Non-Run Flats Puncture Repair

graham

I've seen various options. Some people finding a home for a thin skinny space saver somewhere in the car.

on the repair solutions, if you get damage (and you can't always see how bad it is/could be), if it's totally flat, chances are that the sealant and or compressor won't re-inflate the tyre fully. However having a sealant and an inflator (or foot pump) will give you a possibility to drive it

if the leak is gradual the sealant may block the hole and allow you to re-inflate the tyre.

Sealants are ok, providing its a short term very temporary fix. most can be washed out of the tyre and the puncture/damage may be repaired if it's within the safe area to repair.

the only other thing to bear in mind is what stage the tyre is at when it gets punctured. If it's fairly new and fresh, filling it with a sealant and running it may cause more damage. Hence if you have a fairly new tyre and don't need to drive on it when you find it damaged, it may be better to get it off the car and repaired instead of a small risk on causing further damage
however if the tyre is fairly old and towards the end of its life (e.g. wear) the costs of the repair and the risk of further damage running it, might be less of a concern, you may be better replacing the tyre than repairing it

As for makes, the spec used by the manufacturer (BMW etc.) will tend to be fine. Equally there are plenty of aftermarket offers (like tyreweld) that are fine. Always though, the sealant is a temporary repair only

Hope that helps

Jamie

I moved from run flats to normal tyres recently. The thing to remember is that most new cars are on normal tyres with a sealant kit in the boot unless you buy/car can accommodate a spare wheel/tyre setup. I've bought some sealant that I keep in the boot and I also have recovery with BMW if there's an issue further from home. I think there's this scaremongery that without run flats you'll be left high and dry when in fact its the same for most people and they don't worry about it because lets face it unless you live on a building site, flat tyres are rare. I switched knowing that 99% of the time I'd appreciate the better ride, my alloys would be less likely to crack etc vs the risk of a flat now and then.