So are they? (Run flat)

[grumpy]

On another thread someone said that the Bridgestone fitted to the Elise are "run flat" tyres.
News to me, are they right? I wouldn't like to ruin a good wheel trying to "get home".

[S Works]

No, they're not.

[grumpy]

Thought not.

[burnsburnsburns]

I had run-flats on my Mini Cooper and an indicator light came on in the car to tell you that there was a difference in pressure so you know to check for a flat. Without this functionality I don't think you could have run-flats as you'd never know you had a flat until you'd wrecked your wheel.

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Correct, all run flats have to have sensors on the wheels to tell you. That's why thry say, never run them on car not designed for them, because you'll wreck your wheels or end up in a serious accident.

[jdbecks]

and run flats weigh alot, they use them on the snatch land rover, and they weigh a hell of a lot more than a normal wheel

[S Works]

I personally wouldn't use run flats for one simple overriding reason. They ruin the feel of the car. There is a very good reason why BMW don't fit them to M-sport cars.

[Tin Hat]

I had them on a Mini, they are terrible. Generally seemed to require renewal after a puncture at £ 150.00 a corner.Rubbish.

[squirejo]

not only are they sh*t they are also difficult to get - just waited 2 weeks following puncture on my BMW and the price of this rare rubber? £268 EACH.

[sramdeen]

yep, had 'em on my Bini too. Rubbish!

Which reminds me... I must pick up a can of that tyre gunk sealer stuff for the Elise...

[fatboy111]

Does / will the Elise have tyre sensors to alert the driver of a puncture...noticed on the MY08 Exige images a 'tyre with !' symbol...or is this TC?

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Nope, no sensors as far as I am aware. But to be honest, if you can't tell when you've got a flat, you've got problems, lol.

Tyre Gunk - Halfords have it, made by Holts AFAIK about £10-15.

[Gooby]

LivinLaVidaLotus said:

Nope, no sensors as far as I am aware. But to be honest, if you can't tell when you've got a flat, you've got problems, lol.

Tyre Gunk - Halfords have it, made by Holts AFAIK about £10-15.

That is interesting. Can you actually use that tyre smeg stuff in car wheels?

[S Works]

Yep, but only for a few miles to get you to a repair place.

As for knowing when you've got a puncture in a Lotus... you don't need a sensor. I can tell when the pressure's out by a couple of psi on any given wheel just by how the car feels. You can just tell when it's 'wrong'.

[kevin ritson]

Depends on the type of road you're driving on. I must have driven a couple of miles on a motorway after a blowout, at first it felt like a stong headwind was slowing the car, then the controls felt sluggish, when I came out of a bend with the the steering wheel at 45 degrees, it was pretty obvious by then...that and the terrible stink from the rear of the car when I dropped under 30.

The sidewall had a 6 inch gash in it, not much tyre foam can do in that situation

[Gooby]

S Works said:

Yep, but only for a few miles to get you to a repair place.

As for knowing when you've got a puncture in a Lotus... you don't need a sensor. I can tell when the pressure's out by a couple of psi on any given wheel just by how the car feels. You can just tell when it's 'wrong'.

Nope, I mean tyre slime. You put it in through the valve and when you get a puncture it automatically seals the hole. You get it for mountain bikes, and small tractors.

[RichQuy]

Gooby said:

S Works said:

Yep, but only for a few miles to get you to a repair place.

As for knowing when you've got a puncture in a Lotus... you don't need a sensor. I can tell when the pressure's out by a couple of psi on any given wheel just by how the car feels. You can just tell when it's 'wrong'.

Nope, I mean tyre slime. You put it in through the valve and when you get a puncture it automatically seals the hole. You get it for mountain bikes, and small tractors.

Yeah, that is how you do it (mine came with a can of this Holts stuff - I thought all Elises/Exiges did?) but as S Works says - it's only meant as a 'get-you-home' method or to the nearest garage, etc.

[Gooby]

RichQuy said:

Gooby said:

S Works said:

Yep, but only for a few miles to get you to a repair place.

As for knowing when you've got a puncture in a Lotus... you don't need a sensor. I can tell when the pressure's out by a couple of psi on any given wheel just by how the car feels. You can just tell when it's 'wrong'.

Nope, I mean tyre slime. You put it in through the valve and when you get a puncture it automatically seals the hole. You get it for mountain bikes, and small tractors.

Yeah, that is how you do it (mine came with a can of this Holts stuff - I thought all Elises/Exiges did?) but as S Works says - it's only meant as a 'get-you-home' method or to the nearest garage, etc.

NOOOO!
I will start at the beginning
http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/c...

This stuff.

On a good tyre, you take out the valve, then squire in through the valve some "slime". This coats the inside of the wheel and when you get a puncture it then automatically seals the puncture. It isnt a "tyre weld" foam in a can to re-inflate the tyre after the problem has occured.

[S Works]

I know what you mean now mate, never seen it with an application where you can use it on a car tyre though.

[Raify]

The John Cooper garage gave me the details of someone who was applying that stuff to normal tyres people had replaced the ruin flats with on their MINI's.

Never got round to calling them....