Runflat tyre repairs?

[Andy.M]

Had my second puncture in 18 months of ownership and it's in the same wheel as a year ago!!!

As the screw was right in the middle of the tyre I thought my regular tyre shop may repair it, but they wont plug any runflat. Had a google and it seems half the tyre manufacturers say they can be repaired after an inspection and the other half do not recommend repairing a runflat.

Every local reputable tyre shop will not repair so I assumed that there is no smoke without fire and for safety's sake went for another new one. No one seems to keep any stock of these tyres. As last time, Goodyear had no stock but my supplier still managed to source one for the same day fitting. This was very important as I travel to Gloucestershire today to attend a funeral, how lucky am I it didn't happen today en route!

So has anyone actually had one successfully repaired ?

 

[JBell]

Not sure on the run flat repairs thing, I can't see why you cant repair them though.

I was talking to a friend who owns a wheel and tyre shop oddly while having a puncture repaired and he said most main tyre places will not repair punctures anymore on any tyres, they just can't be bothered

 

[John Laidlaw]

Not personally but a colleague has a BMW with runflats and he's had a couple of repairs from ATS

 

[JBell]

Found this, quite useful

http://www.car-tyres.org.uk/articles/run_flat_tyre_repairs.asp

 

[drmw]

I had rf on my 6 series - nail right through the centre of the tread - had it repaired & ran it for at least another year.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Found this, quite useful

http://www.car-tyres.org.uk/articles/run_flat_tyre_repairs.asp

Good find Jon

 

[Andy.M]

Found this, quite useful

http://www.car-tyres.org.uk/articles/run_flat_tyre_repairs.asp

Yes I came across that yesterday. It fits in with the refusals I got, all mentioned liability, so I guess their insurance providers are forbidding it. One even said to find a back street place with no liability insurance and they'll do it.
My local guy, who I use a lot and trust, said technically they can repair after inspecting the tyre but they can't tell if the internal structure is damaged or not so choose not to.

Although I know the tyre hadn't fully deflated - only a slow puncture - I would have been happy with a repair only I had the urgency factor with this afternoons long drive and had to make an on the spot decision.

 

[drmw]

Mine was done by a main BMW dealer, albeit I was friendly with the service manager so I'm not sure what went on the jobcard !

 

[umblecumbuz]

How times change. Across Malta, you used to see private billboards advertising puncture repairs. There are still a few around who welcome the work.

Because of the 'can't be bothered' attitude of local tyre retailers here in Wales, I bought a cheapie kit (£3 Ebay) to fix punctures myself. It consists of a length or three of very soft round squidgy rubber strip, two tools, one for 'rasping' the puncture hole and the other - like a large needle - for inserting a length of the strip, and adhesive to help it seal.

So far, I have successfully repaired a thorn puncture, and a nail puncure (the second without removing the wheel). That's £1.50 per repair, with enough material for another few dozen.

 

[kid-jensen]

This "liability" thing kills me....

How many tyre shops will pay out if your conventional tyre repair blows ojut and writes off your car?

They're just making excuses to sell you a new tyre. They normally don't need much excuse to do that...

If you can't find any tyre shops to repair your runflats, take the hint and change to normal tyres, one axle at a time to minimise the financial shock.

 

[Wighty]

How times change. Across Malta, you used to see private billboards advertising puncture repairs. There are still a few around who welcome the work.

Because of the 'can't be bothered' attitude of local tyre retailers here in Wales, I bought a cheapie kit (£3 Ebay) to fix punctures myself. It consists of a length or three of very soft round squidgy rubber strip, two tools, one for 'rasping' the puncture hole and the other - like a large needle - for inserting a length of the strip, and adhesive to help it seal.

So far, I have successfully repaired a thorn puncture, and a nail puncure (the second without removing the wheel). That's £1.50 per repair, with enough material for another few dozen.

Boom ! Just ordered two kits off eBay , one for each car (£2.49 each )

 

[JBell]

Just spoken to my friend, they repair loads of run flats BUT only on the understanding that they haven't been driven for more than 50 miles and at over 50 miles an hour after the warning came on, they have a disclaimer that has to be signed.

They are easy to repair provided the hole is in the defined area the same as a non run flat.

 

[LostKiwi]

How times change. Across Malta, you used to see private billboards advertising puncture repairs. There are still a few around who welcome the work.

Because of the 'can't be bothered' attitude of local tyre retailers here in Wales, I bought a cheapie kit (£3 Ebay) to fix punctures myself. It consists of a length or three of very soft round squidgy rubber strip, two tools, one for 'rasping' the puncture hole and the other - like a large needle - for inserting a length of the strip, and adhesive to help it seal.

So far, I have successfully repaired a thorn puncture, and a nail puncure (the second without removing the wheel). That's £1.50 per repair, with enough material for another few dozen.

I carry one of those in my Smart (no room for a spare and its not on run flats) and used it twice - been great both times. Sorted in 10 minutes without even having to remove the wheel.

 

[Denis O]

I've had runflats repaired on a Z4 but had to find a local independent tyre guy to do it. None of the majors would touch it.

I was interested in the post that suggested a RFT would be fine after 50 miles at not more than 50mph. Again, on the Z4, I did about 12 miles on a flat and the tyre was toast. Easy to tell. Once the tyre was off the wheel, it was found to be full of small black rubber balls. This is where the side wall was de-laminating so it was shot.

I eventually changed all 4 tyres to no runflat and enjoyed the drive so much more.

 

[raymondj]

About a month ago, the second day I had my Merc C class, I got a slow puncture, light come on on the dashboard. Topped her up but it was deflated again next morning. So I went to my tyre shop for a repair. I had done 250 miles. The guy called me out to see the nail and broke the news that it was going to cost me £350 for a new tyre, WTF. I had no choice so I told him to get on with the replacement. They spent an hour ****ing around to no avail and then I went and asked what was the problem. They couldn't blow the new tyre up, it wasn't forming a seal and then the good news.

'We can repair your old tyre......'

I was delighted but to this day I wondered about the whole thing.

 

[umblecumbuz]

About a month ago, the second day I had my Merc C class, I got a slow puncture, light come on on the dashboard. Topped her up but it was deflated again next morning. So I went to my tyre shop for a repair. I had done 250 miles. The guy called me out to see the nail and broke the news that it was going to cost me £350 for a new tyre, WTF. I had no choice so I told him to get on with the replacement. They spent an hour ****ing around to no avail and then I went and asked what was the problem. They couldn't blow the new tyre up, it wasn't forming a seal and then the good news.

'We can repair your old tyre......'

I was delighted but to this day I wondered about the whole thing.

Which all goes to prove that German air is not the same as British air!