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You are correct; we make our choices and live with the consequences. Those of us who take long trips and choose runflats know which is the correct choice! 😉
You are correct; we make our choices and live with the consequences. Those of us who take long trips and choose runflats know which is the correct choice! 😉
I've only had 11 road trips between 2500 and 8000 miles, so maybe that's not enough or not long enough to qualify. The first couple were with runflats, but the one where a rock split the sidewall made me happy it was a non-runflat. Not the part about needing a flatbed down off the mountain, but the part that I could find another non-runflat and get the local tire dealer to change it. Vette size tires are hard to find when you're hundreds of miles from large cities and the farming communities don't stock that stuff.
Just don't have a tire problem with your GS/Z06 near Fallon, MT, because you're 600+ miles from everywhere that has anything to fit.
I have a tendency toward overkill, on my C5 coupe I had non-runflat's so I carried a plugging kit, 12v compressor, small scissor jack, jacking puck, and a socket with extension and a 1/2" drive torque wrench. Because the car set so low on the corner with a flat I carried a 2" thick piece of dense Styrofoam to drive onto so I could get the jack under the car. My plan was to jack up the car, remove the wheel, plug the hole, air up the tire and reinstall the wheel. That was my plan should I have a flat in Northern Nevada or Western Utah and be out of cell phone range. AAA and Visa were my first choices. OBD
The age old question that always ends in the same discussion. I've been driving non runflats for over 15 years and probably 150k miles in three corvettes ...(probably more miles)
The ride and handling improvement is dramatic and considering most cars or I should say a lot of cars today are sold without a spare and don't have runflats I'd suggest runflats are a bit of an overkill.
Still if you feel better with runflats than continue to do so.
For those interested in better ride and handling then make the choice that suits you best.
I think I've gotten three flats in all those miles and years and the repair was simple and easy.
At my convenience I just drove over to a tire store and got an inside patch to maintain speed rating of the tires.
In my opinion the naysayers of non runflats are over blowing the situation but again that's just my opinion.
Last edited by JerriVette; 11-25-2017 at 07:45 PM.
I've only had 11 road trips between 2500 and 8000 miles, so maybe that's not enough or not long enough to qualify. The first couple were with runflats, but the one where a rock split the sidewall made me happy it was a non-runflat. Not the part about needing a flatbed down off the mountain, but the part that I could find another non-runflat and get the local tire dealer to change it. Vette size tires are hard to find when you're hundreds of miles from large cities and the farming communities don't stock that stuff.
Just don't have a tire problem with your GS/Z06 near Fallon, MT, because you're 600+ miles from everywhere that has anything to fit.
I understand what you are trying to say, but there a few holes, here (pun intended). Just because you are running a RF, does not mean you have to replace it with a RF if you are stranded and the only tire available is a non-RF. Another is that the vast majority of Corvette owners are using RFs, and so IF someone is going to be stocking those sizes, they are most likely going to be RFs.
And you are correct, in that most tire places are not going to stock our sizes in either tire type, so would you worry about putting a RF on if it was available, even though you were running non-RFs? The reverse is true on the road; not all our choices are going to be anything other than temporary to get us back on the road and to someplace that can fix our cars more properly.
You are correct; we make our choices and live with the consequences. Those of us who take long trips and choose runflats know which is the correct choice! 😉
Well over 200k miles on my last two Vettes with frequent 800 to 1000 mile trips to visit my offices and some how I survived and still do. Again to each their own. 👍
I understand what you are trying to say, but there a few holes, here (pun intended). Just because you are running a RF, does not mean you have to replace it with a RF if you are stranded and the only tire available is a non-RF. Another is that the vast majority of Corvette owners are using RFs, and so IF someone is going to be stocking those sizes, they are most likely going to be RFs.
And you are correct, in that most tire places are not going to stock our sizes in either tire type, so would you worry about putting a RF on if it was available, even though you were running non-RFs? The reverse is true on the road; not all our choices are going to be anything other than temporary to get us back on the road and to someplace that can fix our cars more properly.
I guess my point was non-RF's are easier to find in the boonies. Most tire stores in the boonies don't even have equipment to change RF tires either. So getting one repaired or replaced with anything, even temporary, is iffy.
My lesson was learned with a blowout 25 miles North of Vernal, UT. A town of 9,000 located 200 miles from the next larger town. We were about 800 miles into a 6500 mile road trip. The only tire dealer (Goodyear) had nothing that would fit a base 18" front wheel. A town of 6,000 had only one, a Sumitomo HTR 30 miles away, so we got one of only two rental cars and grabbed it. The Goodyear dealer said it was the largest passenger tire they had ever dealt with. They knew RF's existed, but had never seen one, nor could remember ever working on a Corvette.
Maybe if all road trips are on Interstate highways, the chances would be better for repairs etc. I choose to see more than high volume truck routes on my travels. I've already been on 45 of the 65 Interstates in the lower 48 and don't really care if I see the other 20. If anyone wants to see the real USA, they have to get off the super slabs and take a few risks.
I guess my point was non-RF's are easier to find in the boonies. Most tire stores in the boonies don't even have equipment to change RF tires either. So getting one repaired or replaced with anything, even temporary, is iffy.
My lesson was learned with a blowout 25 miles North of Vernal, UT. A town of 9,000 located 200 miles from the next larger town. We were about 800 miles into a 6500 mile road trip. The only tire dealer (Goodyear) had nothing that would fit a base 18" front wheel. A town of 6,000 had only one, a Sumitomo HTR 30 miles away, so we got one of only two rental cars and grabbed it. The Goodyear dealer said it was the largest passenger tire they had ever dealt with. They knew RF's existed, but had never seen one, nor could remember ever working on a Corvette.
Maybe if all road trips are on Interstate highways, the chances would be better for repairs etc. I choose to see more than high volume truck routes on my travels. I've already been on 45 of the 65 Interstates in the lower 48 and don't really care if I see the other 20. If anyone wants to see the real USA, they have to get off the super slabs and take a few risks.
A lot of people get killed or injured changing a tire on the side of a busy interstate.I run RF's and i do not expect nor want my vette to ride like a Cadillac.......
Last edited by Cherokee Nation; 11-26-2017 at 04:08 PM.
Reason: add
I have to ask, was this a blow out? If you hit something that did that much damage to the tire, how come the rim doesn't look damaged too?
It almost looks like someone came along with an Xacto knife and not only cut the sidewall, but the tire bead as well!
Thanks for the link! I have Michelin run-flats with only about 3,000 miles on them, so I have a while to go. I think I'm going to stick with them when replacement time comes!
Last edited by marinablu67; 11-26-2017 at 05:20 PM.
Well, this is all good information. I already know the Run Flats don't ride like a caddy, 'cause I had one. Nonetheless, that's what's on the Vette now. When my brother-in-law saw the Vette for the first time, he immediately said what was already on my mind - "We're going to drive what's left of Route 66 Chicago to Santa Monica". So we will, in the spring / summer. We'll head up the Pacific Coast from Santa Monica to WA, and then back though the upper States. I always wanted to visit the Twin Cities. At least now I've got a good idea what kind of kit to pack for tire related problems.
If I have a flat, I just trade cars. If the tires won't hold air, who wants the car. Just call a dealer that is close to where you have the flat, buy a car and get them to deliver it to where you are. Trade the old car with the flat for the one they bring. Done.
Last post on this thread from me. It's a copy from one I posted a few years ago.
A lot more depends on where, when, and how you drive, plus your level of fear, than recommendations from others.
If you don't drive in the rain, you don't need big siping. If you don't drive high speeds, you don't need tires rated at 186 mph. If you don't drag race on or off track, you don't need DR's. If you don't auto-X, road race, or carve corners, you don't need soft compound sticky tires. If you don't fear dark rainy deserted places, you don't need RF's.
That's not to say you shouldn't have any of the above, but just that they're not required.
Personally, I have no fear of tire problems. There are far more things that happen more often, that can instantly strand you someplace and can't be fixed as quickly. Once you determine where your level of fear is, then you have settled the RF vs non-RF debate and you can move forward from there.
I have few questions: How many of you have had a flat? On a Corvette?
If so, how easy was it to plug your tire while the rim was on the ground (and most likely the car too), because this is what happens when your non RF tire gets flat. Ok, now, the tire is not accessible to plug, because you can't see what's going on under there and reach it, or have leverage enough to plug it.
Take this one step further, now that at least one corner of your car is laying on the ground, how is this going to play out when loading it onto a flatbed? Without boards to lay across the low spots, the car is not going to go onto the truck easily even with fully inflated tires. Add the low corner and you can figure out the rest.
I don't really care what you decide to do, but don't make a decision based on ignorance.
I have.. RR, C6Z. I had a pretty low profile scissor jack, but with the flat rear, it didn't fit under the car! I had a decent pump, attached that, it kept air in and kept air coming out of the nail hole (the nail had come out). Then I had to slowly move the car until I could approach the leak. I plugged it, and it held. Took about 15 minutes. This was on a off ramp off of a very high bridge. Seriously, the flat tire warning lit just as I crested the bridge. unbelievable!
These were non-runflats. I was prepared. It made my life SO much easier than calling a tow. I was barely late for work.
Here's what I would add and sorry if it's already mentioned:
1. Plugs work. They last way longer than RFT's after a flat. I've driven 200 miles with a tire edge plug. You can double plug big gaps.
2. RFT's work well. I've had flats on them and driven 90 miles to civility. Saved a trip! (although a spare would have worked too).
3. Even if you have RFT, consider a plug kit and pump... BECAUSE... If you drive on no pressure with a RFT it is toast. If you prevent driving on no pressure you can plug and patch it and use it for years although speed rating goes away (as I have done with said rft). Having a RFT is an added safety measure. The 90 miles I went with one was with a sidewall rock tear no plug would fix (non-vette). Long road trip, any tire, bring a repair set.
11-25-2017, 06:21 PM
OBD
A lot of people get killed or injured changing a tire on the side of a busy interstate.I run RF's and i do not expect nor want my vette to ride like a Cadillac.......
