Using tire sealants - Elise has no spare

[mason]

Ok, I’ll preface this with saying I probably haven’t encountered all types and brands of tire sealants but from working at a tire shop all through college and from personal experience, tire sealants are fine.

Most are not flammable, they don’t ruin your tire and they do work.

I’ve used “fix a flat” on at least 3 occasions in the past 2 years and haven’t had a complaint. If you’ve got a small to medium sized leak in the tread face a can of that stuff is 10 time easier than changing a flat. And because I worked at the tire place I’ve get the pleasure of fixing my own flats when I go back. I’ve seen the wheel and tires after the sealants have been in the tire and have never seen any kind of damage from them.

Some things to know about tire sealants:
They’ll only fix small to medium puncture type damage to the face of the tire
Sidewall damage or severe tire damage and you’re using your cell phone
Try to figure out where the leak is before you use the sealant as it can make finding the leak very difficult (yes this stuff works well)

Some things to know about flats:
As soon as you realize you have a flat pull over, most tire replacements due to flats occur because the tire is driven flat and the wheel tears up the sidewall of the tire.
Sidewall punctures are not repairable
Fix a puncture with a good patch from the inside not a plug (although a plug will work as a temporary fix)
Once a tire is repaired with a good patch it’s virtually good as new, and can be driven on as the tire was intended

Hope that helps shed some light

[Ridgeman580]

Heard about a product that is really successful in Australia. It is called Slime.
Whereas fix-a -flat type aerosal products tend to harden in cold temperatures, this product remains liquid-like. You squirt the green stuff into the tire and then connect
a cigarette-lighter connected air supply
device. I've also heard that fix-a-flat can
explode whereas Slime can't. I do know that BMW Mini does offer a Slime-type
product with an accompanying air suplply
device since the Cooper S has no spare.
Don't know if sidewall punctures are temporarily plugged or not.

[alex@tirerack]

Originally posted by Ridgeman580
Don't know if sidewall punctures are temporarily plugged or not.

My concern with sidewall punctures is even if they were sealed by any one of these mediums, the structural rigidity in the sidewall reinforcments would have been compromised on this tire, due to the puncture.

Sidewall punctures are NOT repair canidates.

Allways inform your tech that ANY sealent has been used. They are incredibly messy, and unpleasant surprises. Warn him, and he'll appreciate it.

Alex

[ColoradoMark]

I carry a small compressor and a bottle of Slime in my MINI. I've never had a chance to use it, but it's reassuring to have since I dumped the standard run-flat tires the first week I had the car.
Flat tires have been a pretty rare occurance in my life, I can only think of two times in the last twenty-five years that I've lost a tire while on the highway. Most of the time it seems that I get slow leaks, or shred racing tires at the track.

[heidi528]

FYI - the Elise comes with a can of compressed air/sealant in the "trunk".

[Kwez06]

hmm, the no spare thing ...
just thought about this :
what if the 'nail' is still in the tire ?
I guess we're back to the cell phone then ?
(& no, I don't have an Elise)

[1qwkelise]

problem with adding these fix a flat type substances is it will throw the tire out of balance and a new tire will need to be purchased. Once that gunk is added it hardens in the tire and never spreads evenly

[cozwas]

has anyone heard of AAA

[bmw1]

Assuming your car is not 4 years or 50,000 miles, just call roadside assistance. Afterall, it does come with the car anyways.

[dickedup]

Originally posted by 1qwkelise
Problem with adding these fix a flat type substances is it will throw the tire out of balance and a new tire will need to be purchased. Once that gunk is added it hardens in the tire and never spreads evenly

Get to your tire repair place within a day or two......which you HAVE to do anyway.

Those boys are going to b*tch about the clean-up, but the main thing is, your not on some desolute country road in the middle of nowhere.



;)

[alex@tirerack]

Continental Tire ContiComfortKit

The ContiComfortKit combines a powerful, high-volume, 12-volt air compressor, integral pressure gauge and a latex liquid tire sealant packaged in a compact, lightweight unit that's easy to store in the vehicle. The sealant is compatible with direct, valve-mounted tire pressure sensors since the sensors can be washed and adhering residue can be peeled off easily when the tire is repaired.



Original equipment from Ford on their new GT.

Alex

[Miguel]

So, a cig lighter compresor and plugs are probably best until you can get the tire to be repaired?

of course I alway carry my AAA card and my cell ;)

[alex@tirerack]

Originally posted by Miguel
So, a cig lighter compresor and plugs are probably best until you can get the tire to be repaired?

They key is a real repair as soon as possible - plugs = no seal.

Steel belts + moisture = oxidation ~> possible future isuues.

Alex