In a puncture situation, run flats are more stable than conventional tires. Since they’re made to support your vehicle even when they contain no air, run flat tires will help you maintain better control in a complete air loss situation than conventional tires.Īs consumers continue rating safety high on the list of features they look for in a vehicle, the popularity of run flat tires is expected to grow. With conventional tires, you have to replace a flat on the spot or have your car towed. You don’t have to change your tire in dangerous or uncomfortable conditions. This is perhaps the biggest benefit of run flat tires and is the one of the reasons why they were designed. Without it, you might not know you were driving on an underinflated tire. The TPMS alerts you as soon as one of your tires loses pressure. Since they continue performing even though they’re “flat,” all run flat tires, regardless of the specific system type, may only be used on a vehicle equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). This construction allows continued operation after the loss of air pressure up to the speed and distance specified by the manufacturer. In most self-supporting run flat tire systems, the tire features reinforced sidewall construction that will continue supporting the vehicle in the event of air loss. There are two primary types of run flat tire systems: the self-supporting system and the support ring system.

Bridgestone run-flat tires will allow continued operation even after a loss of some or all inflation pressure for up to 50 miles (80 km) at a maximum speed up to 50 mph (80 km/h.) HOW DO RUN FLAT TIRES WORK? Check the manufacturer’s specifications to find out how fast and how far you can drive on your run flat tires.

You can’t drive on them indefinitely, though. Run flat tires are tires on which you can continue driving after a puncture so you can take time get to an auto shop or find a safe, level area to change your tire.

With some auto manufacturers making them standard in new vehicles, more consumers are asking about run flats, their advantages, and how using them impacts driving. Though they first appeared in the mid-1980s, run flat tires (RFT) are now more popular than ever.

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