Running flat an RFT

[kinyo]

*17M ... yes, the big red icon came up ... but before that, i already noticed something must have struck my tire due to its noise, travelled some distance till i can safely check the tire

i did not find the nail at that time (even if i find it, there is not much i can do) and it didn't look flat ... when i drove again, after some 300 meters, the icon showed up with corresponding audible alarm ... i stopped again to confirm the flat, knowing that the RFT can take the beat, i just drove home slower than usual



in your case, the puncture was a slow leak ... 5 psi difference is not enough to trigger the alarm ... given more time for pressure to drop, the alarm would have shown, at which time you are already running flat

the sensor is not pressure based ... it is rotation based ... with an RFT, it takes substantial pressure drop for the difference-in-rotation to be detected

[17M]

*17M ... yes, the big red icon came up ... but before that, i already noticed something must have struck my tire due to its noise, travelled some distance till i can safely check the tire

i did not find the nail at that time (even if i find it, there is not much i can do) and it didn't look flat ... when i drove again, after some 300 meters, the icon showed up with corresponding audible alarm ... i stopped again to confirm the flat, knowing that the RFT can take the beat, i just drove home slower than usual



in your case, the puncture was a slow leak ... 5 psi difference is not enough to trigger the alarm ... given more time for pressure to drop, the alarm would have shown, at which time you are already running flat

the sensor is not pressure based ... it is rotation based ... with an RFT, it takes substantial pressure drop for the difference-in-rotation to be detected

Thanks kinyo. I'm guess the pressure sensor is hooked to the traction/stability control, ABS or all of them.

[ZEPER]

Happened to me a month ago! Stressful yung red icon na yan! I had it checked sa Minevra, thankfully walang butas, kulang lang daw ng hangin.

I asked how much the RFT (17's for 3 series) would be if it needs to be changed, 18k daw! I decided if ever something needs to be replaced, i will no longer use RFT's! hehe

[CustomPinoyRide]

Happened to me a month ago! Stressful yung red icon na yan! I had it checked sa Minevra, thankfully walang butas, kulang lang daw ng hangin.

I asked how much the RFT (17's for 3 series) would be if it needs to be changed, 18k daw! I decided if ever something needs to be replaced, i will no longer use RFT's! hehe

Then you'll have to carry a spare tire. This is fine from a cost perspective, though you'll have to purchase a spare wheel. But the question is, where to put it?

Aside from it eating luggage space, and having to find a way to secure it (wouldn't want that thrashing around), if you're particular about handling and performance, it would affect the weight distribution.

Maybe you can bring a can of tire sealant? Or probably a portable compressor which can help with slow leaks. Pump the air up every few kilometers to keep you going until you reach a tire shop. Just hope a blowout wouldn't have to happen.

__________________
Webmaster
CustomPinoyRides.com

"Pinoy Pride in our Rides."

[babkalakal]

Happened to me a month ago! Stressful yung red icon na yan! I had it checked sa Minevra, thankfully walang butas, kulang lang daw ng hangin.

I asked how much the RFT (17's for 3 series) would be if it needs to be changed, 18k daw! I decided if ever something needs to be replaced, i will no longer use RFT's! hehe

mahal po ata price ng minerva. i just got new tires from our local servitek. kuha ko sa Bridgestone re050 RFT RSC 11k ++. Yung orig kasi Continental Contisport 2 presyo nya 15k ++ 225/45-17.

[niky]

Then you'll have to carry a spare tire. This is fine from a cost perspective, though you'll have to purchase a spare wheel. But the question is, where to put it?

Aside from it eating luggage space, and having to find a way to secure it (wouldn't want that thrashing around), if you're particular about handling and performance, it would affect the weight distribution.

Maybe you can bring a can of tire sealant? Or probably a portable compressor which can help with slow leaks. Pump the air up every few kilometers to keep you going until you reach a tire shop. Just hope a blowout wouldn't have to happen.

__________________
Webmaster
CustomPinoyRides.com

"Pinoy Pride in our Rides."

Space-saver spare... mine weighs only 20 pounds, compared to the 40 pounds or so of a full-sized spare with a tire. Takes up about 4-5 inches of trunk space, but it's an easy compromise.

And that 20 pounds is more than offset by the lower weight you'll be carrying at the four corners of your car. Non-runflats are much lighter than runflats, which means better economy and performance... and also a better ride. The softer sidewalls will also contribute to a better ride and less road noise.

And they're cheaper. Much cheaper. For the cost of even the cheapest run-flat, you can get high performance tires with a ton of change left over.

[17M]

Space-saver spare... mine weighs only 20 pounds, compared to the 40 pounds or so of a full-sized spare with a tire. Takes up about 4-5 inches of trunk space, but it's an easy compromise.

And that 20 pounds is more than offset by the lower weight you'll be carrying at the four corners of your car. Non-runflats are much lighter than runflats, which means better economy and performance... and also a better ride. The softer sidewalls will also contribute to a better ride and less road noise.

And they're cheaper. Much cheaper. For the cost of even the cheapest run-flat, you can get high performance tires with a ton of change left over.

niky,

I have a few questions here;

1] Where can we buy space saver spare?
2] How do you secure this in the boot? It may find its way into the passenger cabin in the event, God forbid, of a bad crash.
3] What would be a good non-RFT for the e90?
4] Finally, the door sticker says- keep tire pressure at 29PSI front & 34PSI rear tires. Will this be the same for non-RFT?

Thanks.

[niky]

niky,

I have a few questions here;

1] Where can we buy space saver spare?
2] How do you secure this in the boot? It may find its way into the passenger cabin in the event, God forbid, of a bad crash.
3] What would be a good non-RFT for the e90?
4] Finally, the door sticker says- keep tire pressure at 29PSI front & 34PSI rear tires. Will this be the same for non-RFT?

Thanks.

1. For Japanese cars, you can buy them for 1.5k to 2.5k at Banawe, depending on the size. For Europeans... well... I don't know... you'll have to go around checking and bring a tape measure with you... maybe shops that service high end Europeans can lead you to deals on secondhand BMW space-savers. You might want to bring a tape measure to see if it fits, and you'll want to test fit it to see if it clears the shock towers.

2. I actually don't tie mine down. 20 pounds (probably 25 for yours) and it's flat... it'd take a lot of energy to make it fly into the cabin through the rear seats... if you've got a wagon, well... there are tie-down points, right?

3. Up to you, depends on your preferences. The new Adrenalins are supposed to be good, as well as the S-Drives (which are somewhat older now)... and I've heard good things about the Goodyear Asymmetricos.

4. Yup... about the same.

[17M]

1. For Japanese cars, you can buy them for 1.5k to 2.5k at Banawe, depending on the size. For Europeans... well... I don't know... you'll have to go around checking and bring a tape measure with you... maybe shops that service high end Europeans can lead you to deals on secondhand BMW space-savers. You might want to bring a tape measure to see if it fits, and you'll want to test fit it to see if it clears the shock towers.

2. I actually don't tie mine down. 20 pounds (probably 25 for yours) and it's flat... it'd take a lot of energy to make it fly into the cabin through the rear seats... if you've got a wagon, well... there are tie-down points, right?

3. Up to you, depends on your preferences. The new Adrenalins are supposed to be good, as well as the S-Drives (which are somewhat older now)... and I've heard good things about the Goodyear Asymmetricos.

4. Yup... about the same.

Thanks Niky.

So for us who are considering non-RFTs next tire change the options are;

1] High performance non-RFTs + space saver spare [the right one as niky mentioned]. But you can't fit your golf bag anymore or your luggage for long weekends.

2] High performance non-RFTs + either BMW mobility kit or Continental comfort kit [For those not in the know, both are air compressors w/ built-in tire sealant delivery. The latter is cheaper].

In option 1, you sacrifice luggage space. In option 2 you hope you don't get a blowout as the sealant can only handle punctures.

Niky, mine is a sedan & yes there are 4 tie down points in the boot. I can use a good cargo net or tie-down hook for the spare just to be sure. I was told that the ride on non-RFTs is like night & day compared with RFTs.

[niky]

Yup. A lot of people I know who have new BMWs and are into "modding" switch to regular tires because of the ride... the better performance is just a bonus.