[st3v]

Hit a pothole and it bubbled. Checked the tire, and thought I could drive home 80 miles at a reduced speed but then this happened in the worst location possible on the freeway with no exits near me. Waited 4 hours at night for a tow truck, since they kept cancelling at the last minute. I think I am done with run-flats.

[torkles]

I guess they aren't kidding when they say "up to 50 miles".

[sygazelle]

Friends don't let friends drive on Run Flats.

[Billfitz]

With non RFT you wouldn't have made it as far as you did.

[otay]

Originally Posted by st3v

Hit a pothole and it bubbled. Checked the tire, and thought I could drive home 80 miles at a reduced speed but then this happened in the worst location possible on the freeway with no exits near me. Waited 4 hours at night for a tow truck, since they kept cancelling at the last minute. I think I am done with run-flats.

Doh!

[st3v]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

With non RFT you wouldn't have made it as far as you did.

If there was a spare tire, I would have made it home.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by st3v

If there was a spare tire, I would have made it home.

But his car would have weighed 100lbs heavier.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by st3v

If there was a spare tire, I would have made it home.

That's why I bought a temporary spare and toss it in the trunk when I'm going out of town. I also have a tire repair kit, jack and pump in the car all the time. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

[torkles]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

That's why I bought a temporary spare and toss it in the trunk when I'm going out of town. I also have a tire repair kit, jack and pump in the car all the time. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

right. and there's nothing preventing anyone with rfts from doing this as well. it's not like we don't all know the car doesn't come with a spare.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

With non RFT you wouldn't have made it as far as you did.

Possibly. It's also possible that he would not have had a flat in the first place.

[st3v]

Originally Posted by torkles

right. and there's nothing preventing anyone with rfts from doing this as well. it's not like we don't all know the car doesn't come with a spare.

There is something preventing people with RFTs from doing this. There is no place to put the spare tire. It will take up the trunk space, which people need when making long trips.

[st3v]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

But his car would have weighed 100lbs heavier.

The vast majority of people should have spare tires for safety reasons, regardless if it adds 100lbs or not.

The smaller number of people who need the lesser weight for motorsports, can remove the spare tire when they are racing.

[lo_xyooj]

OMG!

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Possibly. It's also possible that he would not have had a flat in the first place.

Possible, but not probable. That type of damage from hitting a pothole is hardly limited to RFT. IMO the main culprit is low profile tires. Less rubber and air between the car and the pothole increases the damage potential.

There is something preventing people with RFTs from doing this. There is no place to put the spare tire. It will take up the trunk space, which people need when making long trips.

The same applies to those with non RFT. Don't blame RFT, blame car manufacturers who eliminate spare tires to save weight to reach mileage goals.

[otay]

Was just reading a Car & Driver article from last year where they were talking to a suspension/steering guy from BMW and he said BMW worked with run-flat OEMs to make them less harsh/stiff, but the side effect was max 50 miles when deflated.


I changed to non run flat a while ago, but rarely take this car on long trips. Something to think about...

[torkles]

Originally Posted by st3v

There is something preventing people with RFTs from doing this. There is no place to put the spare tire. It will take up the trunk space, which people need when making long trips.

it's still a choice. risk dealing with the runflats, or have more trunk space. again, everyone knows their car has no spare. they advertise being a solution for up to 50 miles. they are designed to get you off the highway and to a shop, not 80 miles home.

when i took the runflats off my e90, i put a jack, tire iron, and a tire fix kit in the car with plugs, slime, and a 12v pump. you gotta weigh the amount of risk you're willing to take. if you want a car that has a spot for a spare tire, don't buy a bmw lol.

i'm curious to know how far the tire got you before it totally shit the bed.

[st3v]

Originally Posted by torkles

i'm curious to know how far the tire got you before it totally shit the bed.

Tire low indicator came on and I took next exit to look at bubble. Put some air in to normal pressure, and 20 miles after I looked at the bubble, it did this.

[SpenceRx]

That sounds like a poor outcome OP.

I would much prefer to have go-flats and a dedicated spare full size or otherwise.

My X3 has a full size spare and I like it that way. My wife on the other hand much prefers run flats and perceives them to be safer and more convenient.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by st3v

Hit a pothole and it bubbled. Checked the tire, and thought I could drive home 80 miles at a reduced speed but then this happened in the worst location possible on the freeway with no exits near me. Waited 4 hours at night for a tow truck, since they kept cancelling at the last minute. I think I am done with run-flats.

In fairness, if 50 miles is a MAX, then that max will be reduced if the tire damage in on the sidewall, and not in the tread, because the stiffer sidewall has been compromised.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by st3v

Hit a pothole and it bubbled. Checked the tire, and thought I could drive home 80 miles at a reduced speed but then this happened in the worst location possible on the freeway with no exits near me. Waited 4 hours at night for a tow truck, since they kept cancelling at the last minute. I think I am done with run-flats.

Well hitting a pothole and getting a bubble imply the sidewall is already damaged, that's not what the run-flat is designed to tackle. It sounds crazy to try driving with damaged sidewall for 80 miles, and expecting any tire(run-flat or otherwise) to stay in one piece.

In fact this can be quite dangerous, and can cause harm to oneself and many others sharing the same roads, so please do not do it again.

[madmonkey]

When you got the bubble, you were in trouble...that pic is a normal fail for a runflat tire that has a sidewall bubble. The bubble occurs because the sidewall has a small tear on the inside. The pressure than pushes the sidewall out where it it weak...appearing as a bubble.

In a go flat, you'd probably have had a blow out on impact with the pothole and a more serious incident.

As previously said - it's more of an issue with low profile tires - less cushion for the pushin and all that...

[spuntyb]

Non-runflats and tire repair kit FTW!