Bly Posted May 18, 2003 Posted May 18, 2003 I have a 2002 SC430. Love the car HATE the run flat tires. Noisy and harsh riding. When you get on a rough road you need to make an appointment with your dentist to have your fillings checked. I've been on the net looking for other solutions to the no spare issue. I found a company that sells a product that you put into regular tires when you mount them which makes them self sealing tires for the life of the tire. I don't know if I'm allowed to name the company? Is there anyone out there who has replace their run flats with regular tires and what have you done about the spare?
gslx4s Posted May 18, 2003 Posted May 18, 2003 I have a 2002 SC430. Love the car HATE the run flat tires. Noisy and harsh riding. When you get on a rough road you need to make an appointment with your dentist to have your fillings checked. I've been on the net looking for other solutions to the no spare issue. I found a company that sells a product that you put into regular tires when you mount them which makes them self sealing tires for the life of the tire. I don't know if I'm allowed to name the company? Is there anyone out there who has replace their run flats with regular tires and what have you done about the spare? Maybe you may want to upgrade to a better then stock wheel. HRE is a compnay that offer wheels for your car that uses the factory tire pressure sensor. Go to the showroom section. Here you will be able to see what youe vehicle looks like with the wheel on it. Give a look over.. http://www.hrewheels.com/
Bly Posted May 18, 2003 Author Posted May 18, 2003 How would that improve the ride and noise of the run flat tires? I think I'd have the same problem as I currently have with less money in my wallet for new tires. 1
DEANSKI Posted May 18, 2003 Posted May 18, 2003 Best advise: Remove the run-flats and get a set of Michelin Pilot Sports. Best prices on tires and wheels: Tirerack Direct link to the Pilot Sports: SC430 Michelin Pilot Sports {I'm sorry DEANSKI, no CL references allowed.} AWJ You will be very happy with the Sports! Regards, Deanski
Bly Posted May 24, 2003 Author Posted May 24, 2003 Well, I took half of that advice. I ordered regular tires from the tire rack today. I bought the Continental extremecontact tires. It seems that they offer the best combination of all season performance, quietness, tread life and price. I don't intend to take the car to the track. I also ordered (through Lexus) the spare tire. Tire Rack doesn't carry it. I did not order the spare tire trunk conversion kit as yet although I may after I see how the spare fits into the trunk. I also expect to carry a can or two of fixaflat or a similar product just in case as there will be times when I'll want to remove the spare to gain some trunk room (two golf bags, etc.) I know that if I have to use this stuff it will ruin the pressure sensor but in an emergency I'd do it. This is my third Lexus, great cars and this car is incredible but the tires were just horrible. They were just noisy when I had the car in Florida but in NY where the roads are rougher they were just awful. I'm really surprised that Lexus released the car with the run flats. At times I actually felt that the car was nearly uncontrolable with them on rough, uneven roads. I did find a product that you put into new tires before you get a flat which is supposed to make the tire self healing in the event of a puncture. It is not supposed to affect tire balance. I'm not going to use it though because I'm concerned that it will ruin the tire pressure sensors. I've tried to get some advice on this from the company that makes the stuff and also from Continental which I believe made the sensors with no luck. I thought about removing the pressure sensors but I think I'd have the warning light on the dash lit up constantly. Does anyone have any experience with removing the sensors? Does the dash light stay lit? I'll let you all know about my experience once I get the new rubber on.
gslx4s Posted May 24, 2003 Posted May 24, 2003 Well, I took half of that advice. I ordered regular tires from the tire rack today. I bought the Continental extremecontact tires. It seems that they offer the best combination of all season performance, quietness, tread life and price. I don't intend to take the car to the track. I also ordered (through Lexus) the spare tire. Tire Rack doesn't carry it. I did not order the spare tire trunk conversion kit as yet although I may after I see how the spare fits into the trunk. I also expect to carry a can or two of fixaflat or a similar product just in case as there will be times when I'll want to remove the spare to gain some trunk room (two golf bags, etc.) I know that if I have to use this stuff it will ruin the pressure sensor but in an emergency I'd do it. This is my third Lexus, great cars and this car is incredible but the tires were just horrible. They were just noisy when I had the car in Florida but in NY where the roads are rougher they were just awful. I'm really surprised that Lexus released the car with the run flats. At times I actually felt that the car was nearly uncontrolable with them on rough, uneven roads. I did find a product that you put into new tires before you get a flat which is supposed to make the tire self healing in the event of a puncture. It is not supposed to affect tire balance. I'm not going to use it though because I'm concerned that it will ruin the tire pressure sensors. I've tried to get some advice on this from the company that makes the stuff and also from Continental which I believe made the sensors with no luck. I thought about removing the pressure sensors but I think I'd have the warning light on the dash lit up constantly. Does anyone have any experience with removing the sensors? Does the dash light stay lit? I'll let you all know about my experience once I get the new rubber on. Form your worries about run flats and can of fix-a-flat, it sounds as if you have been stuck on the side of the road a few times.. :D
stanj Posted May 24, 2003 Posted May 24, 2003 Had the same experience with the run-flats. Hated them. Was almost ready to get rid of the car. Have had 3 Lexus and this was first unsatisfactory experience. Replaced them with Michelin Pilots and can't believe the improvement. Handling, ride and noise dramatic improvement. Am now a happy camper. Prestone makes a kit that contains an inflator and sealer. I purchased one ($28) and carry it in the trunk in the event of a flat. This is pretty much the same system that BMW provides with their M series cars which come standard without a spare and have regular tires, not run-flats. Figure if it is good enopugh for them it's good enough for me. Lexus should follow suit instead of having unhappy drivers.
Bly Posted May 24, 2003 Author Posted May 24, 2003 I found some stuff made by Prestone called "tire Jack" but it was only about $7.00 a can. Is that the stuff you're talking about or is there something else?
rbelloff Posted May 24, 2003 Posted May 24, 2003 On the Corvette chat room, we call them run-craps and they are just that. I switched to Contis too. Nice tire.
JPI Posted May 24, 2003 Posted May 24, 2003 You can put regular tires on your SC430. Lexus sell a kit so you mount your spare tire in the trunk. I see client comes in with 8 miles and needing new tires. This is insane. But we always ended up goodwill the tires :P . I can find out the price for the spare kit. email me if interested. jpimport2003@yahoo.com JPI
Bly Posted May 25, 2003 Author Posted May 25, 2003 Thanks, I can get the kit locally as I have a contact at Toyota who has a contact at Lexus. Has anyone added the spare tire kit? If so are you still able to get two bags of golf clubs in the trunk?
Bly Posted June 12, 2003 Author Posted June 12, 2003 Replaced my run flats today. WOW what a difference. It's like I got a new car. Quiet and a much softer ride. Also so far I have not experienced the sidewall steering that I had with the run craps.
bartkat Posted June 12, 2003 Posted June 12, 2003 Gee, we originally developed run-flat tires for VIP type armored cars so the bad guys couldn't shoot the tires out. Does Lexus think you guys are going to get shot at? :snoooorrrtttt:
meddle Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 Considering some of the ridiculously lazy amenities offered now a days in the name of luxury, Id say a tire that will run long enough while flat to get you to a safe place to pull over is pretty practical.
Bly Posted June 13, 2003 Author Posted June 13, 2003 Meddle, of course you're right, IF they drove reasonably well. I think that if you drove a car equipped with the run flats you'd agree that this is a good idea that just hasn't reached acceptable levels of performance and driving safety yet. These tires created so much sidewall steering that on an uneven road they were IMHO down right dangerous. The car was barely controlable. If fact my wife didn't like driving a $60,000 car because of the tires and I didn't think she was wrong.
2earls Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 I have an SC 430 equipied with Michelin Pilot Sports A tires, got rid of the run flats, wish I had done it when I bought the car! Car now drives, rides and handles like a Lexus. I have a $25.00 air compressor in my trunk in case I have a flat. Similar to BMW mobility but hundreds less. If I have a full blown blow out I quess I'll call for a tow but so be it, car drives like a dream, I highly recomend the Michelin Sport AS, wouldn't be surprised to see Lexus go that way with all the complaints about run flats.
Bly Posted June 15, 2003 Author Posted June 15, 2003 You're absolutely right about the ride, noise and handling. It's an entirely different car. Even my wife felt the difference. I thought about the compressor idea and looked into stuff you put into the tires to make them self sealing. I Didn't go with the self sealing stuff because of the pressure sensors in the tires and the thought of not having a spare and being stuck on the side of the road with a big leak in the tire at 2:00 AM waiting for Lexus or AAA wasn't too appealing so I went with the spare. I also bought a can of tire jack so that on the rare occasions that I need the trunk space I'll remove the spare and take a chance on the tire jack in the trunk. I went with Continental extremecontact tires. They were highly rated at the Tirerack, were all season, rated quieter than the Michelins and were half the price of the Michelins. They have a 400 wear rating. The run flats had a 150. I think the Michelins had a 300 but I'm not sure.
rah Posted July 13, 2003 Posted July 13, 2003 I'm a bit confused in regard to the SC430 runflats. I have a Corvette with run flats, which rides and handles far superior to the SC, which bounces over the slightest bumps in the road. Since the Chevy was designed for the runflats, I'm wondering if the system on the SC was an afterthought. I'm not attempting to compare the handling characteristics of the two vehicles, but rather their abilities to provide a decent ride with the run flat systems. The vette with its run flats is very useable on a day to day basis, while the SC verges near unpleasant. I fully intend to take the advice offered here and switch to the Pilots, but was wondering if anyone had any further thoughts re: the suspension system as designed for the SC and if it tends to make the run flats worse than they actually are? RAH
giantklr Posted July 15, 2003 Posted July 15, 2003 I was on a trip home I took my SC430 up to ~110mph and started feel some vibration, while slowing down it got worse so I pulled over and found the run-flat to be flat, I couldn't drive it more than 5 miles to the nearest gas station. The 24 hr Lexus service was very helpful in getting the car towed, after listening to everyone here i think I will take off the run-flats
SKperformance Posted July 15, 2003 Posted July 15, 2003 i am just wondering did you have a flat because the tire unseated itself at that speed? or was there a puncture in the tire
giantklr Posted July 15, 2003 Posted July 15, 2003 I'm not sure yet, I have 9.5 Lowenhart rims in the back and the original tires, so I don't know if the tires pulled away from the rims and then at the high speed caused damage to the tires. When I tried to put air in it immediately leaked back out, they are working on it today so hopefully only the tire is damaged...
barncat Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 May I add my two cents.....I bought an sc430 2 weeks ago, drove it home 700 miles from the dealer, couldn't stand the handling of the run-flats, went to put on new Contis and discovered I had 2 cracked rims. I blame the cracks on the run-flats. Bottom line, I'm into this about $1300 extra now but I do love the car! Hopefully, I'll have some enjoyable times ahead. Now I have to figure out the spare tire/tire repair kit thing!
pomp girl Posted March 22, 2013 Posted March 22, 2013 have o5 SC. Best car I have ever owned. 78K and never back to dealer. Replaced tire and removed sensors and told by local dealer that the alarm cannot be disconnected. If you remove fuse other interior lights do not work
toytrain Posted April 7, 2013 Posted April 7, 2013 Throw my vote in for the Michelin AS Pilot Sports ZPs-- they changed everything!
slawless Posted April 14, 2013 Posted April 14, 2013 definitely go for the Michelin if you want to stay with run flats. Better ride better handling. Also consider changing the camber on your car. the factory is -1.5 degrees. With the low profile wide tires you are mostly running on the inner side wall. try going to -1.0 to 10.8 degrees.
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