Tyre Repairs Again

Not offhand, but I suppose you could try other repairers.

Another reason to deplore the trend away from a proper spare. As a matter of interest, does your daughter's car have a spare? If so I'm sure next time you'll fit the spare and take the punctured one for repair!

Thank you all for your responses. Unfortunately my daughter's car is one without a spare. If it had happened near my house it would have been my jack and my toolbox (much used on former vehicles) and the wheel off and away for a plug to the tyre. Unfortunately we were too far away for that.

saying that it was not possible after a foam repair.
BS! All they have to do is wipe out the inside of the tire. They are just trying to sell you another tire.

But of course !, I was in the same situation (myself) a few months ago. But before using the fix-1-flat, I took a picture of the puncture, covering sorrounding threads and rubber branding, so I could locate the puncture at a later time (1 week) and then simply used a strip plug soaked in rubber cement.

For less than the cost of one repair, you can buy a tire repair kit to repair dozens of tires and you don't have the repair person telling you that it can't be done.

Do you mean a cold vulcanising kit? I believe Rema Tip-Top was the original in the 60s but there are others nowadays.

I don't think it's practical for most motorists. Getting the tyre bead off the rim isn't easy without tyre shop kit. I used to do it by laying the wheel flat, rest a stout plank on the sidewall, drive the car up the plank and finish by kicking the bead down with heavy boots. Then tyre levers needed to get at least one bead over the wheel rim. Can then reach in, buff the area round the puncture and apply a patch, but many tyres have raised ribs on the inside spaced about 30mm, and sod's law says the hole will be next to one of them, making it more difficult.

I'm a keen DIY-er and I've done that in the past, but these days (older, less energy, more money) I'd rather pay a repair shop £10.

No. It is just a reamer, a needle, and some rope pieces with tar on them. It takes about 60 seconds to repair a simple puncture.

That's good for 'quick fixes' on older tires, but if you read the pamphlet that the tire dealer should have given you when you got the new tires, you will find that it is an 'operator's manual' for tires, explaining how and why to rotate tires, and how to properly fix flats.

That 'reamer and rope' kit is only HALF the flat repair system, the other half is a rubber patch you apply to the INSIDE of the tire with rubber cement. And there's a third 'half' to the equation as well: Visual inspection of the puncture from both sides to determine if the steel belting has been compromised.

Using the 'reamer and rope' kit without inspecting the interior of the tire will void the warranty on the tire. That's why I said it's okay on older tires. Once the tire has worn down to where you won't get a 'prorated' discount on the replacement, or you've had it long enough for the warranty time to run out, feel free to use the reamer & rope all you want.

As for the mechanic who won't work on a 'fix-a-flat' inflated tire, either the puncture is in a spot that 'kills' the tire (in other words, cannot be safely repaired, like a side wall or deep tread puncture), or the mechanic simply was not trained on how to work on 'fix-a-flat' inflated tires, or the garage has a blanket policy about f-a-f tires to protect themselves from liability issues.

"... saying that it was not possible after a foam repair."

Agree with texasron, that's baloney. I had the same tire issue you describe, used the same solution, and when I took it to a tire shop and told him what I had done, he said "No problem, I'll just clean it out."

SHOCKHISCAN makes a valid point about where the puncture is having something to do with repairability. However, a sidewall puncture would likely not get plugged with the foam stuff.

When I have had an issue with the tire shop saying they don't want to or can't repair a tire after the application of FIX-A-FLAT, it's usually because they don't want to get the sealant all over themselves so they give you a line of B.S. and sell you a new tire. Go elsewhere and have them explain why if they say the tire must be replaced!

I had one garage owner tell me it was because the stuff was so flammable or explosive even, that is why he refuses to work on tires with Fix-a-Flat in them.

I just perused the MSDS and it says the material in the Fix-a-flat can is combustible but not readily ignitable and gives it a rating of 1 meaning it will burn if in contact with an open flame but will not explode.

That was for the brand Fix-a-flat and not one of the other brands!

Possibly the combustible part is the propellant in the can, not the cured mixture.

Yes. The propellant is probably propane.

I would replace the pair of tires, front or back, that the failure occurred, and keep the good one and put it on a spare wheel....

When I got fed up with punctured tires, I shopped for new ones by how much they weighed. The tire dealers thought I was cracked, but I have not had a puncture since. Some brands are like baloney skins.

LOL!!

Not a bad idea, thanks for sharing!!!

I was sold a can of "Slime" (Yes, that is what is is called)…The tire mechanic told me that all of his off-road riders used it (both motorcycles and dune buggies), and that it worked great. My concern with the older Fix-A- Flat was the tire balance at speed…Leave it sit for a while, and the load would sag into the lower part of the tire, and create a monster of a vibration.. As an aside, I always carried one in my old VW bus, for off-road Baja adventures, and needed it after waking up in an old fish camp site, with broken glass spewn about. This was many moons ago, before kids, and With my wife with me on her first foray into the great unknown, 600 Km down on the Pacific Side, I needed to make all right. Removed the tire, filled as instructed, and rolled the tire up and down sand dunes until it sealed..We found a Mexican tire shop 30 Km later, and he had never seen the stuff that greeted him when pulling the tire. It went on forever. A $20 bill went a long way to alleviate the mess, and we were on the road again, and made it home safely, 3 days later. By the way, to seat the rim, he used a thimble of gasoline in the tire, adjusted the tire on the rim, lit it, and the tire slammed into position…Amazing to see…No problems here!

You forgot to mention that he ignited it!!

For anyone who has not tried this:-

Normal Tyre

Off Road Tyre

"lit it" is American for "ignited it.

What I don't understand is how he managed to light (ignite) the gas inside the tire. I'm assuming he used the pressure created by the burning fuel to set the tire edges into the rim...

Try looking at the YouTube links I posted!!

I had a girlfriend that could do that without gasoline. Her name was Amelia Airstart.

I sent a reply earlier, but it didn't get posted.

Thanks! Now I have seen the light!

Maybe, Mr. Mac can get a you tube video of " The way a Mexican tire mechanic fixes tires ".

Since you asked, I looked, using exactly your phrase.

Here you are: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tulowALcsQc

I wouldn't put that tire on my car! I hope it doesn't interpret this text as part of the link.
I can't remove the underlining, nor the coloring...

Do you want to know how to stop that happening?

HE used WAAAAY too much gas.. I have seen You Tube videos on "redneck mechanics", or something like that , that shows the proper method… One actually showed a guy running a truck on fumes from a gas can directly into the carburetor, gas line disconnected, revving up the motor, and to prove it wasn't a trick, started to cut off the flow of fumes, and you can see the engine rpms dying off. Claimed he ran lawnmowers, drove his truck around etc. using this method….. ..You may want to look around ..

He told us to stand back, put a small cap (Soda bottle) of gas into the tire, lit it with a match, (Held the edge down, threw the match in at the same time he let go), and POOF.. it seated..

No spare seriously?

I remember when those tiny spare tyres were being introduced as spares and now they've gotten even stingier...less weight I guess.

What happens if you rip a side wall when your miles from nowhere? No can of slime will help you there or a tubeless plug kit for that matter.

I carry two full size spares and a tubeless plug kit in the glove box too. 4x4 field pickup truck, so weight and space are not an issue.

No spare.....what other signs of progress have I missed?

The spare was found to be flat due to an old , cracked valve stem. I had the guy also put an inner tube in the spare, until I could get the rig home. Remember, this was a 1963 VW bus, ,1500 cc engine, with tires deflated, at times, to 12 lbs for off road deep sand, and fine powder use. Not a lot of extra space and oomph for much more gear. Also had to pay of the Mexican Federale official in Ensenada , who said I failed to stop at a Hospital crosswalk 3 miles back!!! Again, $20 in a handshake made the deal, but he was polite enough to ask if I was left with enough money to buy gas to get back home. The USA always looks better upon returning.

As a "get-u-home" its OK, but on principle, you should NEVER put a tube in what was a tubeless tyre. It can suddenly lose air pressure.due to the rubbing of the roughly finished tyre inside surface against the tube.

Makers of tyres don't bother to smooth the inside of the tyre for tubeless ones....

Every time a (any) part of the tyre passes the "ground" it moves slightly in relationship to the tube.......a rubbing action.

If you HAVE to do it, use maximum allowed tyre pressure to reduce the amount of "rubbing" to a minimum!

Tubed tyres are made with a smooth inside for that reason, but eventually they wear the tube as well....

Hopefully its not a problem before the tyre needs to be replaced anyway.....which is why I dislike tubed tyres on principle....

Good points--At that point in time, any port in a storm thinking took over.

much of what you've experienced from tyre shops is dependent on where you are in the world.

As you've spelt 'tyre' the English way, i'm going to presume you are in the UK or somewhere near.

So the rules regarding replacement tyres in the UK are different from the USA, and much of what you've read as replies are US based. In the UK tyres are repaired but usually under protest and with no real backup regarding longevity of the repair. Many years ago, a inner tube would have been the way to go, but the Ministry of Transport banned them.

One reply did say it would depend on the location of the damage to the tyre... yes. tyre walls cannot be repaired, and a new tyre is the only option.

furthermore, the foam may let the tyre run at a lesser operating pressure, hence the speed and distance warnings, therefore causing further damage to the whole tyre. You also have to remember that the reason that tyre shop now refuse to make repairs is they are liable in law for the repair and any accidents that a faulty repair might cause.

On a personal note, it's your daughter.... I value mine at far more than a cost of a new tyre!

I agree with the point you make concerning valuable daughters. The issue was not with the limited life of the temporary repair but with the refusal to perform a legal and safe permanent repair.

You said..

The issue was not with the limited life of the temporary repair but with the refusal to perform a legal and safe permanent repair.

I got that... and that is where you have to leave it up to the experts, as I said they have government guidelines to follow, as we live in a "Nanny State" and can't tell the difference between good and bad.

you would have a huge mountain to climb trying to prove any different, if they say it can't be repaired, I doubt if you will get anyone to say otherwise, not even the RAC or AA

It's not even the difference between good or bad, the difference is often whether the insurers can apportion blame or not. If not, the advice is just don't do it.

The only normal reason to use such a can is when say your daughter is in a very suspect area, alone, that she needs to get out of quickly.....otherwise its too expensive, unless she buys her own tyres of course.

In such cases when a tyre is punctured, a decision has to be made how to act, much easier is when a proper (or even emergency) spare wheel is carried, AND she has the right tools (including light!!) for her personal strength and she knows how to use them without killing or injuring herself.....especially at night!!

I only used the spray cans once, probably mid 1970's or perhaps a tick earlier.

I had Mazdas at that time and their wheels always came with inner tubes, which I use only on push bikes, otherwise I avoid them....So when they were worn out, I replaced all 4 tyres with tubeless.

But each wheel lost small amounts of air per day, I only guessed, but I was sure it was the welding of the steel wheel parts that Mazda could not get quite right at that time......Porous.

I used about a quarter of a single can of sealer on each wheel (the spare was still new and still had an innertube!) and never ever had a loss of air (or a puncture!) ever again....

In those days the sealant was simply "good to go forever...."

It explained on the can that if ever a new hole developed, the sealer would then seal that too, for some years!! I had the car for at least another couple of years more, never any problems with punctures.......that is not a guarantee. But I might have had some......who knows?

May I suggest that you buy a proper spare wheel, put it on the car where the puncture was, the punctured one use as spare in the car and drive, keep an eye each week on the spare.....but I bet it never goes down on you!!

I think that the sealer company is just covering is rear end, just in case....understood?

You could even buy a tyre repair kit and put a plug in yourself (assuming you can find the hole! and use it as a spare only.....the sealer itself is really only a strong rubber glue with fibers.....

May I also suggest, for any vehicle you have, pump up the tyres to the max legal for a full load for that car, you will notice its a bit harder sprung for the next few days, but the rewards are lighter, more directional steering, lower fuel consumption, lower tyre wear, always ready for a heavy load and in my opinion only, a far lower likelihood of a puncture!! One only in the last 25 years, counting two cars at anyone time till 2006, then only one....retirement!! Still no punctures!!!

All the fuss about tires and SUVs rolling over has made everybody jumpy about repairing tires in General. The largest industry on the planet today in terms of monetary control is the insurance industry. I buy "string" repair kits, I have a nice one with CO2 cylinders for filling the tire.

What bothers me about punctures, is the possibility that air pressure can intrude into the delaminated structure. I suppose the compounds used in the spare-in-a-can. would be able to fill these intrusions to a point, but not to the extent of the fissure. In any case, purely temporary.

Liability, ask a couple of lawyers. Also, ask the service dept of the brand of car that supplied the foam. -- JHF

Rather than fix or change your tire ( tyre, for our European or of European ancestry friends) how about, calling " road service". In California, we have the AAA, American Automobile Association, this is a company that provides auto insurance and other services, they also provide road service when your car breaks down or when your daughter's car gets a flat in the middle of the night in a bad part of town, She wont have to get out of her car or worry about lifting heavy Tools and a jack, she just dials 1-800-400-4222, and a service truck will be there soon. My wife and I have this service for less than $30.00 a month / peace of mind

$30/month!!! over here that's the yearly cost of breakdown cover.

Nigh,

He's in California! The land of milk and MONEY!

I probably have better breakdown cover than most people. I always use a breakdown company who give the franchise to a local recovery outfit where my son is the recovery manager, the service is 1st class.

When you have to be at work within the next half-hour, waiting for roadside help is not an option

We only spend approx. $110 per year, for 2 cars, and also get 100 miles free towing …AAA is the service, in California… We used them for locked out, key in ignition, flat tires for my wife and daughter, a tire replacement on my work truck after a side wall blow out on a very crowded freeway, a 35 mile flat bed tow after my oil pump went out on my Tahoe. Like they say, don't leave home without it, at least in crowded Cali….