need a tire out in the middle of nowhere, you're gonna be stuck a couple days unless you have a full sized spare which few cars have anymore. A temporary spare will only again get you to safety.
This is the pump/slime kit I have:
https://www.griotsgarage.com/12v-tir...SABEgJNZPD_BwE
And the patch kit:
https://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-...iABEgLRlvD_BwE
The Pacifica came with an inflator/slime unit but I also bought the patch kit for it too. If I ever got a nail or something, I would just patch it myself, the difficulty is doing that without being able to take the tire off the car...
Last edited by SW20S; Aug 10, 2023 at 07:41 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 409
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From: Atlanta, GA
2020 S450 4Matic, 2022 GLS450 4Matic, 2015 C300
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
One thing I have been meaning to buy is a good floor jack for my home and a good lug wrench, so that I could take a wheel off of one of the cars and take it to be patched with the other car. Right now I have no way to remove any wheels from either car because I have no jacks or lug wrenches.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 253
From: SD
Various
I’ve had puncture flats with run flats around town and it nice to relax and drive to a shop rather than stress if it’ll go flat before I get there.
In my fun car, no run flats, I had a puncture and watched pressure drop rather quickly. Not fun. Got a speeding ticket from a robot camera getting home. Made it with about 20 psi. It now has my tire kit ready.
Hit the road and have fun.
Edit… I’ve been cross country many many times with no issues, yet I have basic tools to help if needed. Be prepared and go!
Last edited by NbyNW; Aug 10, 2023 at 07:58 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 290
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From: Florida
2013 ML350, 2019 S560
So I have Primacy MXM4 Run flat all season tires. I don't recall what I had on my 2004 S500 but they were Continentals. On the 2020 S560 the front is 245/45R19 and rear are 275/40R19. I can browse the tire sites but I suppose the rear are larger?
My real question is, have you ever needed a tire replacement on a trip while using run flats and if so, how easy or how difficult was it to get replacement, if like me, you have different sizes? I thought about a spare but I guess that wouldn't work when the front and rear are different sizes.
My partner and I would like to drive cross country in a few years so it's something I think about.
EDIT: I found one of the tire threads where there are two spare tire options listed. I'll check those out.
My real question is, have you ever needed a tire replacement on a trip while using run flats and if so, how easy or how difficult was it to get replacement, if like me, you have different sizes? I thought about a spare but I guess that wouldn't work when the front and rear are different sizes.
My partner and I would like to drive cross country in a few years so it's something I think about.
EDIT: I found one of the tire threads where there are two spare tire options listed. I'll check those out.
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Posts: 3,164
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From: U.S.
Current/Last 5-years:GLS;G70;Alpina B8;X7;Accord. Sold:X7,TeslaS;S560;S550,X5;530e;L.Navigator;LS460
One thing I have been meaning to buy is a good floor jack for my home and a good lug wrench, so that I could take a wheel off of one of the cars and take it to be patched with the other car. Right now I have no way to remove any wheels from either car because I have no jacks or lug wrenches.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
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W212 FL
I have Michelin's tire repair foam as well as tire compressor .You can still be able to drive with a run flat even if you have a puncture but Michelin's tire foam says it can even repair any tire damage . Well, I trust I don't have to test this but I have used tire compressor a couple times It inflated the tire up to the recommended tire pressure and I was able to drive to the tire shop to repair the tire . This is better way to me because I can drive more comfortably with the conventional tires and I know a small nail would not ruin my driving experience thanks to those kits I have in my trunk .It just gives me a reassuring feeling but run flats could be safer when you have a puncture at highway speeds .
I used to carry torque wrench too, honestly I don't deal with the replacing tire
I used to carry torque wrench too, honestly I don't deal with the replacing tire
Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 160
Likes: 82
From: Sandy Springs, GA
'15 E350, '20 S560
There’s this if you decide to go to non-run flats.
https://modernspare.com/product/2013...e-kit-options/
And for all your tire questions about size, etc this is a great site.
https://www.calculator.net/tire-size-calculator.html
https://modernspare.com/product/2013...e-kit-options/
And for all your tire questions about size, etc this is a great site.
https://www.calculator.net/tire-size-calculator.html
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 253
From: SD
Various
Lots of options out there for floor jacks, torque wrenches, breaker bars, etc. Just remember MB has a special jack point so make sure whatever jack you use is stable - depending on the situation - roadside or garage use something so it doesn't shift. Small piece of wood to cover the jack point, hockey puck, or a special adapter if it fits your jack.
