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Sedans BMW 3-Series BMW 3-Series Run Flat Tires
2421 messages, Last post on Dec 02, 2009 at 1:06 PM
You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
| I need to replace the RFT on my 2006 3 Series. Has anyone had success with other RFT's? If not, what type of tire do you recommend? | |
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Replying to: thenewbmwguy (May 22, 2009 1:52 pm) |
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Bought an 06 330xi6M in Dec05 with sports package, RFTs were standard issue. For some reason, I have identical 225-45-17s on both front and back axles, but the tire websites I visit indicate that there is supposed to be uneven sizes for the front and the back. Anyway, my wife and I both hate the RFT's because the ride is jarry, and when you hit uneven surfaces, including potholes, you feel like the wheels (not only the tires) hit a hard, blunt object. The tires were also noisy, but that is a minor point for me. Forward to last Friday, 5/22, late evening. I was driving along Route 17N around Goshen, NY to our place in the Poconos when I hit a series of potholes in the middle of nowhere. Bam, bam, bam. I felt like the right front wheel hit the pavement. The flat tire indicator quickly popped up, indicating sudden loss of pressure. I also noted a change in the handling, so I'm sure it was a serious situation. The flat tire warning indicated that the car can still be driven but speed should not exceed 50 miles. As I had no spare, and with the assurance that the car could be driven despite the flat tire situation, I continued on my way (65 - 70 miles away) at 50 mph. Gingerly is a word I would use. Had no chance to check the tire until the following morning. When I looked, the tire was ripped vertically about 2 inches on the side, at the lip of the wheel. Most tire places were closed for the long holiday week-end, and I assumed that even if they were open, they will not have my RFT anyway, so I decided to take a calculated risk and drive back early Sunday morning to NYC, 150 miles away, at 50 mph. The day before, I had a chance to assess the situation and found that except for the uneven pull on the steering wheel, the handling was fine. With my AAA card ready and a short prayer, I drove to NYC and reached home without any incident. Traffic was light along the way because of the holiday. When I looked at the tire again, another rip had resulted, about two inches away. Just the same, the tire was holding well. Moral of this story, the RFT system works very well when you need it, but it comes with some disadvantages, both actual and imagined. In short, it's not going to please everyone. Now, I'm looking for that second or later generation of RFTs for my bimmer. It looks like they come with less ride harshness. If I can't find one, I'll switch to ordinary (non-RFT) tires and a spare. Your thoughts?
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Replying to: mariobgoode (May 25, 2009 2:26 pm) |
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| where is a good place to buy the jack and donut? | |
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1.) If you have a HARBOR FRIGHT TOOLS in your area, that is a GREAT place for the jack. I bought a power jack (plugs into lighter) that comes in a great carrying case for $39.00. Works perfectly and takes up very little room in your truck. If you wait for them, coupons for 20% off are out every 2 weeks. If you have no HFT's, and depending on where you live, it may be advantageous to have me buy you one and ship it. 2.) NEW donuts are a dime a dozen at wrecking yards. Just make sure you know your size. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I JUST WENT HFT's WEB SITE AND THE PRICE IS NOW $59.99 (must be a good seller since i bought mine 2 years ago) SO WITH 20% OFF = $47.99 BUT SHIPPING WOULD TAKE IT BACK UP TO THE FULL PRICE OR MORE. MAYBE YOU HAVE A HFTS IN YOUR AREA. witchjohn  aol.com
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Replying to: johnsam (May 27, 2009 4:02 pm) What tire seems to be the replacement tire of choice for the 3 series???
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Replying to: ron325 (May 27, 2009 4:38 pm) BMW oem type 159 bolt pattern 5x120mm center hole 72x66mm offset 47mm size 17x8 et34 tire size 225/45 r17 donut has to have bolt, center hole size and offset as above. hope this helps.
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Replying to: larry175 (May 28, 2009 3:41 am) Have a 09 328 sports pkg..getting ready when the time comes. Again, good stuff guys! |
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Replying to: mariobgoode (May 25, 2009 2:26 pm) 17N is a disaster up there! Anyway, the RFT's worked. The set I had were with the bad rubber compound and it cost $250 for the new tire since the RFT's were new. At 12K miles, I switched to the Conti SSR A/S. Great tire compared to the OLD B/S. Regards, OW
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