Flat tire on the e90

[Optimus Prime]

After some snooping, it turns out that RFT's can be remounted... but you need somebody that knows what they are doing. I guess the bead and sidewall need to be treated a little more gently, and your basic bucket-head at Joe Blows tire shop can easily maul the crap outta the tire either taking them off or putting them on.

I'll keep my eye out for a used OEM tire. I won't need it until it's time to turn the car in.

I went ahead and ordered Winter wheels/tires and Summer wheels/tires.

basic 17" wheels with lm25's for the winter and 18" ASA AR1 with ps2's for summer. I also ordered the ContiComfortKit in place of a spare.

Once the OEM's are off, I'll take the flat around town and see if somebody can patch it up.

[Optimus Prime]

UPS showed up with the tires early this morning. Everything was actually at the local UPS by 3am Saturday morning (I ordered mid-day Friday) but since it was UPS ground they delayed them until today. I was very pleased with service from Tirerack.

I was looking forward to the new wheels and tires, as I was really starting to get sick of the OEM runflats. They were decent until 10,000 miles. At 15,000 miles they were getting bad. By 20,000 miles I preferred driving the truck. When I took off the OEM's I was really surprised by how heavy they felt. So I went and grabbed a scale. OEM 159 17" wheel with all-season runflats, 54 lbs. ASA RS1 18" wheels with PS2's, 42 lbs.



After mounting the tires and checking the pressure, I took it for a quick drive to check everything out. Overall drivetrain response and feel is noticeably improved, as is the quality of the ride. This is what I expected when we bought the BMW. I'm positive the wheels and tires are an upgrade over even brand new OEM tires. Having them replace worn out OEM wheels and tires is a revelation.








I told the wife that I'll be driving the BMW for a while to "properly break in the tires, etc." Really, it's just way more enjoyable to drive than it was previously.

[ff]

Looks great I've always liked that wheel style.

FWIW, 54 lbs is about what the stock "ZHP" 18's w/ RE-040's weighed. I don't remember if I weighed the front or rear wheel/tire, though.

[Jeff_DML]

think since the runflats sidewalls are so stiff they lessened up the springs rates to accomadate them. can you report back after driving for awhile if you notice any difference in handling?

looks good

[Optimus Prime]

Originally Posted by ff

Looks great I've always liked that wheel style.

FWIW, 54 lbs is about what the stock "ZHP" 18's w/ RE-040's weighed. I don't remember if I weighed the front or rear wheel/tire, though.

It felt like a big difference between stock and what I've got now, which is why I grabbed a scale. The difference in rotational moment of inertia is evident, as is the reduction in unsprung mass and the softer sidewalls.

Those tires come in a 19" staggered set, but the cost for that size tire and extra weight were more than I was willing to go with. The 18" wheels were $160 a wheel, which I was very happy with.

[equ]

ASA makes some neat wheels for the money. Congrats on the great choice of tire/wheel!

[JST]

Originally Posted by FC

That sucks. BMW's obsession with runflats really bothers me.

Everytime I think of how badly the Z-rated Pirellis on the R suck, I realize I could be driving on runflats and I make myself feel better.

Runflats do have their advantages.

I enjoyed not having to change this tire on the side of I95 today. OTOH, replacing it at the local Firestone dealer cost $360.

[SCA]

The new wheels look great!

[BahnBaum]

Originally Posted by JST

Runflats do have their advantages.

I enjoyed not having to change this tire on the side of I95 today. OTOH, replacing it at the local Firestone dealer cost $360.

Josh, thanks for posting that pic. I've always wondered how that Comfort Access thing worked.

Alex

[Optimus Prime]

Originally Posted by equ

ASA makes some neat wheels for the money. Congrats on the great choice of tire/wheel!

They're like BBS lite (or heavy as it were, since they appear to use cheaper alloy that requires more material cross section). The equivelant BBS wheel weighs 20.5 lbs from BBS and 24 lbs from ASA.


From Tirerack.com

In 1990, ASA decided to build a state-of-the-art alloy wheel manufacturing facility. Knowing the complexity and challenge this presented, ASA went to BBS in Germany to tap the best technical knowledge in facility design, manufacturing processes and quality controls for producing high quality alloy wheels. Production began at the new facility in Jeywon, South Korea in March 1992.

Their agreement with BBS, a world leader in wheel technology, engineering and manufacturing with over two decades of success in the racing community and the high-end aftermarket worldwide, is still in effect today. This cooperative agreement gives ASA valuable access to technical and product information that BBS gains from their motorsports and manufacturing involvement.

Originally Posted by JST

Runflats do have their advantages.
I enjoyed not having to change this tire on the side of I95 today. OTOH, replacing it at the local Firestone dealer cost $360.

that's pretty odd.
How many miles were on it? I was told by BMW that I was required to replace wheels in pairs?

Originally Posted by BahnBaum

Josh, thanks for posting that pic. I've always wondered how that Comfort Access thing worked.

Alex