Stan0324

I read that if you get a flat, you can drive up to 50 miles with no problem. Now if the flat is caused by a screw or nail (not a big tear in the tire) can just keep on inflating the tire until you get home ?

Good to know if you are not close to home.

Chemdawg99

Yes, this is true. Of course if you run on flat (or with a small hole you keep refilling with air or fix with slime) you'll have to have the tire replaced vs repaired.

L8ter

Might want to try to get it patched sooner than later?

That is unless someone else come along and tells you different.

Fcal

Carry a small compressor and plug kit.
I do on long trips.
Patchboy.com

Indy-hp

Yes. The 50-mile limit is only for zero pressure driving.

jcp911s

A "run-flat" will run without any air at medium speeds (40-50) for 50 miles... that is the design spec.

A small puncture/slow leak can be addressed short-term by refilling with air. It can also be repaired as long as the sidewall is intact.

That said, the same could be said for any tire... run-flat, or not.

Now, if you have a major failure, such as sidewall damage due to a pothole, you're basically screwed... 50 miles ain't going to help you if you're driving on the Interstate Sunday afternoon. Chances of finding a replacement tire at the Sak-O-Suds on Exit 225 is pretty slim.

Run-flats make sense for Nanny Smith and her Toyota Corolla, but on a Z51 Corvette, they are legalistic, butt-covering, t*ts on a bull.

JerryU

My C6 was parked at the airport and when I started the pressure was 5 lbs low in one tire. Drove the 10 miles home, filled the tire to 35 pounds and drove 15 miles to the tire dealer the next day. Checked the pressure and it was 32 psi. This was Firestone and the nail was not in the outer tread so they patched it. IF the tire had very low pressure they are not allowed to repair it.
If it's a slow leak, as in this case caused by a nail (that I did not remove, so it helped hold air) no reason you can't have it fixed, which requires a patch on the inside.

Richard Ames

Tire service contract replaced a tire because of the location on the tread (first rib from the sidewall). If a tire service contract says replace the tire it says something. Location of a puncture and if driven zero pressure are important considerations.

Slappy3243

Yes, because this is precisely the only time that sidewall damage can happen.

DickieDoo

The problem with the run flats is that it is easy to exceed the recommendations about the limits of zero pressure driving and you end up damaging the side wall of the tire and it must be replaced.

Happened to my friend on his BMW, and he had to replace the tire because it was toast, and BMW's **** poor pressure monitor did not warn him either! They measure rotational distance, and with RF, it's virtually the same!

Still easier with the TPMS to carry a compressor, and keep the pressure up until you get home or to a tire shop, run flat or not.

So to achieve this small gain in driving ability, you must..
1: pay nearly twice as much
2: suffer poor ride for the life of the tire
3: suffer poorer handling and traction ( my Pirelli Allseason runflats suck in the snow )
4: probably have to replace the tire if you get a flat anyway

I just don't understand why some people love runflats, are you telling me you don't know how to use a portable compressor ?

eboggs_jkvl

Put a jack, spare rim and tire in the trunk and then you can be back in the 60s when they didn't have run flats. Oh, and teach the wife how to put that spare on the car if SHE happens to be the one driving when it goes flat. Oh, and have her get a CCW in case the flat happens in a part of town that might not be too safe.

Not to start an argument but my Corvette will have run flat tires on it until I sell it to someone that "Knows better".

Elmer

jcp911s

Hey... Tell me about it...

After spending well over $2,800 this year replacing wheels and tires on my BMW due to potholes, up here in Chestnut Hillistan, this is not a minor issue.... and it not covered by insurance.

///ADMAN

My preferred choice is:

Chemdawg99

Sorry, but you are comparing runflat technology of about 10 years ago to now.

A compressor won't help you in all situations and neither will runflats, but then advocates on both sides of the runflat vs regular tires debate use the worst case scenario to justify their choice.

I prefer to keep runflats on my Corvette because unlike my trucks, I don't have a spare. It's really as simple as that for me. Unlike my C5 and C6, there is no performance penalty with the Michelin runflats on my C7 that I can detect given how I use my car and I'd rather not have to deal with a flat on the side of the road in my Corvette with a compressor if I don't have to. I very seriously doubt I'll catch a flat in Timbuktu since I don't drive out there.

jcp911s

Boy oh boy, my golly, gee wiz, my black and white TV, and AM radio are just good enough for me...

The point is that tires are very mission-specific... for a Honda commuter car, they are fine... nobody's complaining.

For an ultra-high performance sports car, they have drawbacks that outweigh their benefits.... they are on the car because GM's lawyers demand it.... they just do it so they don't have to spend the money and engineering space in the car for a "spare"... and I'm all for that.

If you send your wife into bad sections of town in a Corvette at midnight, and you're worried about a flat, then you made that decision.

I have run-flats on my BMW, and they're fine.

For my Corvette, personally, I can't wait to get rid of them.

DickieDoo

Also, forgot to mention that they are marginally heavier, so more rotational mass.

I can see the point for some runflats, but not on a high performance car.
If you want to spend the money and endure the rougher ride, fine with me.

Yes runflats have come a long way and my last set of PS2's were ZP's and they rode quite well for a RF. The problem is that they keep lowering the aspect ratios from 70-60-50-40-30 and with the low aspect ratios, you are already going to suffer in ride and handling, yes steering response will be better, but combine that with RF stiffness and you end up loosing on the performance end of things.

Chemdawg99

GM's lawyers?!?!



Yeah, I suppose if you are going to build and sell a car with no spare tire and no tire changing equipment, then you have to give the people buying that car an alternative since tires are rubber and they can and do go flat.

Again, if you don't want them on your car, that's your choice and I can't say I blame you since it really is contingent on how you drive your Vette.

My only quibble is in suggesting it is only a legal manuver on GM's part and for ignoring the advancement in runflat technology over the years.

jcp911s

OK, lets set the bar.

Auto companies are under tremendous legal pressures... they are highly regulated... they have thousands of legal hurdles to jump.

They have to make compromises.

Whether it makes sense or not, a "spare" tire is institutionalized as a required feature of any car.

Back in the day, so was a "cigarette lighter"...(now a charger... but I digress).

Frankly, with today's tire technology, a "spare" tire is irrelevant, but it's legally institutionalized into the production requirements.

"Run-Flat" technology allows manufacturers to meet 99% of drivers requirements, while saving cost and weight on millions of cars... its fine.

If "run-flat" tires are what it takes to get GM to approve the Corvette, I'm OK with that.

But understand, its just a way to get around dumb obsolete rules.

JerryU

Not sure what all these negative comments are re the Michelin Run Flats! My Z51 has phenomenal traction! With the same width tires as I had on my C6 Z51 they have far more lateral acceleration! They have very low, race car slip angles and stiffer side walls IMO make it handle fine! Have not seen any data that a non-run flat get higher "g" force!
Sure the ride is a bit stiffer but it's a sports car! In fact I don't have mag shocks in my Z51 and the ride is fine! Granted our roads in Eastern SC are flat and without frost heave are pretty good. Guess at 73 I'm not old enough to want a Cadillac ride in a sports car!
They are a bit noisy but I just play the radio louder so it’s a non-issue!

Chemdawg99

You are entitled to your opinions, but please don't state them as fact.

As I said, if a company builds a car with no spare tire and no tire changing equipment, then it legally (or risk lawsuits) must provide alternative means. People get flat tires all of the time. Tires going flat isn't some remote possibility in the aggregate. Ergo, one needs some means to deal with a flat from the factory. However, that's where the legal aspects end.

One reason car companies put run flats on cars and delete spares and tire changing equipment, as you point out, is to save weight. They also do it open up possibilities for innovative designs. You don't get a C5, C6, or C7 in the cutting edge designs they have if GM had design in space for a spare and tire changing equipment. It's called progress and not everyone is pleased with it.