4 facts you need to know about runflat tyres

Since the slow demise of the space saver, runflat tyres have risen in popularity among drivers and manufacturers as a safe alternative. However, how they work is still a relatively unknown concept to many drivers.

To help, check out our quick fact guide below…

Runflat tyres can’t be used on every vehicle

Runflat tyres are specially designed to be compatible with a certain type of wheel rim, featuring a raised hump which the tyre is fitted over to ensure it doesn’t shift if a puncture occurs. These types of rims are often paired with a strengthened suspension and other specific vehicle design elements found in particular car models, including BMW, Mini and Mercedes. Check your vehicle manual for more information about the type of tyres suited to your vehicle.

Vehicles must also be fitted with a TPMS system to be able to accommodate runflat tyres. This signals to the driver when a puncture has occurred. Without this, it wouldn’t be possible to detect a puncture with runflat tyres until it’s too late as the driving experience remains virtually unchanged.

Runflat tyres won’t leave you stranded

If you experience a puncture on runflat tyres, there’s no need to pull over at the roadside waiting for recovery. Thanks to the self-supporting internal sidewall, the structure of the tyre remains intact even when the tyre is losing air. This allows the driver to continue travelling at reduced speeds for up to 50 miles to a place of safety or repair. Our new runflat tyre, Protoura Sport DSP Runflat, has the ability to get drivers to safety travelling up to 50 miles at 50 mph.

Runflat tyres can’t be driven on for prolonged periods

Runflat tyres are designed to keep the vehicle moving so that drivers can reach the nearest garage safely, so the amount of miles they are designed to run on when punctured is limited to 50 miles. Travel on a damaged runflat beyond this, and you risk causing considerable damage due to the amount of heat generated from the deflated tyre.

Mixing tyres can affect vehicle control

It is not recommended to mix runflat tyres and conventional tyres on the same vehicle, as this could affect the handling of the vehicle. Vehicles fitted with runflat tyres as Original Equipment (OE) have been configured to work with such tyres, so switching to conventional tyres would require further modifications to the vehicle to ensure compatibility.
For more information about how runflat tyres work, check out our video below.

Our range of runflat tyres

We have a range of runflat tyres to suit passenger cars. Most recently, we launched the Protoura Sport DSP Runflat, designed for drivers to experience the benefits of the original Protoura Sport tyre with the advantages of runflat technology.

Also included in the range is the DX390 DSP Runflat, for smaller passenger cars, and the DX640 DSP Runflat, for ultra high-performance vehicles.

Find out more about the range on our Protoura Runflat product page.