By C.Frezza on Sunday, July 29, 2001 - 01:52 pm: Edit

I was wondering if it was a good idea to carry a bottle of SLIME etc. for a tire repair in case I puncture a tire during off roading events and trail riding and may need that one later on in the day in case a second failure occurs. Is this stuff really that bad for your rims etc. and what else could I do?

By nadim on Sunday, July 29, 2001 - 02:26 pm: Edit

I have a Safety Seal kit in my trunk...haven't tried it yet...but it should do the trick just fine...it is highly recommended...

By marty amedeo (Marty) on Sunday, July 29, 2001 - 02:37 pm: Edit

Get yourself a radial tire "plug" kit from NAPA. It consists of several plugs, looks like heavy string with wax or glue on it, and a tool to insert it into the tire punture. Works great, seen it used several times on the trail and I carry a kit myself.

By hadaz on Sunday, July 29, 2001 - 03:17 pm: Edit

Slime only works in the tire before you have a flat. The idea of slime is this: as the air comes out of the hole in the tire slime plugs that hole thereby keeping your tire still inflated. Putting slime in after the fact will not do nothing for your problem. The other problem with installing slime in your vehcile is the added weight that you will encounter with the amount of slime that you would have to put into the tire to make the slime effective

By Brian on Monday, July 30, 2001 - 02:13 pm: Edit

Actually, you can put "slime" in after the flat has occurred, however you have to rotate the tire (drive a short distance) to coat the inside, after which you can inflate the tire.

BUT, as others have suggested, Safety Seal is a better solution for your flat tire woes. I have used and seen it used on the trail and it works. Of course it's not the "end all" of tire repair, but pretty good.

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/johnbull1/DSCN0003.jpg

Coincidentally, EE also sells the kits.

Brian

By Mike B. on Monday, July 30, 2001 - 03:58 pm: Edit

I have the el cheapo tire repair kit from Discount Auto Parts (like Pep Boys, only smaller). It works great for repairing punctures. However, I don't think that there is anything that you can do for rips other than to put on your spare.

When looking for a tire repair kit, be sure to get one with a 'T' handle (like Safety Seal). Sometimes is is really hard to push the plug in using a straight handle because you have to push the plug in past the steel belts.

Thanks,
Mike B.

By Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) on Monday, July 30, 2001 - 04:58 pm: Edit

Might be a good idea to take a spare inner tube - you can always sow up a gashed tire with fishing line, but it may still leak, or you could have enormous trouble airing back up, as the air just runs straight out without seating the tire. An inner tube weighs little and can save your ass sometimes.

Dean

By Mike B. on Monday, July 30, 2001 - 07:07 pm: Edit

The inner tube is a great idea. Where can you still get one? Is tire size critical?

By Steve on Monday, July 30, 2001 - 07:27 pm: Edit

Two tricks, one emergency fix is to bring an assortments of self tapping screws which you can coat with contact adhesive and screw into a small or nail hole. The second trick for use with steel belts where tire plugs can be a problem, is to predrill the hole. You use the hole rasp from a tire plug kit or a round file in a Makita or similar battery drill to predrill the hole, the plug will go in easy. In both cases a small 12 volt battery powered compressor will refill your tire and get you home without the need to remove the tire from the car. For large holes sew and tube as indicated above.

By Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) on Tuesday, July 31, 2001 - 04:44 am: Edit

Get one from any car dealer - if they don't have the right size just get the next closest (bigger) size. It will at least get you home or to a garage. Saves my ass driving across France once.

Dean