Runflat Tyres Safer
6 reasons why I am happy to have run-flat tyres on my car
- Safety: Run-flat tyres can help to maintain stability and control of the vehicle even in the event of a puncture, allowing the driver to safely navigate to a repair shop or service station.
- Convenience: Run-flat tyres eliminate the need to change a tyre on the side of the road, which can be time-consuming and dangerous.
- Peace of Mind: With run-flat tyres, you don’t have to worry about getting stranded on the side of the road with a flat tyre.
- Space saving: Run-flat tyres do not require a spare tyre, which can save space in the trunk and allow for more storage options.
- Cost-effective: Run-flat tyres have a longer lifespan than traditional tyres, which can help to save money on replacements over time. However this is not always true. Some of my customers say that the tyres do less mileage. Due to the weight of the extra rubber layers. Therefore they can be less economical.
- Better fuel efficiency: Run-flat Tyres are designed to maintain their shape and structure even when deflated, which can help to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
Bridgestone tyres
So, Bridgestone tyres first started to develop the concept of the runflat tyre. Of course, in Japan, it is part of a type of aid for disabled people. The tyre that was used was a 175/70×13 that had a strengthened side wall. Consequently, this was fitted to the Honda Civic. As a result, this was done in the “International Year Of The Disabled”.
Later this side wall protection technology was used on the Porsche 959. Bridgestone called the new tyre the Potenza RE71.
This new development proved a success. So, in the 1990s, Bridgestone developed the TPMS, or ”Tyre Pressure Monitoring System” . This was to enable the driver to know when a tyre had lost pressure. Henceforth, a light on the dash would light up when the tyre pressure dropped. Subsequently, warning the driver if a tyre went flat.
In my opinion this made the Runflat Tyres Safer. Of course, this system was to become very popular as a safety feature. So, and was fitted to many of the German made cars such as BMW.
Runflat Tyres are Safer allowing the driver to carry on driving the car with a flat tyre.
There are restrictions, though. Specifically, the car must be driven at 50 mph for a maximum distance of 50 miles. This enables the driver to drive the car to a safe stopping place. explicitly, without the car swerving or deviating off course. Those cars that are fitted with this Runflat Tyres Safer system. Therefore, do not carry a jack or spare wheel !
In my opinion, this lets the system down. Some car makers will tell us that this makes the car lighter. As a result, it is more fuel efficient and thus greener. In my opinion, I feel that in general, it is a good idea and makes the vehicles much safer. Significantly, if the car experiences a sudden loss of air (blowout). Assume you’re on a busy highway. Of course, with run-flats, the car will not deviate. Keeping it in a straight line, making driving with Runflat Tyres much Safer.
The odds of this happening though are not as high as the motorist having what I call a “normal puncture”,
this is where the grey area is and this is what Bridgestone say…
“With certain types of punctures in the tread area, the Bridgestone Run-Flat technology tyres may be repaired subject to certain conditions (depending on how far and at what speed the car was driven after the puncture). Please consult your nearest RFT-authorised dealer to have yours inspected.
Before attempting a repair, consult the vehicle owner’s manual for restrictions. “The vehicle manufacturer may restrict the use of repaired tyres on its vehicles.”
“In my opinion we would repair a runflat tyre only if the customer says that he has had a slight loss of pressure and we can find an object such as a screw or nail within the legal area of a normal tyre puncture for example ¾ of the tread width from the centre of the tread outwards and the tyre had not run whilst in a totally deflated state, we would have to take the drivers word for this, so we always take caution and inspect the tyre for any signs of running under inflated, such as
carbon dust or creasing and cracking on the inside of the casing. If we are not sure we would always fit a new tyre.
Eric Roberts… https://www.pellonautocentre.com/runflat_tyres.htm
Can I replace run flat tyres with normal tyres ?
In my opinion the answer is NO , but the following text from Bridgestones website does open a slight gap…
“Bridgestone EU do not recommend mixing tyres with Run-Flat Technology and standard tyres on the same vehicle, even if paired in axle sets. If you have a puncture, tyres with Run-Flat Technology are designed to permit you to proceed to a tyre dealer where you can have the tyre checked and replaced if necessary with another tyre with Run Flat Tyres Technology. In exceptional and emergency circumstances, a conventional tyre of the same size can be fitted. It must be noted that standard tyres do not have Runflat Tyres Safer characteristics and should be removed at the earliest opportunity”… http://www.runflat.eu/english/qa/
In my opinion, they should say that the two different types of tyres should not be mixed, but they say that you can mix them in an emergency, could the fact that the car owner just cant afford them be classed as an emergency.
Ring your insurance company is the advice that I give to all you 2nd and 3rd hand BMW Mini owners when you fall on the floor at the cost of replacing runflat tyres.
Pellon Tyre and Auto-Centre offers car and van servicing and repairs for all makes of vehicles. We sell cheap runflat tyres online from our website, www.pellontyres.co.uk. Of course, by using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size. Offering courtesy cars to local motorists who need to go to work Naturally, they leave their cars with us for work. official MOT testing station.
