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| 08-24-2009, 09:06 PM | #1 |
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My run flat "solution"
It really isn't a solution but my way to address run flat tires is to carry a little compressor. That is because all except one flat I have had in over 35 years driving has been a slow leak. With a compressor, I could have aired them up and driven to where I could have gotten a proper fix (I think plugs should be installed from inside the tire after pulling it from the rim and include patches or mushroom shaped plugs). After a bunch of googling, I decided on a Viair 70P available for less than $50 delivered. I tried it today after I got it. It raised my rear tires from about 35 psi to over 40 psi very quickly. And it did not blow a fuse plugged into the cigarette lighter. Only issue is the engine had to be running for the cigarette lighter to have electricity. The whole unit is much different from the little cheap units I have used previously. The valve screws onto the tire and appears to be brass. The hose is soft rubber. The cord was long enough to do both rear tires without repositioning the electrical cord. The gauge is a bit off but at least it has one. And an on/off switch. And it pumps significant air quickly and quietly. It even has little rubber feet.
Jim
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| 08-24-2009, 09:16 PM | #2 |
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| 08-25-2009, 04:42 AM | #3 |
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That is not going to do anything for you if you REALLY get a flat tire. I have an '04 M3 with a "mobility kit". The last flat tire that I experienced had a hole in the tire the size of a dime. I was stuck on the road and had to had someone take me back home in order to get a spare tire...
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| 08-25-2009, 12:08 PM | #4 |
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fun2drv,
I agree. I haven't had a flat like that but I could. And if I do, either the tire will "run flat" or I will be using the 800 number to get a tow. Yearofthe1, I tried sealant once and it didn't work and I couldn't get the tire plugged due to the sealant. So I do not plan to use it again. I hope it works better for you or that you don't have to try it. I noticed the compressor in your kit is supposed to fill the tire in 7 minutes. I think my 70P is rated to do it in about 3 minutes. Jim
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128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport
Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09 |
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| 08-25-2009, 01:08 PM | #5 |
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I also carry sealant (Tire Slime) and air compressor. I also carry a tire plug kit and a scissor jack and 17mm socket wrench. That way I can remove the tire and plug it if the sealant does not work. It should fix most holes but dime-sized holes and sidewall damage will still leave me stranded.
Tire Plug Kit: http://www.amazon.com/Slime-63-Pc-Co.../dp/B000AS706E Extended Tool Kit: http://leatherz.com/Merchant5/mercha...etyConvenience I would love to get a proper spare tire but with a convertible I do not have the trunk space for one. I would only need it when I am taking a road trip...which is when I need the trunk space for lugagge. The tool kit, compressor, plugs and sealant take enough enough space as is. Spare Tire Kit: http://leatherz.com/Merchant5/mercha...etyConvenience |
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| 08-26-2009, 12:05 AM | #6 |
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i'll just buy another set of RFT when the original wears out.
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| 08-26-2009, 10:44 AM | #7 |
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A pump, slime, mobility kit, etc is a good idea.
But, when you use low profile tires like we have on rough roads, you'll sometimes get blowouts that you can't temporarily salvage. It's even feasible that a run flat won't even let you drive away or for sure will be damage if you do try to drive on it. It might never happen, but it's probably happened to me 3 or 4 times here on Atlanta roads with 35 to 40% profile tires. Slime or a patch kit won't work on a cracked wheels, etc. That's why I ditched the runflats and now have a spare, jack, etc.
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| 08-26-2009, 12:49 PM | #8 | ||
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Quote:
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http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AH8&url=index.jsp Please refer to 'Gary/E90 Post' as your previous contact when you order online to help support this forum. |
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| 08-26-2009, 04:17 PM | #9 |
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Gill,
I had not heard of latex sealant. Interesting option. It is apparently pumped into the tire by the air compressor effectively ruining the air hose of the compressor in the process. But a new hose comes with the next tank of sealant so you do not have to replace the whole thing. Interesting option. The "slime" I used you squeezed into the deflated tire and then aired it up. So you didn't damage the compressor but did damage the tire. My data set is very limited but I still wonder how much better it is to use sealant. If the leak is very big, I doubt the sealant will work. And if it is slow, just airing it up, possibly more than once, until you can get it repaired seems like it would work. I'm sure that there is a tire leak that I could have that I'd wish I had sealant but it seems like a fairly narrow set of circumstances. But with the Conti kit, I see no reason you could not try the compressor alone first. Jim
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