[jeffalank]

Hello,

It's time to replace my original Continental ContiProContact SSR run-flat tires. I've read a great deal about staying with RFTs or replacing them with regular tires, and I see pluses and minuses with either approach.

I have no problem with my current tires; road noise is low, ride comfort is good, and 26-30k miles before replacing is acceptable.

Buying/installing a new set of RFTs would cost about $150 more than the regular tires I would buy (BFGoodrich - g-Force COMP-2 A/S), so cost difference is not an issue.

I have two questions:
1. My only concern about RFTs is when I might be much more than 50 miles away from a tire shop; would sealant injected into an RFT allow me to keep driving for several hundred miles (as it would on a regular tire)?

2. If RFT air pressure is moderately low (as indicated by the TPMS), is there any harm to the tires if I keep driving 50, 100, or more miles before I find a place to add air to the tires?

Thank you,
Jeff

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by jeffalank

Hello,

It's time to replace my original Continental ContiProContact SSR run-flat tires. I've read a great deal about staying with RFTs or replacing them with regular tires, and I see pluses and minuses with either approach.

I have no problem with my current tires; road noise is low, ride comfort is good, and 26-30k miles before replacing is acceptable.

Buying/installing a new set of RFTs would cost about $150 more than the regular tires I would buy (BFGoodrich - g-Force COMP-2 A/S), so cost difference is not an issue.

I have two questions:
1. My only concern about RFTs is when I might be much more than 50 miles away from a tire shop; would sealant injected into an RFT allow me to keep driving for several hundred miles (as it would on a regular tire)?

2. If RFT air pressure is moderately low (as indicated by the TPMS), is there any harm to the tires if I keep driving 50, 100, or more miles before I find a place to add air to the tires?

Thank you,
Jeff

The 50 mile limit is for driving on your RFTs with little or no pressure. So, in theory, yes, if you could plug the hole with sealant and keep pressure in the tire, you would be able to drive more than 50 miles.

But where are you that you would need to drive 50-100 miles before adding air to your tires? If that's the case, you should keep a portable air compressor in the trunk, with a cigarette lighter adapter (I have a Black & Decker), and take it with you to those areas.

[chiefneil]

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use sealant on an RFT. I keep this in my trunk for those road trips where I'm more than an hour away from civilization. You can use the inflator only, or add the sealant if the leak is severe. I keep an emergency jump-start battery gizmo in the trunk too, but that's a subject for a different thread.

https://www.amazon.com/Slime-70005-S...ire+repair+kit

[grancoupef36]

swapped my run flats out and started carrying a portable air compressor and fix a flat repair kit and have not looked back!

[slief]

Bring tire plugs with you if you are concerned about a flat. Don't use sealent in your tires. Not only can some sealents pit the aluminum rims but it can also damage your tire pressure sensors. A plug kit and a small air compressor or Co2 fill kit will do wonders in a pinch.

[Billfitz]

I have RFTs, and I carry not only a couple of cans of sealant, but also a tire repair kit and a pump. The issue I have with non-RFT is that they can shred before you have time to find a safe place to pull over and use sealant, and if you have a repair kit you still have to pull the wheel to use it, which isn't always convenient. I have a temp spare too, which I toss into the trunk if I'm taking a trip more than 50 miles from home. Overkill, probably, especially as I haven't had a flat in 15 years. But I know for sure if I didn't have this stuff that's when I'd need it.