KingTut

I was driving about 35 and ran over several turtles (white things in the road about 4" high and 6 " diameter). The shock not only broke the seals and both the front and rear right side tires went flat, but both side walls ended up with 2" gashes I could stick my finger through.

I have run over these before with my Deville and no issue, now I have 2 ruined tires.

I bought the Piliot Sports (non zp) for the softer side walls, but now wonder if they are too soft for our suspensions and helped cause the problems.

I am reluctant to just replace them as the same thing just might happen again. I have loved the tires but maybe there is something else in the overall design of things that requires a stiffer side wall be used.

I need help as the car is sitting awaiting my decision.

Wah

I don't understand what you are trying to expect.

You ran things that are 4" tall over with your Corvette and you expect the tires to withstand them ? You may need something with super thick sidewall to resist sidewall cut, such as Super Swamper Bogger or Thornbird.

I don't think you can find a low profile, high performance tires that can withstand that kind of impact. Dang, 4" tall. That should qualify as a curb.

KingTut

These were not "junk" in the road, they were placed there by the county to seperate lanes at a turn in to a subdivision on a residential street. I was turning into the second entrance and just got a little too far right at the first entrance prior to turning right into the that lane.

One does not expect professionally placed road indicators to tear up two tires on a low speed residential street.

Maybe they were 3 inches high - I did not actually measure. And I can assure you cars run over them every day.

BRICHC4

I doubt that alone would cause tears, were your tires up to pressure if you know, cause if not there would be extra flex, I have pirelli's with a 35 ratio tire, hit a curb at about 45 degrees and all I ended up with was the very corner got pinched and a small cut just in the rubber. So my guess is either pressure was low, or there was something else on the road right there that you couldn't see. (they are probably putting razor blades on the markers since they are tired of people running over them everyday)

KingTut

There were a series of these, like 3 in a row about a foot apart each. I believe that the first one, caused the seal to break and the air to rush out. Then hitting the second and third ones with no air in the tires caused the rims to slice into the side walls.

To focus back on the question, would having a run flat tire where the side wall is stifer have made any difference.

If not I will just replace them and drive more carefully, otherwise I will replace the set with the ZP's instead.

I just have this feeling like this will happen again, and do not want the same results.

BRICHC4

The purpose of the run flat is just that, since there is no pressure in the tire it holds up to road demands, just as you have witnessed. I can understand that the price of tires is enough to make you hesitate.

Mr. Peabody

While run-flats do have thicker side walls.... I doube that they would protect you in a situation like that. Hitting that "road hazard" even at just 35 mph puts a lot of force against the tire.

That's why even with run-flats....if the tire goes flat you can drive upto 50mph. You can't go zooming at 100mph on a runflat with no air in it.

Let me however suggest a possible alternative. When you purchase your next tires, run-flats or not, spend the extra $20 and take the road hazard protection. With that you just take your wheel & tire into the shop and when the manager asks you what-the-heck-happened you simply look him in the eye and say "hit a road hazard". BINGO new tire no questions asked, mounted and balanced(at Discount Tire)

Ask me how I know

BRICHC4

Here in colorado when I've gone to firestone twice with the GF tires, all they wanted was the vehicle plate, owners name and no questions asked, I didn't even have the car with me.