One Little Screw in my Run-Flat and I am out $1000 !

[Dead President]

Just got a screw in my rear run-flat and due to wear (I have 9000 miles on my '03 SRT-10), the guy at Discount Tire says I should replace both rears. The screw is not in the sidewall, but in the center. It should be an easy fix, if Michelin allows it. I figure I have 2-4,000 miles left. Can't you plug a run-flat ?

Is it better to switch to non-run-flats ?

Thanks.

Frank

 

[Skip White]

Yes you can fix them. Especially a screw in the center. Yes you are better off with out them, check out some of my posts, and do a search on runflats. They do give you some peice of mind, but the disadvantages are many, not to mention the huge price tag on them.

Skip

 

[gtsviper]

Wah...Wah...Wah...You've done nothing but whine about your car since you got it. You drive the thing so slowly that patching the tire won't make a difference....in fact, you can just use the run-flat without air for another 2000 miles and that way you don't have to buy new tires!

 

[Dead President]

Skip - I couldn't find any of your posts on patching run flats.

Andy - Thanks for your wisdom. Your comments are always valued and appreciated on this board. You really know how to enhance the Viper experience.

 

[AG98RT10]

I repaired a nail in a run-flat once and didn't have a second thought about it afterwards, even running 120 MPH or so. Even if the patch failed (highly unlikely) it would be no worse than having a run-flat puncture anyway.

Save your money and get it fixed - take off rim and patch from inside.

 

[slaughterj]

Yes you can fix them. Especially a screw in the center. Yes you are better off with out them, check out some of my posts, and do a search on runflats. They do give you some peice of mind, but the disadvantages are many, not to mention the huge price tag on them.

Skip

I hear this, but I thought runflats had gotten a lot better?

 

[AviP]

Just fix it and stay under 125mph.

 

[Skip White]

Yea , the runflats are ok, but are they better, I don't know about that, the rears weigh in at around 40 lbs each, and require a very heavy rim, as they are so stiff. Ride rougher than normal, traction is worse than normal, and cost a bunch, but it's nice to not have a flat, very rare as it is. I can't imagine going back to them.

I do recommend a Smart Tire Monitoring sytem if you don't go with the runflat.

Skip White

 

[AllBlack]

I had a massive razor in my rear right tire. It wasn't patchable so my dealer replaced it but apparently those things run about $1000 canadian. Fortunatly he found some tire insurance thing that covered me and i didnt have to pay. I can find out what it was exactly if you want.

 

[FLOORIN04]

ALLBLACK When you purchased car from dealer this was a option with finance department/sales dept. FRANK check with your dealer or paperwork for this .DODGE is pushing this insurance on all cars and trucks they sell.They must get alot back on commission they tried to sell it to me on my pick up and van and yes i did get it on my 04 srt/10

 

[SylvanSRT]

JohnB from Parts Rack got me great prices on a whole set, better than Tire Rack!

 

[CajunViper]

The tires on the 2003 SRT10 are under warrantee and Michelin will replace them for free. I had 5000 miles on mine and picked up a nail and they gave me a new one for free. These tires on the 2003 were the first runflats for Michelin and they wanted to give them a good warrantee. Check your owners manuel and the tire insert from Michelin.

Dean

 

[elanderholm]

umm....I am not really sure why you think you are out $1000. You have used them for 9k miles and have 1-2k left so at most you have about 20% of the tire left left. So you are like $200 if you assume they cost $1000. You would have to replace them anyway in another 1-2k miles!

 

[Dead President]

Discount Tire won't patch the tire. They talked to Michelin and they said that they won't replace the tire and they don't allow a patch. There is 4/32 of tread depth (according to the Discount Tire guy, but I need to measure it myself) which means that I am probably 80% through the tire life. If I had to replace 1, OK, but 2 ---- that's B.S. I am currently looking for a local shop to patch the tire. 10-11K miles on a tire is B.S. as well. The worst I have had on my previous Vipers is 18K miles.

 

[Big Medicine]

Patch it yourself?

 

[SRTRICKY]

I don't know if this matters...but I got my run-flat fixed for $60 canadian and the car is fine BUT its a run flat on a Corvette not a Viper. Oh yea and thats by a local Chevy dealer!

 

[knuk]

Michelin replaced one of my rear tire under warranty for the exact same cause. As long as there is at least 50% wear left it is replaced for free - read the warranty book as I assume it is the same for US owners as it is for Canadian owners.
Then call Parts Rack for the other tire as they have great prices. With all duty, customs fees, and taxes, it was almost $300 cheaper for me to order through Jon than it would have been to buy it in Canada.

 

[Dead President]

Finally! I took my car to 4 tire shops and found one to patch the tire. An hour later after I left they called to say their tire machine couldn't get the tire off the rim. Not happy, I drove back to get my wheel and surprisingly the guy was still working on it. He got it patched, no scratches on the rim and I can burn up another 3 or 4K miles before I splurge on a new set of rears. They didn't even charge me, but I gave the tire dude two of my field box seats for this weekend's Padres - Marlins game and he was happy. I checked with Jon B at PartsRack and he has a sale on SRT-10 rear runflats (less expensive than standard 345/30-19 Pilot Sports!). I am going to buy two rears to have handy. Unless you get lucky (like me), runflats are throw away after you exceed 50% tire wear.

A happy ending . . .