Bridgestone Turanza RunFlat punctured

graham8370 · June 6, 2021

As title says. Puncture in my offside rear this morning. Called RAC, temporary fix, told it was repairable but not sure if I fancy that. Anyone with any experience?

Boxbrownie · June 6, 2021

Depends where the puncture is, if it’s within the (as I recall) the 70% central area of the tread it can be perfectly safe to repair, your tyre man will know exactly.

LenT · June 6, 2021

3 hours ago, graham8370 said:

As title says. Puncture in my offside rear this morning. Called RAC, temporary fix, told it was repairable but not sure if I fancy that. Anyone with any experience?

I think you’ll find that the puncture has to be within 75% of the central tread and not more than 6mm In diameter. So not anywhere in the side wall.

Not sure what type of temporary fix the RAC did. They might have inserted a plug - called a string, I believe - from the exterior but that really is only temporary. A tyre repairer will take the tyre off and check the state of the inner surface. I then think they insert a tapered plug from the inside surface.

If an emergency sealant type fix was used than many tyre repairers won’t touch it. And I think if the tyre already has one earlier repair, then they may not do a second.

Personally, I would be inclined to replace the tyre. The only times I’ve ever repaired tyres was when they had inner tubes!!!

NemesisUK · June 6, 2021

I thought run-flats weren't repairable, or at least most tyre shops won't do it as they don't know how the tyre was driven after the puncture? Obviously run-flats are designed to be driven when flat but this can cause immense stresses on the carcass. The design theory of the run-flat is to get you to safety/home/tyre shop.. not to be reused.

Las Palmas · June 6, 2021

1 hour ago, LenT said:

If an emergency sealant type fix was used than many tyre repairers won’t touch it. And I think if the tyre already has one earlier repair, then they may not do a second.

Personally, I would be inclined to replace the tyre. The only times I’ve ever repaired tyres was when they had inner tubes!!!

If you ever take a tyre off that has been filled with the latex mix, which is used by most as temporary fix (Lexus too) then you know why. It takes hours to get the latex off the machine and not just with water.

+20 years ago I started using tubeless tyres on mountain-bike and in the beginning (and for many users still today) the sealant used in them was latex based. Once had a puncture in rear tyre and did not notice it till I got home and discovered my jacket had a stripe of impossible to remove latex on it; new jacket needed. In 2005 - 2007 I was lucky to find sealant that was at least as good at sealing without latex and could be washed off with just water without problems. Why Lexus is still using latex based sealant is for people with more brain (or less) than I have to understand. Latex dries out and has limited shelf life so more than 5 years it will not be worth much.

In hot climate like here latex sealant in a tyre will be fully functioning only 3 - 6 months, then it will have dried out and if tubeless mountain-biking is meant to be sealing punctures from thorns or whatever new sealant is needed. Tyre gets heavier with more sealant and in a car this is not felt hard, but when pedalling uphill, heavier tyres are something not really wanted.

LenT · June 6, 2021

4 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

I thought run-flats weren't repairable, or at least most tyre shops won't do it as they don't know how the tyre was driven after the puncture? Obviously run-flats are designed to be driven when flat but this can cause immense stresses on the carcass. The design theory of the run-flat is to get you to safety/home/tyre shop.. not to be reused.

Your absolutely correct, Peter. I’ve just checked. Even Kwikfit states they won’t repair a run flat tyre. They are purely to get you to a place of safety or replacement at a slow speed.

https://www.kwik-fit.com/blog/can-a-run-flat-tyre-be-repaired

Strangely, Goodyear states its Run On Flat tyres can be repaired by those suitably qualified - but then states specific conditions under which it can’t. And finally concludes that they shouldn’t be anyway!

So what was an RAC mechanic doing?

Edited June 6, 2021 by LenT

LenT · June 7, 2021

7 hours ago, LenT said:

Your absolutely correct, Peter.

You’re……!!! 😡

Oh, the shame. Drat this autocorrect.

graham8370 · June 7, 2021

RAC fella put a plug in. Phoned around this morning, no one (that I rang) repairs Runflats. Booked in tomorrow at Lexus for new tyre. Bugger really, had 4 new ones replaced 5 weeks ago re a call back.

LenT · June 10, 2021

On 6/7/2021 at 9:04 PM, graham8370 said:

RAC fella put a plug in. Phoned around this morning, no one (that I rang) repairs Runflats. Booked in tomorrow at Lexus for new tyre. Bugger really, had 4 new ones replaced 5 weeks ago re a call back.

Hope you got it sorted to your satisfaction Graham.

Any comment by Lexus regarding the repair? Or even the cause of the puncture?

graham8370 · June 10, 2021

Straightforward replace tyre. Lexus won't repair Runflats. A 1/2 inch screw caused a £237 Bill.

ColinBarber · June 10, 2021

On 6/6/2021 at 8:05 PM, NemesisUK said:

I thought run-flats weren't repairable, or at least most tyre shops won't do it as they don't know how the tyre was driven after the puncture?

Correct. If you didn't actual drive on the tyre with no pressure then in theory it could be safely repaired, but to a repairer that is impossible to tell so they just won't do it.