An armoured vehicle isn’t of too much use if the wheels it drives on are still vulnerable to cuts and bruises from things like broken glass and stray nails.
Gauteng-based vehicle armourer SVI Engineering therefore offers optional Flats Over run-flat tyre safety bands on all its armoured cars which will keep them going long after the rubber has been torn up by metal spikes or a hail of bullets.
A set of four Flats Over run-flat rings is priced from R43,786 (excl. VAT).
The devices can be fitted to armoured and conventional passenger cars, trailers, and most other vehicles that ride on 16- to 23-inch wheels. No special tools are required for fitment, and they can be quickly installed by the majority of tyre shops after training.
This price does not account for the cost of the tyres, however, which depending on the car, could add tens of thousands more to the end bill.
How bulletproof wheels work
The Flats Over run-flat tyre safety bands comprise a robust rubber ring split into two halves, along with a cable structure to tighten the device around the rim inside the standard tyre.
This setup ensures that each ring effectively forms a smaller, highly durable “spare wheel” inside each tyre.
The rubber rings protect against wheel damage during sudden pressure loss, including from spikes on the road or ballistic attacks as they remain fully functional after multiple direct gunshots.
As an added benefit, they minimise harm sustained from potholes.
To give us a good look at exactly how these run-flat rings work, SVI sent one of its armoured bakkies fitted with the optional extras over a homemade spike strip intended to do as much damage as possible.
“After the bakkie accelerated over the spikes, both tyres on the driver’s side lost pressure,” explained SVI Business Development Director Nicol Louw.
“However, thanks to the run-flat rings fitted inside the tyres, the vehicle remained fully controllable, allowing the driver to keep going – and going and going, even after one of the tyres had virtually disintegrated.”
Once SVI’s allotted time at the testing track came to an end, the run-flat rings had seen the vehicle cover 23km at an approximate speed of 50km/h, with the rim itself sustaining no injuries.
“It’s telling that what ultimately forced us to stop was simply the fact that we ran out of time,” said Louw.
“This is tangible proof that even the most aggressive spikes are no match for the Flats Over run-flat solution, which gives motorists the vitally important ability to just keep driving.”
A video of the run-flat wheels in action can be viewed below:
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