There is a difference between regular run-flat tires and what the Ford Explorer offers to make sure you can have an easy drive.
More vehicles than ever before are being offered without a conventional spare tire or the kit to replace a tire. This has caused many of the automakers to turn to run-flat tires to have the drive you need, but the Ford Explorer is going to have a different type of tire that allows you to keep on driving.
The Self-Sealing Tires of the Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer will no longer be offered with a regular spare tire and kit. It also won’t be offered with normal run-flat tires. Instead, the Explorer will have self-sealing tires that will give you the drive you want. If you run over a nail when driving the Explorer, there’s a chance you won’t need to replace the tire right away. You might not know you punctured the tire at all until the vehicle warns you, several days later.
The Difference in Tires
The difference between regular run-flat tires and the self-sealing tires is significant. Normal run-flat tires have rigid sidewalls to allow the tire to be driven on for up to 50 miles after you have a puncture. The self-sealing tires you’ll find on the Ford Explorer will seal themselves up when you have a small puncture. These tires use a gel-like material to seal up the hole so that you can continue to drive for several days.
Why Use Self-Sealing Tires for the Ford Explorer
Normal run-flat tires have a rough ride because of the lack of pressure when a puncture occurs. These tires also have a rough ride because you’re driving only using the tire walls. With the self-sealing tires, you can drive for a long time, even several days, without worrying about your tires after a puncture. Sometimes you will only know your tire was punctured because the tire pressure shows a slow leak or you see the nail sticking out of the tire.
Detailing the Special Gel
The inside of the self-sealing tires is coated with a viscous goop that flows into the puncture to seal up the hold. The team at Michelin created a rubbery sealant that must flow into the puncture without pooling up at the bottom of the tire when the Explorer is parked. The material has to form an airtight seal and flow at extreme temperatures. This means you can have a puncture in desert heat or in the frigid winter temperatures and have the hole sealed up.
The Ford Explorer Tires Seal Up, but They Aren’t Cheap
The Michelin brand of self-sealing tires can seal punctures up to a quarter-inch in size. Continental also makes similar tires that will seal up punctures of one-fifth of an inch. Other brands that offer self-sealing tires are Hankook and Pirelli. These ties will be offered as part of the standard packaging for the Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid and Platinum models while being an option for the Ford Explorer Limited models.
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