I know there are a few posts about this already, but I'm wondering if there have been any updates. For those of you who ditched the run-flats, what route did you go, if any, for your back-up plan? If a spare, did you go full size? Donut, if so, what size, from where, and where do you store it?

I have a '15 cms4 and I'm planning on going to a set of Blizzak WS-90s for the next few months, and I'm wondering which way to go. And will 205/60 16s work/look okay?

 

"A few posts" ?? more than "a few" ....

 

I have been running 205/70R16 winter tires on 16x6.5 et 46 mini oem euro alloys since 2012 on my R60S All4. 205/60s will fit.
As to flats, in over 1,000,000 miles in cars and p/u trucks plus over 500 000 miles on motorcycles, i have never had a flat tire. I also do not run tires "to the wear bars" before replacing them. That said, i carry a plug kit and compressed CO2 cartridges. For suze reference the threads on the end of the CO2 cartridge are 5/8 inch.

 

I've read your write-up on how you got to the 205/70R16s. I envy your shop relationship.

I wish I could say the same about never having a flat, granted I've only had two ever. The first was on the way to work, about a decade ago. If I recall correctly, it was a sidewall failure. But it could have also been that the tire age was getting up there 6+ years, even though the wear was fine. The second instance was parking in a shared rental driveway: neighbors decided to sweep out the garage debris to my side, and I ended up driving over a screw. Up until now, my luck has been somewhat okay, but I bet as I say that, I'll be thankful I still have the run flats for the moment.

I've never used a plug kit, but I like the idea of the CO2 cartridges. It seems like a relatively inexpensive solution, and compact. The whole MB compact spare thing seemed like a pretty elegant solution, but the cost had me weighing just going to Winter run flats instead, which would have meant staying at a less-preferred 17". And I'm not quite a fan of just laying a spare on top. Roof rack option would be nice, but then again, that expense could just go towards Winter run flats.

As I'm a bit unfamiliar with plugging automotive tires, what kind of restrictions/performance could we expect should it ever be needed? Ie: mileage and top speed? Would it be similar to driving on a donut, 55 etc.?

 

two hints:

ONE: if going the plug route consider DYNAPLUG http://www.dynaplug.com/index.html ... easier to use than a basic old school plug and I've used successfully on standard, runflat and even the tires on my classic (10" rims) <I've plugged an RF with this and driven it over 10,000 miles more>

TWO: if you ditch the runflats and go to a plug or slime or whatever it is a good idea to ensure everyone who might drive the car somewhat routinely knows how to use this stuff ..... wife, kids ..... .... assuming you'll have a small pump you might want to empty a tire and fill it with the pump so the time it takes won't be a surprise.

editorial: Our current MINI is wife's daily driver and she chooses to keep runflats rather than deal with the messy options .... it is even preferred over a spare and a jack now. Driving OFF I-95 with a "flat" was WAY better than dealing with it on the shoulder! And we have AAA too . . .

 

10,000 miles? Wow. So, plugs can be considered more of a full on repair. I was thinking that it would just be a relatively short stopgap to getting the wheel to a shop. I'm assuming there would at least be some sort of slight reduction in performance? Ie: maybe dropping from an H rating to a T?

Very good point. I don't know what it is about the part of the I-95 that runs through Connecticut, but for some reason the +5-10 over grace doesn't seem to exist. I moved here a few years ago, and it still continues to amaze me how non-existent the regulation is regarding 95% of the trucks barreling down the corridor. Not to mention, being in the third lane.

 

I’ve plugged dozens of my tires over the
past several decades with virtually no
problems (one larger than usual plug
developed a slow leak after a while).
There’s a Dynaplug kit and a manual
pump in both of our cars.

 

So, plugs can be considered more of a full on repair.

THIS SYSTEM when used properly .... I'm not saying for a plain old fashioned plug. ....


Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the Dynaplug® repair permanent?
The plug material makes a permanent repair when one tire repair plug is used and the puncture is made by an object no larger than a 16d (16 penny) common nail.

4. How many repair plugs can I use in a puncture?
Up to four plugs can be used for emergency repairs only and to get you to a tire shop that can determine if the tire can be patched from the inside or if it needs to be replaced.

5. How large of a hole can the Dynaplug® fix?
One repair plug usually fills a puncture made by an object no larger than 3/16". If needed, you can add multiple plugs to seal the puncture after the first plug is installed.

14. Does the Dynaplug® repair Run-flat tires?
Dynaplug is fine to use on run flat tires. In fact, it is one of the only solutions that will maintain the air pressure sensors that usually accompany run flat tires.

15. Does the Dynaplug® work on “Z” rated run-flat tires?
The Dynaplug® actually works best on "Z" rated run flat tires as the rubber is formulated to be softer, i.e. lower durometer, for better traction and performance. The rubber formulation is more tacky and the plugs actually bond even better than lower rated tires.

 

Dynaplug is what i carry.

 

Bought a donut spar from Waymotorworks. They had the best price at the time. Fast service. The event that convinced me to purchase a donut spare was the failure of a valve stem. No amount of plugs or goo would have worked. The spare takes up some room, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind.

 

I concur ... there are some situations that nothing but a spare will fix ..... but then there are STILL some that a spare won't ..... I've hit something that took out TWO tires on one side .... RARE but it happens

"'You've got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky?"

In our personal case I don't want to give up boot space in the Roadster to a donut .....

 

I carry a Blackjack tire repair kit and a Viair compressor. Professional grade equipment that ran around $100 for both. The repair kit has around 30 plugs so I can use this for myself or to save others.

That said, I have the spare tire and toolkit from my 2019 CM for sale if anyone is interested. I am located in NorCal.