Run Flat Tire - What If?
04-10-2012, 03:35 PM
#1
Run Flat Tire - What If?
Premise: What if you take a road trip thru a rural area and get a flat tire. Lets say you are able to then drive it 50-100 miles and get to the only Tire Store in town (might be Big O, Discount Tire, Sam's Club, even Walmart). Further, lets say the tire cannot be repaired (or they don't want to repair it) and the tire shop does not have the exact brand of run flat tire that you have.
What would you do?
a. Purchase a non-run flat tire?
b. Purchase a run flat tire that fits the car even if its a different brand/tread design than what's installed on the other 3 wheels?
c. Assuming either a or b, what do you do when you finally get back home (go shopping again for another compatable replacement?)
Just wondering if anyone has had to deal with a decision such as this...
Thanks in advance...
Dan
What would you do?
a. Purchase a non-run flat tire?
b. Purchase a run flat tire that fits the car even if its a different brand/tread design than what's installed on the other 3 wheels?
c. Assuming either a or b, what do you do when you finally get back home (go shopping again for another compatable replacement?)
Just wondering if anyone has had to deal with a decision such as this...
Thanks in advance...
Dan
04-10-2012, 03:40 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
I haven't had to deal with the picture you paint, but I've thought about it. Even worse, What if you are in the middle of nowhere and get to a town that is so small it doesn't even have a tire that will fit.
Of the choices you gave, I would go with A and hope to find an inexpensive tire.
Of the choices you gave, I would go with A and hope to find an inexpensive tire.
04-10-2012, 03:48 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Sep 2007
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A. Never go to a rural area
B. Make friends now with a roll-back operator
C. Carry a spare front & rear tire with you
D. Subscribe to AAA
E. Abandon car and run like hell
F. Drive it on 2 or 3 tires like you always brag about . . . . .
B. Make friends now with a roll-back operator
C. Carry a spare front & rear tire with you
D. Subscribe to AAA
E. Abandon car and run like hell
F. Drive it on 2 or 3 tires like you always brag about . . . . .
04-10-2012, 03:53 PM
#6
Instructor
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Have not had to do any of the above but i think about it.
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
04-10-2012, 04:21 PM
#7
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
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Have not had to do any of the above but i think about it.
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
Bill
04-10-2012, 04:27 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Feb 2011
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
Have not had to do any of the above but i think about it.
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
plus one container of slime.
04-10-2012, 04:30 PM
#9
Safety Car
Still miss the advantage of a run flat where you can drive on a non repairable tire until you get somewhere to fix it. If your non run flat tire ran over a sharp metal object that put a slice in the tread Vs a puncture your plug would not work and you would be stuck where you are. If that happened with a run flat you could still drive on the tire. Even though you can only drive 50 miles at 55 mph on an EMT and still have it be repairable that doesn't mean you can't drive it several hundred miles and still have it hold together if repairing it isn't your concern. Definitely can go much further than a non run flat since it can't go at all.
Bill
Bill
Following that logic, if I had a flat and were truly in the sticks (as I am when I drive to where I grew up in WV), I would drive sensibly, and drive as many miles as necessary to get to a place that could fix or replace my runflat. I guarantee it will be less than 600 miles to get there.
I've had 4 flats in 2 years, so I'm stayin' with run flats for my vette for now.
04-10-2012, 04:39 PM
#10
Team Owner
Premise: What if you take a road trip thru a rural area and get a flat tire. Lets say you are able to then drive it 50-100 miles and get to the only Tire Store in town (might be Big O, Discount Tire, Sam's Club, even Walmart). Further, lets say the tire cannot be repaired (or they don't want to repair it) and the tire shop does not have the exact brand of run flat tire that you have.
What would you do?
a. Purchase a non-run flat tire?
b. Purchase a run flat tire that fits the car even if its a different brand/tread design than what's installed on the other 3 wheels?
c. Assuming either a or b, what do you do when you finally get back home (go shopping again for another compatable replacement?)
Just wondering if anyone has had to deal with a decision such as this...
Thanks in advance...
Dan
What would you do?
a. Purchase a non-run flat tire?
b. Purchase a run flat tire that fits the car even if its a different brand/tread design than what's installed on the other 3 wheels?
c. Assuming either a or b, what do you do when you finally get back home (go shopping again for another compatable replacement?)
Just wondering if anyone has had to deal with a decision such as this...
Thanks in advance...
Dan
Then I bought all new tires. Now I carry Dyna Plug with me with compressor and also slime kit.
04-10-2012, 05:51 PM
#12
Instructor
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Still miss the advantage of a run flat where you can drive on a non repairable tire until you get somewhere to fix it. If your non run flat tire ran over a sharp metal object that put a slice in the tread Vs a puncture your plug would not work and you would be stuck where you are. If that happened with a run flat you could still drive on the tire. Even though you can only drive 50 miles at 55 mph on an EMT and still have it be repairable that doesn't mean you can't drive it several hundred miles and still have it hold together if repairing it isn't your concern. Definitely can go much further than a non run flat since it can't go at all.
Bill
Bill
ESPECIALLY IF IN FRONT AND WHO WANTS TO TEAR UP THEIR RIMS FOR NO REASON?? IF ITS A HEAVY FLAT IE SLICE TOW IT IN. IF ITS A LIGHT FLAT USE WHAT IS AVAILABLE A COMPRESSOR AND PLUG NO MATTER IF ITS RUN FLAT OR NOT. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE HARD TIME FINDING SOMEONE TO REPAIR A RUN FLAT REMEMBER THEIR REP IS ON THE LINE IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG. BOTTOM LINE IS USE WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND IF IT HAPPENS USE WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO GET HOME SAFELY.
04-10-2012, 06:03 PM
#13
Burning Brakes
A man was run over and killed in this area a couple of nights ago attemping to change or repair a tire and this is not the first time i have read about this type of thing happening. I will stick with runflats and drive it as far as i can go which should be far enough to get a new tire.
04-10-2012, 06:06 PM
#14
Le Mans Master
Adding if this non-repairable flat happens in the middle of a vacation.
1 - Start calling all local shops to see if they stock said replacement tire.
2 - Install cheapest tire that fits at the first shop you can reach.
3 - Over night freight a correct tire to this shop...add cost of hotel.
That's what I'd do.
1 - Start calling all local shops to see if they stock said replacement tire.
2 - Install cheapest tire that fits at the first shop you can reach.
3 - Over night freight a correct tire to this shop...add cost of hotel.
That's what I'd do.
04-10-2012, 07:07 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Sep 2008
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that happened to me with one of my other previous cars.. not a vette,.. the tire shop special ordered the tire and i stayed an extra day in town waiting on it. left in the afternoon and made a late drive, but got the right tire.
04-10-2012, 07:36 PM
#17
Racer
04-10-2012, 07:39 PM
#18
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Have not had to do any of the above but i think about it.
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
I now have non run flats on because of cost avalilability and also better ride and quieter.
So i got a small portable plug in cigarett lighter compressor to pump up tire, fits in drivers side rear cubby hole , i have a plug kit that you can get anywhere i got mine at walmart and if i get a nail i'll plug, air it up and get to a reliable tire shop to decide if i can patch on inside or get another tire.
If need be i can go further on a plug i can, just need to watch speed.
I did do all the above on my c5 and later had it inside patched and ran with that for another 3k, no problem
04-10-2012, 08:14 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Most places would would not stock my tire, it would be more of getting the vehicle to a GM dealership, Costco, or to tire store to have the tire shipped overnight from a Michelin wholesale location.
Driving on the run-flat would not be an issue unless the tire was shredded in which case AAA is my friend, and would tow me to a location to get the tire either repaired or replaced, you might lose a day or so....you never know what unexpected things can happen on a trip.
Driving on the run-flat would not be an issue unless the tire was shredded in which case AAA is my friend, and would tow me to a location to get the tire either repaired or replaced, you might lose a day or so....you never know what unexpected things can happen on a trip.
04-10-2012, 08:17 PM
#20
Race Director
Still miss the advantage of a run flat where you can drive on a non repairable tire until you get somewhere to fix it. If your non run flat tire ran over a sharp metal object that put a slice in the tread Vs a puncture your plug would not work and you would be stuck where you are. If that happened with a run flat you could still drive on the tire. Even though you can only drive 50 miles at 55 mph on an EMT and still have it be repairable that doesn't mean you can't drive it several hundred miles and still have it hold together if repairing it isn't your concern. Definitely can go much further than a non run flat since it can't go at all.
Bill
Bill
If it is obviously not repairable then it makes no difference how far you drive. But it doesn't matter if it is a RF or not, chances are they will not have the C6 size in stock. With a non RF you are stuck at the point of damage, doesn't matter where it is at.
It is all part of the risk of owning a Corvette. A lot of cars don't have run flats or a spare tire. Thankfully tires do not blow out much.