I had a meeting in Durham yesterday morning and set off from Carlisle with what I thougth was time to spare. Heard on the radio that they had shut the A1 both ways (a fatality) and with the diverted traffic the roads around my destination were a disaster.

I then noticed that the car was a bit back end twitchy under straight line acceleration and particularly when changing gear. Thinks...better check my tyre pressures but it will have to wait 'till I get there as I'm now running late.

After the meeting I checked and the rear nearside TP was down to 6 psi I borrowed a pump and reinflated the tyre which seemed to hold the air ok after 5 minutes, so drove to the nearest tyre services to get it checked out. A feckin great nail was straight through the middle of the tread. Technician tells me it can't be repaired as I've driven on it when the pressure was low and it's damaged the tyre. I felt like a right Tw*t

What surprised me was how little effect the low pressure had when driving steady and in traffic. It was only noticeable under hard acceleration. The tyre bloke said that the RE050's have a 'hard' wall so it's feasible that you might not realise the pressure is getting low (nice of him to try and make me feel better but I still felt a bit of a numpty). I've had punctures with normal profile tyres before and been able to tell almost straight away.

Anyway, I had to drive back from Durham with all the caravans and waggons as they couldn't get hold of a new tyre straight away so I had the spacesaver on (the front I hasten to add). Ordered a new tyre which cost me

 

You should have gone down to Penrith and over the top. Although probably not with a puncture

Nice moral BTW

 

That

 

It was too late when I heard the announcement, I was well along the A69. I was headed for West Cornforth and whichever way I went I think I'd have been in trouble as all the A1 traffic was being diverted around that area.

 

[QUOTE=Steb,Jul 19 2008, 08:12 AM] That

 

bad luck mate.

AE has had punctures repaired and done track days on them with no problems.

 

It is bad luck that..

Glad you got it sorted, and nothing untoward happened.

Kiwi

 

I've had tyres repaired before, no problem. If you see how they do it, the pressure in the tyre keeps the plug in place, and mechanically it's just as good as the original.
Re. replacing the tyre, are you replacing both or just the one?
I've always been of the opinion that tyres should be replaced in pairs, to ensure even grip on both sides, unless it's an almost brand-new tyre which is knackered, in which case the difference would be really small...
Anyone else do this?

 

This brings back memories of post-Le Mans summer 2000, limping round France after a similar sort of wound

Carol managed to gouge the OSR tyre wall on a projecting metal stake reversing out of the wrong Payage channel

That after doing 200 (kph!) for the first time on a lovely French autoroute near Caen - my old, stock, car

No chance of a new tyre, the S2000 itself was almost the only one in France

A local mech bunged the tyre full of some blue gunge

The rest of the trip was speed limits only

 

Where do you go for your tyres?, i have found "dentons" ae by far the cheapest and best service.