[Em135eye]

Just ordered a set of non RFTs - Conti Sport Contact 3s.

They are 17" 225/45 all round. Usual pressures for runflats are 2.1 bar front, 2.6 bar rear - any ideas what pressure for non runflats? Slightly higher? They get fitted on Friday.

OSR was down to 1.6mm, NSR has a slow flat, OSF is newish and on 5mm but is only W rated (naughty Sytners...) and the NSF is around 3-4mm - a bit of life left but I'm not mixing RFTs and non RFTs.

Should sort out the only slight issue with the car - tramlining and slight crashiness.

[ed335d]

Can't comment on the 17's, but if it's anything to go by, I kept the same pressures when I moved to non RFT's (although I was running the RFT's 0.2bar over recommended).

Still in love with the e91?

[Em135eye]

Ed - not been used for a week (been using the Jimny - silly car but utterly brilliant in ice and snow) or so but yep - still love it and now hope to cure it's only real fault.

Will keep them the sameish then - cheers!

[milesr3]

I put a set of 224/50R17 Falken ZE-912s on my 535d yesterday and it's utterly transformed the car from the OEM RE050 RFTs. All the crashing, skittish handling and following cambers and ruts has gone with no apparent loss of grip or handling. The turn in is possibly a tad less immediate, but mid-corner the car actually seems to need less steering input and the steering weights up nicely so you can actually feel what the tyres are doing. There is no float or any sign of being under-damped, just a massive decrease in noise, vibration and harshness coming though from the road with what feels like more grip. I'm running the standard pressures.

The ZE-912s are a big improvement on the RE050s and were a little under half the price. I know many on here rate the FK-452s, but they weren't available in the size I needed and I didn't want to risk a 245/45R17 on a 7.5J rim. From what I've found elsewhere the ZE-912s do sacrifice a little outright grip and handling against the FK-452s but are quieter, longer lasting and ride better which is TBH probably more suited to my usage.

[Em135eye]

Miles - sounds good! Mine go on tomorrow.

I bought a Ring 12v auto compressor/pump two weeks ago knowing I'd be getting non RFTs soon (and I had a slow puncture and didn't want to get caught out) - very, very useful device and fits in the boot compartment fine. £22 very well spent.

[doughboy]

I stuck to the rates pressures when I went to conti 3's (18").

But I used to run the RFTs about 5 psi low to try and stop spinal compression and broken teeth over bumps.

They are brilliant - smooth, quiet, progressive and the wet grip is remarkable, compared to michelin PS2 anyway.

Good choice IMO.

[rogerxp]

Hi Matt - how's it going??

I went with the same pressures but think put a small amount more in to firm up the cornering (which you'll notice is softer without the stiff side-walls). You'll just have to trial and error it until you're happy with the right pressure.

Yes, the FK912 are built more for motorway/relaxed style driving (more comfortable/last longer) whereas the FK452 is built more for spirited driving. Watch your alloys though as the 912s don't have alloy-protectors!!!

I've just had the Falkens taken off, but not driven it yet, but the tyre fitter (friends of mine) who collected & returned the car noticed instantly the difference. He's got a 3 series (with RFTs on) and noticed immediately that my 330d was miles better with the Falkens on; he also noticed it became instantly crashy when he drove it back with the Bridgestones back on. I can't wait to drive it tomorrow to see the difference for myself.

[JLR1969]

Welcome back Matt, hope all well with you.

I think general consensus is the same as RFTs but with a little extra to compensate for the softer side walls.

Lets hear your views once fitted.

[doughboy]

I had FK452 on my 330i, they did have a noticeably softer sidewall and felt squidgy without upping the psi.

Matt, you'll be suprised how firm the Conti3 sidewalls are, I don't feel like i've lost any turn in and they feel nicely firm but compliant at rated pressure.

And conti 3's were designed specifically for high power RWD cars.

[Em135eye]

Cheers all.

I've gone for "high load" Y rated ones.

As a matter of (not much) interest, Sytners "kindly" put a new OSF tyre on. Shame they went for the cheaper and no-high-speed-rated-enough W versions. Cheeky gits!

My reason for going for all four was that Kwik Fit (don't laugh - I have had brilliant service from them for tyres) are doing 25% off four tyres. I could have just replaced the rears but I'm not going to mix RFTs with non RFTs and the front were on 4ishmm so not miles off (tyre grip drops rapidly away under 6mm). A bit mad taking two "good" tyres off but TBH, run flats really can naff off! The only weakpoint in the car IMO....


...but just one of MANY to those with M Sported up Beemers... ;-)

£130 each which I'm more than happy with.

[doughboy]

You mean XL (extra load)? Stiffer sidewalls (but not near RFT stiff) and reinforced carcass - same here.

AFAIK when I looked the Conti3's are only available in XL at any sort of decent size.

4mm is plenty worn to get rid of and would be very worn compared to new rears, but still saleable, put em on ebay, someone will give you £50 or so for the 2.

[Em135eye]

Might give it a try (flogging the tyres).

Don't forget that I only have teeny weeny shopping trolley wheels on mine...;-) but yes they are XL. Rather looking forward to a good test drive - once the ice goes. Probably not many 335ds with 17" non RFTs and sports suspension around so could be a little bit unique (sort of).

Even this morning there was black ice everywhere and 100s of crashes in the county. Will this Ice Age ever end?!

[doughboy]

Thats what ebay is for, a free junk collection service.

You put your old crap on it and people actually PAY YOU FOR IT, they even come and collect it too - bargain.

Saves a trip to the tip.

We recently put a worn out old pushchair on Ebay, fit for the bin, someone drove from flippin' Darlington in Teeside to Manchester to pick it up and gave us 30% of what it cost 17months ago.

Now where's my stash of used toilet rolls.....

[Em135eye]

I'm keeping the fronts but the rears will be binned.

My sister flogs everything (except herself I hope) on fleabay.

[Em135eye]

Holy cr4p what HUGE improvement! The road I use to approach the house is very potholey. RFTs really crashed over them, new tyres just glide. Didn't push the car really hard but so far so very, very good. Feel very grippy, 100 times smoother and the alignment was out so also better directional stability.

Why oh why oh why does BMW persist with RFTs?!

[milesr3]

Yeah it's just not funny how much better non-RFTs are isn't it?

I can't imagine why BMW persist in using them either. The dealer tried to dissuade me from changing to non-RFTs because my suspension was supposedly setup for them and it would 'ruin the car'. I checked on Realoem and my 11/2005 built car has the same struts they had from when the car was launched in 2003. They changed in 03/2006, but I can't think what they can do with a damper and single-rate spring to magically overcome a rock solid sidewall and the extra unsprung mass that RFTs bring.

Even if the handling is only 95% as good as it was before the NVH is 20% or less and the ride is 100% better.

[Em135eye]

I seriously think that "suspension tuned to RFTs" is total bo77ox and near enough scandalous (owners HAVE to buy RFTs... not).

Thick question - what's NVH?!

[doughboy]

NVH = Noise, Vibration & Harshness, a mate works for Toyota Development in the NVH team.


Glad you like em, non RFTs that is

Did you know BMW's own internal dealer advice is to RECCOMMEND, SOURCE AND FIT non runflats to customers who complain about ride quality? But most dealers don't read their own bulletins....

RE the car design....

The E9x was 'designed' (read 'ruined') for runflats from the outset.

What that really means is as they were tied into commercial agreements with tyre manufacturers, they had to compromise the vehicles, partly by fitting super soft hydraulic bushes to the rear subframe and front wishbones / tie bars to take the place of the natural flex of a regular sidewall.

The only E9x designed to run without RFTs is the M3, suprise - that has conventional rubber bushings.

I fitted the M3 bushes on the rear subframe BEFORE I ditched the RFTs and it really show the harshness of the RFT, every ripple and catseye thundering through the floorpan.

Now the Conti3's are on all is well - smooth and firm are 2 words that describe it well.

M3 front end parts are waiting at the dealers for me to collect now... just need to get them fitted.

[Em135eye]

Good to hear.

Looking forward to really pushing them.

Utterly stupid point but they look nice too...

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

Utterly stupid point but they look nice too...

A very important point.

Nothing worse than getting a great tyre fitted, to find out it looks like this when you collect the car:

[Em135eye]

Or this:

[doughboy]

They're the SE wheels aren't they?

Nice cross ply