Topic: Can RFT be repaired??

[Flinter]

Since about mid-December the 128 has been hibernating in my garage. A while back I was measuring the tire tread depth and discovered this nasty surprise in the driver's front tire.





A number of people on my street had some roofing work done this past summer including myself so it appears I picked up a stray roofing nail. Having driven the car a couple of years now there isn't a lot of tread remaining (~5mm), but I had been hoping to get another summer on these tires before replacing all 4 in the following spring.

The tire has not been loosing any air. In fact I had inflated it to ~45psi when I put the car in storage and it is still holding pressure fine. I'm curious if anyone has had any luck with repairing Run Flat tires? If so, any suggestions on where I should take the tire for repairs?

[Arthur Dent]

I'd be tempted to leave it in place if it isn't leaking any air and tires are soon to be replaced.

[articsteve]

I'm curious if anyone has had any luck with repairing Run Flat tires? If so, any suggestions on where I should take the tire for repairs?

They patch them like any other tire.  Phone around.

The BS and controversy starts flying around when the vehicle has been driven a distance with the tire substantial deflated.  But that is not your case.

[Flinter]

Thanks for the feedback. 

For all I know, I may have been driving around all summer with the nail in the tire... ignorance is bliss. However, now that I know its there I'll be worried about if/when I'll lose air pressure in the tire.

As it gets closer to spring I think I'll pull the wheel off, call around and get it repaired.

[Julie]

Thanks for the feedback. 

For all I know, I may have been driving around all summer with the nail in the tire... ignorance is bliss. However, now that I know its there I'll be worried about if/when I'll lose air pressure in the tire.

As it gets closer to spring I think I'll pull the wheel off, call around and get it repaired.

Do you have tire pressure monitoring on your 128i?  Even if you don't have Nav, you could have it as standard. It would be accessible via the left stalk and a warning would show up in the little, central "window" in the instrument cluster if there is an issue with tire pressure.  Maybe check your manual if you are curious.

If I go over something that sounds a little rough, I check my tire pressures. Theoretically, you don't need to, as they'll warn you if there is a problem. But I check when I'm worried anyways.

[Schmengie]

Unless you're into hydroplaning as an extreme sport, why would you fix a tire that has virtually zero tread depth? I don't think a reputable tire shop would touch that puppy with a ten-foot pole. 

[Flinter]

Do you have tire pressure monitoring on your 128i?  Even if you don't have Nav, you could have it as standard. It would be accessible via the left stalk and a warning would show up in the little, central "window" in the instrument cluster if there is an issue with tire pressure.  Maybe check your manual if you are curious.

If I go over something that sounds a little rough, I check my tire pressures. Theoretically, you don't need to, as they'll warn you if there is a problem. But I check when I'm worried anyways.

I check the tire pressure fairly regularly and interestingly the tire in question has never lost any pressure. The 128 does have a tire pressure monitoring system and it never showed a fault either. I guess that makes sense since the tire pressure was normal.

[rrocket]

Thanks for the feedback. 

For all I know, I may have been driving around all summer with the nail in the tire... ignorance is bliss. However, now that I know its there I'll be worried about if/when I'll lose air pressure in the tire.

As it gets closer to spring I think I'll pull the wheel off, call around and get it repaired.

Just buy a new set of tires already....quit goofing around with the nickel/dime fix.

[johngenx]

6/32 ain't that bad for tread depth for a summer tire.

[Flinter]

Unless you're into hydroplaning as an extreme sport, why would you fix a tire that has virtually zero tread depth? I don't think a reputable tire shop would touch that puppy with a ten-foot pole. 

You may be correct... I'll take a closer look when I remove the tire but when I measured the tread depth I have ~5mm remaining. The front tires only had 8mm of tread when new and I had understood that most tire shops recommend replacement in the 2mm range so I was hoping to get 1 more summer out of them and then replace all 4 as a set.

[Flinter]

Thanks for the feedback. 

For all I know, I may have been driving around all summer with the nail in the tire... ignorance is bliss. However, now that I know its there I'll be worried about if/when I'll lose air pressure in the tire.

As it gets closer to spring I think I'll pull the wheel off, call around and get it repaired.

Just buy a new set of tires already....quit goofing around with the nickel/dime fix.

I know I'm being a bit of a cheapskate here. I guess I'm just not used to replacing a set of tires after 2 summers and ~17K km. 

That 140 treadwear rating is great for grip in the twistys but a real beoch right about now.

[rrocket]

I know I'm being a bit of a cheapskate here. I guess I'm just not used to replacing a set of tires after 2 summers and ~17K km. 

That 140 treadwear rating is great for grip in the twistys but a real beoch right about now.

Yup!!  I dislike the ride from run flats immensely....with no improvement over grip of a conventional tire IMO.  I'd go RFT-less for your next set.  Better selection too!

[HeliDriver]

Unless you're into hydroplaning as an extreme sport, why would you fix a tire that has virtually zero tread depth? I don't think a reputable tire shop would touch that puppy with a ten-foot pole. 

You may be correct... I'll take a closer look when I remove the tire but when I measured the tread depth I have ~5mm remaining. The front tires only had 8mm of tread when new and I had understood that most tire shops recommend replacement in the 2mm range so I was hoping to get 1 more summer out of them and then replace all 4 as a set.

5mm (that's around 6/32", no?) is plenty of tread for a summer tire. And with only two seasons on them, it's not like the rubber is old.

I'd say you'd be crazy to replace them now, unless you live somewhere that gets tropical downpours regularly. Just pay the $25 or whatever and get the nail taken out.

Summer performance tires only get better as the tread wears down, anyway. Pretty soon you'll have yourself a sweet set of slicks. Just use a modicum of prudence when it's raining.

[rrocket]

Summer performance tires only get better as the tread wears down, anyway. Pretty soon you'll have yourself a sweet set of slicks. Just use a modicum of prudence when it's raining.

Not always true. 

[Flinter]

I know I'm being a bit of a cheapskate here. I guess I'm just not used to replacing a set of tires after 2 summers and ~17K km. 

That 140 treadwear rating is great for grip in the twistys but a real beoch right about now.

Yup!!  I dislike the ride from run flats immensely....with no improvement over grip of a conventional tire IMO.  I'd go RFT-less for your next set.  Better selection too!

I certainly agree with your thoughts re:RFT... significantly more expensive and a harsher ride. Whenever I do replace the tires I'm planning on going RFT-less.

[HeliDriver]

Summer performance tires only get better as the tread wears down, anyway. Pretty soon you'll have yourself a sweet set of slicks. Just use a modicum of prudence when it's raining.

Not always true. 

I know: old rubber, too many heat cycles, etc.

But in this case I suspect the tires still have their best years ahead of them. In the dry, anyway.

[Flinter]

So I finally got around to checking out this tire with the nail embedded. After talking to a local Bridgestone tire shop, they confirmed that the RFT can be repaired as long as the tire was not driven a long distance with low pressure. They did warn me that removing the tire from the rim can be a real pain given the low profile and general inflexibility of the sidewall in a RFT.

Today I swung by the shop with the wheel just to get their advice. Interestingly, while the car was stored over the past 3 months, I inflated the tires to 50PSI to try and avoid potential flat spots etc. The tire with the nail had not lost any pressure over the 3 months. That seemed strange.

Well it turns out, the absence of pressure loss wasn't so strange because when the object was removed, it turned out not to be a nail at all.



The little screw was embedded but wasn't anywhere near long enough to puncture the tire. EXCELLENT!!

Here are some shots of the tire tread remaining on the tire. It is between 5-6mm depending on the position so I think I'll be OK for another summer season on these tires.

[aquadorhj]

that's good news, flinter.  and also, i think i see the injection nipple still on the side wall..  you better start cornering harder..   

[blur911]

that's good news, flinter.  and also, i think i see the injection nipple still on the side wall..  you better start cornering harder..   

Irrelevant fact time;  the "nipples" are from mold vents, the rubber isn't injected into the mold, it extrudes out the vent due to internal pressure and heat.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I'm kind of surprised to see cracking in a three year old tire.