Most drivers have at one time or another encountered a flat tire; it is almost inevitable. You may even have had to install your spare tire on the side of a busy road. Run-flat tires can help eliminate that risk. These are designed to be able to continue driving after loss of air pressure for a limited speed and distance. Run-flat tires generally have two different construction types; self-supporting or a support ring sytem.
SELF-SUPPORTING RUN-FLAT TIRE
The most common type is the self-supporting run–flat tire. This means that the sidewall construction is reinforced so that the tire can support the weight of the vehicle in case of air loss.
SUPPORT RING SYSTEM
The other type of run-flat construction is called a support ring system. This type of construction has a physical structure that is attached to the wheel, so that the wheel is actually supporting the vehicle, rather than the tire.
RUN-FLAT TIRES EXPLAINED
Generally speaking, tires are not designed to support the weight of a vehicle without air pressure. In fact, it is the air pressure that provides the actual support. When non-run-flat tires are driven with insufficient air pressure, they develop excessive amounts of heat, which causes serious damage to the tire, and can even lead to tire failure along the sidewall. Run-flat tires are reinforced heavily along the sidewalls so that should they lose air they can temporarily support the weight of the vehicle, typically for a distance of about 50 miles at no faster than 50 mph. However, many run-flat tires have a speed and distance rating that is specific to them.
Certain vehicle manufacturers have gone away from spare tires altogether as a means of eliminating the weight from not only the spare assembly, but from the tools required to change a spare such as the vehicle jack and tire wrench. This weight reduction may lead to improved handling, overall vehicle balance, and fuel efficiency. Run-flat tires can offer a higher level of reassurance and convenience from the benefits they provide.
