run flat vs tubeless

[shreekanth1987 0]

hi everyone.. what is the major diff b/w run flat & tubeless.which one is better for indian roads. which one gives better performance & safety & ride quality?

[sgiitk 0]

Runflat are exactly what they mean. You can runt he car for about 80km with a flat tyre. Tubeless do not deflate fast but are not 'run flat'. On the other hand a run flat has stiffer sidewalls,e c. and so has a harsher ride. Run flat is there in BMWe etc. One advantage is that you do not need the fifth tyre.

The suspension may have to be modified a bit to get the best out of run flats.

sgiitk2009-03-30 11:24:43

[thackervijay 2]

thats a good detailed info sgiitk sir, but is run flat recommended for our roads and weather conditions?

[dtandon 0]

Like SG mentioned - run flat's have a harsher ride because of their tough sidewalls.

So what happens if a run flat tyre gets a puncher ? You must slow down to a specified limit (80Km/hr usually) if the tyre gets damaged and then limp to the nearest repair shop.

Are they recommended or not?

All depends on the user's requirement and the decision boils down to the importance of comfort vs reliability.

It a country like the US, stopping in the middle of the interstate to fix a flat tyre is a big no (simple as it may be - not everyone can change a flat tyre - they don't carry a full sized spare anyways). The need for rock solid reliability is what drives run flat tyre sales and the relatively better roads mean that the somewhat harsher ride is still acceptable. Run flats allow people to drive to the nearest interstate exit and get repairs done without being stuck in the middle of nowhere (roadside assistance costs a bomb).

Back to the Indian context - several high end cars are sold with run flat's but the owners prefer to change to regular tyres for better cushioning. Also, roadside tyre repair shops are a dime a dozen in our country. dtandon2009-03-31 15:43:04