There's some kind of aerosol product I guess, being advertised on the radio presently - can't remember the name - but obviously it seals a simple puncture and inflates the tyre sufficiently to get you going again.
What are the limitation of use and the longer term implications. i.e. Is the tyre subsequently a definite write-off?
Andy
I had a slow puncture in a back tyre (2-3psi a day)
I used one of these cans, and not an ounce of pressure lost since. It's a back tyre, and I have a spare, so we'll see what happens.
I think these are as you say 'Emergency' products and therefore designed to do just that, get you home. The stuff like Finlec and Tyre Weld etc. I understand the tyre fitters don't like such products because of the mess they make inside the tyre and therefore difficulty if they are able to make a more traditional repair.
Such might be good though for sealing 'other' leaks like corroded / flaking internal paint on rims though.
If you have a straight 'puncture' then i have used Ultraseal to good effect, even though it's not designed to be an emergency solution (and you will still need a footpump but we all cary one right? ).
Ultraseal will make a permanent repair and is water soluble (so easy to wash out).
All the best ..
T i m
Many new cars are now sold with this as the sole means of dealing with a puncture, so I'm hoping it should be OK...
Chris
Oh that's interesting but as I'm not likely to have another new car I like the sound of Tim's Ultraseal. Might have to look out for a can.
Andy
You pay extra for the "spare wheel option".
If available...
Chris
A 'bottle' .. and remember this stuff is supposed to be fitted 'pre' any puncture (ideally when you fit new tyres).
Try here for some info / background ..
Procedure.
Jack the wheel up just clear of the ground and turn the wheel so the valve is near the bottom.
Deflate the tyre and remove the valve core (they give you a valve cap with valve key in the kit).
Fix the clear tube to the bottle, other end to the valve, turn the bottle up-side-down and squeeze the amount recommended into the tyre (the bottle is graduated).
Wipe the valve hole out a bit, refit the core and inflate the tyre (we often do it on a friendly garage forecourt, close to but not stopping others using the airline) ;-)
Repeat on the other wheels and drive off gently, giving the Ultraseal time to self balance.
Many of our fellow motorcyclists use the stuff all the time and even if it doesn't actually stop a big puncture (a hole over a certain size etc) it allows the tyre to deflate slowly / slower, often giving a rider those extra few seconds to find safety / slow down etc.
One particular rider removed her fairly bald rear tyre (after a long adventure trip) to find she would have had 10 punctures! ;-)
If my partner or daughter was regularly driving on motorways or off the beaten track I would fit it in their tyres (and will probably do so when the missus get's new tyres soon).
All the best ..
T i m
(No connection etc, just a happy customer).
Thanks Tim, for all the useful information. :-)
Unfortunately, judging by your average Sunday morning around these here parts, it's not punctures that 'seals the fate' of most motorbike riders ! :-(
Cheers Andy
np Andy.
No, indeed not. With some of them it's suicide and for most of the rest it's effectively manslaughter [1] ("I didn't see him" which actually often equals "I didn't look properly" or "I did see him but subconsciously didn't see him as a threat". The same folk *wouldn't* have pulled out in front of a sand and gravel lorry for some reason ..)?
Some of the remainder could be punctures / blowouts and Ultraseal will help with one and could help with the other (and when we are on two wheels we need all the help we can get)!
All the best ..
T i m
[1] I'm skeptical about how many 'incidents' get brushed off as 'accidents' when I believe in many cases the 'accident' could be avoided if all parties were doing their thing 'responsibly'.Motor vehicles are not things you should treat with the casual attitude as some seem to .. like they were just getting on a bus ... ;-(
Sri ;-)
It's all fine and well provided it's a small puncture. But it doesn't cope very well with sealing long cuts, or any form of hole in sidewalls....
And from experience, if it's a normal puncture, chances are the tyre will only go down slowly, and normally gets noticed before you end up stuck at the side of a road somewhere. However, if it's bad enough you get stuck at he side of the road, then chances are the hole will either be too big for the sealent to work, or the tyre sidewall will be knackered from being run flat. In the latter case, if the sealant does seal the puncture, then you risk a sidewall blow out.
Tyre sealant is just a cost cutting measure from manufacturers. £30+ for a spare wheel versus £5 for a can of sealant.... Or in the terms of the end user, having to get a bit dirty and change a spare wheel (or wait for the breakdown to do it for you), versus waiting to either be recovered to a garage or waiting (and paying a premium!) to get a tyre company to come and fit a new tyre.
Now I know which option I would rather choose.
It's not just that - spare wheels do take up quite a lot of space. It's got worse given the trend for ever bigger and wider wheels/tyres...
cheers, clive
Round here we call them "Organ Donors"
Another Dave
As stated Ultraseal is the best for prevention. It does a very good job in most cases. Even in tubed tyres.
When in France last year I had a puncture, large screw. Changed wheel, and later was taken to a local Citroen garage by the people we were staying with. They repaired it with what looked like sticky shoelace. Just cleaned out the hole, then pushed a loop through the hole, turned it round and pulled it out. Cut off excess, and job done. They told me it was a permanent repair. I then bought a kit from a Norauto shop. Had to use it in anger later, and it was so easy.
And they make a mess of your tyre changer / floor / hands and clothes !
I had a hell of a job getting a tyre repaired after using HoltsTyreWeld. I have a Lotus Elise - no spare wheel, you see. All of the big chains gave various bull-sh*t excuses as to why they couldn't fix a tyre after it had this stuff inside. I suspected that they'd rather sell me a =A3100 tyre that do a =A310 puncture repair. A local independant did the job with no difficulty at all - he just wiped the inside of the tyre clean with a rag. I made some enquiries and have an e-mail from Holts saying that they have an agreement with National Tyres, who have agreed to repair tyres after TyreWeld has been used on them. There may be a "small" additional charge to cover the cleaning involved. Hope this information helps.
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