Run Flat Tires Can't Be That Bad If......

[Ridgeman580]

...the Dodge Viper offers them as standard equipment. Road Test Results
from Motor Trend proved that the Viper
was able to attain a 'slalom average' mph
of 70.4 which isn't that far off the 'record
setting' slalom mph of 73.3 set by the
Elise.

[adriver]

Ridge,
I've heard that they are heavier than normal tires.

[Ridgeman580]

Originally posted by adriver
Ridge,
I've heard that they are heavier than normal tires.

I'm curious to
know if non-run flats would have allowed
the Viper to outhustle the Elise on a slalom course. If so, why does Dodge stay with run-flats and not just simply
change to a different type tire that would improve performance? Their SRT Division
is consumed with better performance for
cars like the Viper and Crossfire (of parent company 'Chrysler') so it doesn't
make sense that they wouldn't make a
'simple' change, like a type of tire, to put their car at the top of the 'slalom testing'
heap.

[Kwez06]

GM deleted the run-flats on the Z06 Corvette ... because of the extra weight.

rotational inertia I guess

[mikester]

As I understand it you also sacrifice some ride quality with runflats - at least with the existing examples out there today.

[LITEW8CRAZY]

The reason Corvette went with non-runflat tires is because they WERE too heavy. The Goodyear EMTs that were on the standard C5 Vettes are EXTREMELY heavy (I know, I have a 1997, now with Fikse's and BFGoodrich g-Force KDs).

The new runflats that are out now are much lighter in weight so there isn't that much of a penalty. Of course the advantage to using runflats is no need for a spare tire anywhere. The next generation Z06 will have runflats. Another high performance car using runflats is the new BMW M5. I think the new tires are so close to more traditional high performance tires that it's not much of a trade-off. Unless of course you're using a more focused tire like the Elise with the LSS is using.

[Ridgeman580]

Originally posted by LITEW8CRAZY
The reason Corvette went with non-runflat tires is because they WERE too heavy. The Goodyear EMTs that were on the standard C5 Vettes are EXTREMELY heavy (I know, I have a 1997, now with Fikse's and BFGoodrich g-Force KDs).

The new runflats that are out now are much lighter in weight so there isn't that much of a penalty. Of course the advantage to using runflats is no need for a spare tire anywhere. The next generation Z06 will have runflats. Another high performance car using runflats is the new BMW M5. I think the new tires are so close to more traditional high performance tires that it's not much of a trade-off. Unless of course you're using a more focused tire like the Elise with the LSS is using.

Your explanation, describing run-flats being much more
improved than previously, makes more
sense than anything else I've heard on this subject. Cars like M5 BMW's,
Vipers, and Corvettes using them is
a convincing argument that they can
be used with more on 'the plus side' than that on 'the minus' being realized.

[Kwez06]

just a quick note:
the Z06 doesn't use the run flats ..
but still doesn't have a spare !

'Kweztion' : do you need the tire pressure monitoring system when you go w. run flats ?

any car that comes stock w. r-fs without a press mon. syst ??

[LITEW8CRAZY]

KweZ06

It looks as though you have a Z06 and know that your "spare" is a bottle of fix-a-flat

[Kwez06]

Originally posted by LITEW8CRAZY
KweZ06

It looks as though you have a Z06 and know that your "spare" is a bottle of fix-a-flat

exactly ;-)
that's why i find this thread interesting, if price is decent, w. the new r-fs' more acceptable weight (did not know that, thx guys) ... considering it.

anyway,
was hoping for maybe an Elise, but it seems to be even harder to get one here in Canada .. still not certain we'll really get it here !
none avail to test drive too
....
& seems like the price is going to be to high for me : probably 60K CAD$ !! :-(

maybe a used one in the future (my Z is used)