Information About Run-Flat Tires

A flat tire isn't just inconvenient-it can also be dangerous. If you break down on a dark street at night with no passing traffic, and you left your cell phone at home, you could be risking your safety. And blowouts at high speed can result in serious accidents. Run-flat tires are designed to avoid both these scenarios.

Types of Run-Flat Tires

According to TireRack, there are three basic types of run-flat tires used today:

Self-Sealing Run-Flat Tires: These are equipped with a special lining that will fill in holes caused by punctures that are 3/16 of an inch or less in diameter. The lining will coat the nail or screw that punctured the tire, then fill in the hole after that object is removed.

Self-Supporting Run-Flat Tires: Unlike the self-sealing models, self-supporting tires require a tire inflation monitoring system to be used on vehicles so that drivers are made aware of any loss in pressure. These tires are built with a special inner construction that will keep the tire in place and capable of moving even after all air pressure is lost.

Auxiliary Run-Flat Tires: These are similar to the self-supporting tires, but use a support ring for the tread when the tire loses air pressure. They require special wheels and are therefore more expensive to replace than other types of run-flat tires.

The purpose of run-flat tires is to allow motorists to continue driving on flats until they are able to get to a safe location. Some may allow you to drive as many as 200 miles before it will give out, while others have lower thresholds.

Drawbacks of Run-Flat Tires

Run-flat tires can be prohibitively expensive, according to Edmunds, typically costing "double or more" the cost of standard tires. This eliminates them from the price range of many motorists.

Additionally, Run-flat tires are not as smooth as the standard variety, which is certainly a drawbacks when you purchase a luxury car in which you expect to feel few bumps and divots. The tread may wear more quickly and, if you don't realize you've lost air pressure, you might still blow out the run-flat tires and lose any benefits of buying them in the first place.

And finally, there's less variety when it comes to run-flat tires. This may change in the future if more auto companies start using them as original equipment, but as it stands now you won't have much choice in brand or model. Consequently, the prices may continue to stay high since there is less competition.