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Tire patch kits?

Don557

Don557

Road Bike
The "lack of underseat storage" thread got me thinking about this, and I thought it best to start a new thread:  what's everyone using (if any) for carry-along tire repair?  I see lots of options out there.  Would it be best to carry more than one type, i.e. The mushroom style plugs and injectable foam?  Waht about interior patch kits in the event of a sidewall slice?
 
Up till now, i have carried an aerosol foam repair kit. Others I know pre treat their tyres with slime.
However I am unsure how either of these will affect the tyre pressure sensors fitted to the GTR1400.

The compact pump and plugs does look good for use when touring though.
 
Don't waste your money or time on liquid sealing products like Slime or Ride On or Fix-A-Flat. They don't work and cause more problems than they solve (like pitted rims and tires that can no longer be plugged).

The best roadside repair is a sticky rope kit and rubber cement like you can buy in any auto store. I prefer the orange Camel Brand, but others also work fine.

The Dyna plug kit is also a good tool, and works well on smaller nail holes. Though I still carry the standard rope repair kit for larger diameter holes than the Dyna Plug kit can handle.

I'd also recommend you steer clear of the StopNGo mushroom plug kit. The plugs don't vulcanize to the tire, and the heads on them frequently shear off from the cords in the tire and can then later come out. I've personally had one spit the plug completely out of one tire, and I have had two others that constantly slow leaked and never sealed. Out of three tires I tried to repair with the StopNGo kit, all three failed. The StopNGo tool also will stretch out the hole and will pretty much ruin the tire for any hope of future repair.

Slime makes a nice portable compressor I like. But just leave the liquid slime product on the shelf at the store.

A T patch is probably the best repair, but requires tire removal to install.

On average, I plug about 5-6 tires every year, most on other folks bikes at rallies I attend when someone picks up a nail. I have yet to have a sticky rope plug fail. They vulcanize to the tire after a few miles and are virtually impossible to remove. I've tried to pull them out with vice grips from the inside after dismounting a tire, and they can't be taken out in one piece. Normally, I don't use the reamer tool unless I absolutly have to, since it just makes the hole bigger. The least invasive repair you can do the better.

I've got some photos of tire repair in the following photo galleries:

http://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tireplug

http://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tpatch

large.jpg



 
I carry and have used the following. Sticky rope and glue plus a Stop N Go plugger kit, as well as a stripped bare 12V compressor. I also carry patches, spoons and a tire breezer tool (rim tool), extra schrader valves, extra stems and a valve tool for removing the schrader valve and cleaning up the threads if they are damaged.  I also carry as a last resort a hand held portable tire pump, like the ones used on bicycles. Dread ever having to use it, but if needed there it is!

Don't even think about carrying those CO2 cartridges as it will take about 30 (not kidding either) of them to bring your tires up to a decent pressure. On my C-10 with a 150/80-16 rear it took 8 of them (all I had)  just to barely give me enough pressure to limp down the road. On your 180 -190 width tires faggetaboutit! !!!
 
I've heard of Ultraseal, but never knew anyone who used it.  I'm guessing that you like the stuff.  Do you put it in yourself or get it done at a shop?
 
Check the glue in your stick rope kits once in a while. I hear and see mine dry out over time. I have the sticky rope kind, and after reading about the Dynaplug I have one of them too. Still carry the bicycle tire pump tucked up in the saddle bag.  Got one of them 12V slime mini compressors not too long ago for one of them gift giving holidays ( Christmas / Birthday I forget which ). Like 2Linby my kit as an extra shrader valve and the removal tool. -- No spare stem though.
 
Slybones said:
Check the glue in your stick rope kits once in a while. I hear and see mine dry out over time. I have the sticky rope kind, and after reading about the Dynaplug I have one of them too. Still carry the bicycle tire pump tucked up in the saddle bag.  Got one of them 12V slime mini compressors not too long ago for one of them gift giving holidays ( Christmas / Birthday I forget which ). Like 2Linby my kit as an extra shrader valve and the removal tool. -- No spare stem though.
Click to expand...

Yep, I've never had a tube of glue that didn't dry up after opening. As a result I only leave the house with new tubes of glue and toss 'em if opened.

Dan
 
ChipDoc said:
I've heard of Ultraseal, but never knew anyone who used it.  I'm guessing that you like the stuff.  Do you put it in yourself or get it done at a shop?
Click to expand...

Paul:  I buy a gallon, which lasts me a long time, and put it in myself.  It comes with a pump and connecting hose, one pump per ounce.  They have a chart on how much to put in according to tire size.  Pretty easy to do and I've used it for over 5 years without a problem.
 
Thanks John, I'll give it a try the next time I have some dollars to spare.  I'm guessing you get the Highway Performance Formula?  This really sounds a lot better than worrying over plugs and patches.
 
Paul:  I get the Commercial/Industrial grade.  A one time I ran the XHD, had no problems, but when I went to re-order they suggested I get the Commercial grade for mc's. 
 
Thanks John.  There really is an enormous amount of knowledge within this group.  What makes this a great forum is the way we share it!
 
That really is good info.  So John, since you've been using this, have you had any incidents of picking up a nail/screw/whatever and having the Ultraseal do it's thing?  Or have you just been lucky and not had a case that "would have" cused a flat?
 
Don:

I think this was in an earlier message some time ago and in answer to your question, yes, I did pick up something.  I actually found this after a long ride and that was only because I sensed the rear tire was a bit low.  I aired it up to 42 lbs. and rode on it for another two weeks or more.  So from my experience, it does what it is supposed to do.


 
The Dynaplug looks like a more modern version of the old rope plugs. A little more expensive but easier to use.
Thinking about ordering one, but here is my question; what happens to the brass tip? It looks like it is inserted with the plug on installation. So I have this picture of it braking loose at some point and rattling around in side the tire.
I know, maybe a little obsessive but still......
 
Yup, they hang out inside the tire until it's dismounted...I had three of them in the last tire that I plugged. The first dyna plug was spit out, crap!, then I doubled up with two plugs in the hole.
 
willb said:
The Dynaplug looks like a more modern version of the old rope plugs. A little more expensive but easier to use.
Thinking about ordering one, but here is my question; what happens to the brass tip? It looks like it is inserted with the plug on installation. So I have this picture of it braking loose at some point and rattling around in side the tire.
I know, maybe a little obsessive but still......
Click to expand...

Yes, I have found the little brass tip rolling around inside the tire after dismounting it. Sometimes they break loose if you leave the plug in for over 1,000 miles or so, but it's never caused me any problems. I find the Dyna Plugs work best on very small holes, since the diameter of the plug is smaller. If it's any bigger than a small nail hole, I use a regular rope plug. Standard rope plugs seem to me to still be about the best repair, and would be my default method for repair on the road. The Dyna Plug is easier to use, but is best only used for the smaller holes.

I don't know much about that Ultra Seal product, but I've seen rims that were ruined with corrosion from similar wet products (specifically Ride-On) that were installed in motorcycle tires. If you speak to any tire manufacture they will tell you never to use liquid balancing or sealing products in their tires and that it will void your tires warranty if you do. One of the problems with them is that when there is a puncture they can work into the belts and get between the layers in the carcass and cause the carcass to begin to separate and fail. The other issue is that they can cause corrosion and/or pitting to the aluminum rim and get into the bead seat area and cause pits that will prevent tires from being able to seat properly. I have also personally seen tires that had this type of stuff in them drip/spit the goop out when it gets a puncture and fail to seal the hole. Then to make matters worse, you now can't plug the hole with a standard plug, cause the goop prevents the plug from sticking and vulcanizing in the hole. And I've also seen other tires that had this goop in them after they were run in the summer months, and the tire was later removed after several thousand miles and the goop was all dried up and crusted from the heat, and would not have done any good for a puncture had one occurred. It also makes a huge mess when you change tires.

It's your bike, you can do as you like, but personally, I'll never put any liquid products in the wheels on any motorcycle I own. This includes Fix-A-Flat, Slime, Ride-On, or any other such goop.
 
Guess I'll have to think about this one for awhile.  As Fred notes, I'm not too keen on putting a liquid in my tires, but we've got firsthand evidence the stuff works.  Think I might go with some plug-type kits for now and maybe reconsider the Ultraseal later.
John:  Not to bury you in questions, but what do the inside of your rims look like when you swap tires?  And what about the pressure sensors?
 
My experience on the stop n go is 180 degrees the opposite of Freds.  I've plugged 3 tires with them, rode the tread off all three tires, never lost pressure at a higher than normal rate, didn't need to repair further, and the mushroom cap was not sheared off on the inside.  Not being argumentative, just reporting my different experience.  I do note that they are sold as temporary repairs that tell you to dismount the tire and do a patch/plug as soon as possible.

I carry this pump:

http://www.pashnit.com/product/cyclepump.html
 
That is the pump I've been wanting to get.  Next addition for sure.
Attached is photo of tire-specific toolkit I'm assembling.  Trying to keep it simple, compact, and light weight.  The combo wrench-tire spoons are from Blue Ridge Racing (two of which are Motion Pro).  All T6 aluminum.  Pretty nice stuff.  I got 19mm, 24mm, and 27mm combos.  The hex tools are Motion Pro (17, 19 ,22, 24mm) and Cruz Tools (19 & 22mm), Allen key is 14mm from McMaster Carr.  Rollup bag is Cruz Tools also.  Other than some items from a regular small tool kit (I think just a small hex for the front axle pinch bolts?), these suffice to get the wheels off the bike if required.  I realize most of the roadside patches we're discussing here will take place with the wheel on the bike, but I want to be capable of removing a wheel out on the road, just in case.
 

Attachments

  • TireKit.jpg
    TireKit.jpg
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Hey Fred:  Can you post a source (online or retail chain) and possibly a part number for those Camel kits?  I've Googled it and not found much.
 
Just a minor change to my stop N go story.

Back before the NW Arkansas Jack's trip I put on a new PR3.  After I got back, the tire had about 2000 miles on it, I picked up a nail and repaired it with a stop n go.  JUST after my last post, the tire had about 7100 miles on it, it started to slow leak.  The last week I was losing about 3 or 4 pounds a day.  The fix was almost perfectly centered, so was in the most common read run area.  I replaced the tire as it was time anyway.  The mushroom head was in perfect shape upon interior inspection, but the "shaft" was really short by that time.

I do wonder why they don't use a material that has a vulcanizing property... seems that it would be a great upgrade.  The applicator would be good.  But given Fred's expertise, I'm sure considering going to the sticky ropes.  But these have applied awfully well the three times I've used them.
 
Rode with a friend of mine this morning to breakfast and when we got to cafe he had an ALMOST flat tire. One of the guys at the cafe had a rope patch kit, and another had a hand sized air compressor. Patched and ready to go in about 10 minutes - after we had breakfast of course. Worked so well, I ran to Pep Boys and picked up a kit this afternoon.
 
Regarding the rope kits???  I have a rope kit I carry in my side bag, and thankfully I have never had to use it.  The ropes are still in the sealed packaging, but they are probably about 3 or 4 years old now.  So I am wondering how long should I feel comfortable carrying these ropes?  Do they get dried out and non-usable?  Whats the life expectancy on these?  Any ideas?
 
PdLt said:
Regarding the rope kits???  I have a rope kit I carry in my side bag, and thankfully I have never had to use it.  The ropes are still in the sealed packaging, but they are probably about 3 or 4 years old now.  So I am wondering how long should I feel comfortable carrying these ropes?  Do they get dried out and non-usable?  Whats the life expectancy on these?  Any ideas?
Click to expand...
I would think that would depend allot on the area you live. You being from the north east, they would probably last longer in the saddlebag then in mine in the southeast. But I would think as long as they are still plyable they would be OK.
 
ChipDoc said:
Thanks John, I'll give it a try the next time I have some dollars to spare.  I'm guessing you get the Highway Performance Formula?  This really sounds a lot better than worrying over plugs and patches.
Click to expand...
That would be a great wrench session project. At $250/5 gal pale, you could probably do many tires (not sure how much goes in each tire, bring the cost per person way down. >:D
 
Cwo2mustang said:
ChipDoc said:
Thanks John, I'll give it a try the next time I have some dollars to spare.  I'm guessing you get the Highway Performance Formula?  This really sounds a lot better than worrying over plugs and patches.
Click to expand...
That would be a great wrench session project. At $250/5 gal pale, you could probably do many tires (not sure how much goes in each tire, bring the cost per person way down. >:D
Click to expand...

I did a quick check of their chart, for the front tire it is 9 oz,  the rear tire gets 12 oz.  So a gallon last me about 3 tire changes, that is front and rear tires for one complete change.  I've got two tires on order, so I'll be able to get some more pics soon, but it will be after RWTW.  Now after you put it in and air the tire up, you get to have some fun, as you are supposed to take it out for a spirited ride of a few miles, to spread the stuff around.  As for what grade I get, the Commercial grade.
 
Don557 said:
John:  Not to bury you in questions, but what do the inside of your rims look like when you swap tires?  And what about the pressure sensors?
Click to expand...



Well, I finally got one tire dis-mounted.  This was a tire I have run on for two years, then I left it setting around for two more years.  Now there is a bit of UltraSeal on the rim, but I also put in a little extra and I've thrown this tire around several times. 



This is the tire I took off.  Most of the wear is on the sides, center still has a few miles left, but I'm heading out on a long trip soon.



And this is the wheel after I cleaned it and made it ready for a new tire.  Also, this wheel is 24 years old.  As for rust and pitting, aluminum alloy does not rust.



Having a spare set of rims makes tire changes easier.  Now I have two new tires mounted and balanced.  One day soon I'll put them both on, scrub them in on a short ride, them come back in and let off the air pressure and put in the UltraSeal, then take another ride to spread it around.  After that, I'll be good for another 8,000 miles.

As for pressure sensors, it is not recommended for use with them.  GIven a choice of pressure sensors or UltraSeal, I'll take UltraSeal.


 
What kind of portable air compressor do you recommend Fred???? i bought the camel rope tire repair kit.
 
I got a nice little rechargeable one from Home Depot.  It's made by Campbell./Hausfield and it's worked really well for me for eight years now.  I'd show you a picture, but they don't make it anymore - the new one includes a light, which I suspect would come in very handy.  Incidentally, it comes with a standard cigarette lighter female, so you can charge things like your cell phone overnight without leaving it attached to the bike.  The battery stays charged for months.

http://www.chpower.com/productdetail/cordless-rechargeable-inflator-with-light_cc241001av
 
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