Run Flat Tyres

With so many new cars using run flat tyres (Self Supporting tyres) as original equipment, it is essential you understand how beneficial run flats are.

Designed with a much thicker sidewall than a conventional tyre, run flat tyres can hold the weight of a car when the pressure drops. This means Their purpose is to keep your car moving in the event of a puncture, so you can get home or to the nearest garage for a replacement tyre.

New vehicles that are compatible with run flat tyres are fitted with a TPMS (Tyre Pressure monitoring System) as standard. This alerts you when one of your tyres loses pressure or has suffered a puncture. A TPMS is an incredibly important safety feature and without one, you could be left unaware of a loss of pressure. This might result in you exceeding the safe distance limit and causing the tyre to fail.

For information or guidance, call us on 0808 164 9151 or email at customerservice@etyres.co.uk.

Benefits of Run Flat Tyres

• Different manufacturers use different run flat technology. The most popular choice by far is self supporting tyres. This means the reinforced sidewalls are able to support the vehicle with a flat or punctured tyre. This will ensure safety for up to 50 miles at 50mph whilst you are driving.


• The reinforced tyre sidewalls of run flat tyres ensures your steering and handling remain near normal whereas a standard tyre with a puncture wouldn't have the control needed to keep you stable on the road.


• No longer do you need to be at the side of the road changing your wheel or waiting for a tyre fitting service to come and rescue you. You can drive to your location of choice, whether its one of our local fitting services or get your tyres fitted on your drive while you sit at home nice and cosy.

FAQ's

It depends on your vehicle - It is generally advised that for best performance, you should not fit run flat tyres to a car that is not set up to use them, nor should you fit normal tyres to a car set up for run flats.

If your car isn’t set up for run flat tyres, some tyre manufacturers including Bridgestone and Continental offer tyres with the benefits of run flats without changing the set-up of your car. These include the ContiSeal and DriveGuard ranges. A TPMS is still required to use these tyres.

This really depends on the size and brand of the tyre and the number of people in the vehicle. As a guide, you will be able to travel 50 miles at a reduced speed up to 50mph.

Many leading tyre manufacturers such as Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin do not recommend repairing a run flat. The reinforced design of run flats makes it difficult to spot any extra damage that has occurred because of a puncture, so once the tyre has been damaged, the strength of the tyre has been compromised. For this reason, most tyre fitters would recommend a replacement before a repair.

If all tyres on your car are run-flats, then you shouldn’t need to carry a spare wheel. However, if you have one or more standard tyres, then carrying a spare wheel is advised.