Puncture Repair 'Gunge'

[Brian Reay]

I've always been more than dubious about the puncture repair gunge which you can use and is increasingly supplied with new cars. In the past, I've always invested in a proper spare wheel or at least a 'space saver' one.

However, my views are based on discussions I had with someone in the tyre business some time back (decades) who said he wouldn't repair a tyre which had been 'repaired' with gunge as it was all but impossible to ensure the gunge could be removed so a proper repair could be made. (I appreciate the gunge is no more than a temporary repair).

However, with the passage of time, have things changed? Do people find that they must replace a tyre which they have used 'gunge' on (assuming the damage would normally be repairable).

My question is more than academic- I collect a new car at the weekend and not only does it lack a spare wheel, there isn't space for one (the space is occupied by electric motors to drive the rear wheels).

[Tim+]

I?ve no proof but I suspect that the ?impossible to repair? story is a cover for ?can?t be arsed cleaning the stuff out?.

Now it may well be that it does take more time/effort and in some cases be not cost-effective but I can?t see why it should preclude a patch being vulcanised onto the tyre interior.

Anyone had a gunged tyre repaired?

Tim

[Tim+]

From

?Using Tyreweld doesn?t prevent your tyre being fixed.?

And from

?Slime Tyre Sealant, an environmentally friendly, non-toxic, non-hazardous, water-based sealant which contains shredded, re-cycled tyres and, in conjunction with a portable air compressor, can be used for semi-permanent repair of punctures up to 6mm. The sealant remains liquid in the tyre and is safe for use at normal driving speeds. It can also be cleaned out of the tyre so that it can be professionally repaired.?

Tim

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

[Brian Reay]

Thank you Tim.

I've read similar material from gunge sellers/makers, I was hoping to get some 'real world' experience.

I've ordered an 'after market' space saver wheel, the boot area isn't exactly small so we can tolerate the loss of space, but I was more curious than anything.

[Steve Walker]

Everywhere seems to not want to repair a "gunged" tyre, despite all(?) the modern gunges being water based and easily washed out.

SteveW

[Brian Reay]

That was rather what I suspected.

We've had a couple of new cars with 'repair kits' but I've always bought a spare wheel. This is the first time I was half tempted not to but common sense prevailed ;-) With luck I may never need to use it.

I understand the breakdown services carry 'universal' spare wheels- I assume they cover 'common' stud patterns and sizes rather than being truly universal, and you have to return them (perhaps some deposit scheme?). However, the idea of waiting for an hour to learn the universal wheel doesn't fit or has already been used doesn't appeal.

[Steve Walker]

My recent experience was rather worse. we went to the West coast of Ireland for a funeral and hired a car at Belfast airport. We attended the funeral service on Saturday morning, the burial and then a meal in a hotel some miles away. At about 16:30, we decided to nip back to the cemetary for a last quick visit, but we suffered a damaged tyre on the way there.

I managed to get off the road, but we were stranded in the countryside, miles from anywhere, with a hole in the tyre that the gunge couldn't possibly seal.

By the time a tow company had got to us, recovered the car and dropped us back at our accomodation it was 20:30.

We were then stranded again in the countryside (the house is one we often hire for holidays and is in the middle of nowhere), with no food in.

Next morning, we were completely unable to get a taxi to the garage, as they were all booked up for taking people to and from Mass. Luckily the tow company agreed to take us to the garage.

We got there just in time to set off for the airport again.

Having no spare cost us all of Saturday evening, all of Sunday morning, the chance of visiting the cemetary and around £200 made up of fees and the extra costs of the overpriced tyre that I could have got far cheaper myself at the local garage the next morning. It also meant a whole lot of stress wondering would we get to the car and get away in time to catch the plane.

We could have been on our way again in 10 minutes and lost just an hour in the morning getting the tyre replaced, if there had been even a space-saver. We would have also saved all of that money.

SteveW

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

hope you have it tied down and not just sitting in the trunk ...... ...........

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

there is no limit to what people will spend to try and save money ........

[Brian Reay]

Indeed, just the kind of 'saga' you don't need and a spare would have mitigated.

The problem is, more and more new cars have even space-saver wheels, let alone 'proper' spares. This is the second car we've bought in the last couple of years which came with a gunge kit as standard. Even as far back as 2008 my wife's new run about came with a gunge kit, although I got the dealer to supply a spare + jack as part of the deal.

I recall back in the 1960s when 'tubeless' tyres were coming into vogue you could get a kit to repair punctures. As I recall, there was a file thing, a tool to insert a plug, pack of plugs (rubber rods with a groove a one end), and a pot of glue.

Looking on the internet, there seems to be various modern equivalents but I'm not sure how legal/safe they are. I thought the rules required repairs have a patch on the inside ("plug and patch"). Of course, they could be intended as a temporary repair.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Some puncures can be repoairded that way. A nail through the tread for example, but a cut sidewall? Nope.

[Brian Reay]

Side walls can't be repaired.

Depending on where the puncture is, a 'simple' plug and patch can be used or a more complex one, if the damage is towards the side of the tread. The latter isn't normally offered (too difficult/requires special kit).

The plugs diy kits I'm referring to are something quite different- just a plug without a patch on the inside. I'm not sure how legal/safe they are.

[Adrian Brentnall]

Had a puncture on a tubeless tyre on the Peugeot a few months ago. In the middle of nowhere, and wasn't about to start grovelling about the change the tyre - so squirted in a can of the 'fixit foam'. Reinflated fine, and held pressure all the way to the tyre place - 20km or so. Expected to be in line for a new tyre, but the fitter just removed the roofing screw that had caused the problem, and fitted a rubber plug from outside the tyre. He said it'd be fine, and, so far, he's right. ?10 well spent! Adrian

[T i m]

I've not seen what the tyre repair 'gunge' is that is supplied with new cars so can't comment on it.

And a vested interest in selling new tyres or puncture repairs?

Depending on the gunge? What I use is water soluble so can be washed out with a garden hose (after 8 years was the longest so far). So, assuming you still waned to make another reason then their is no reason why you couldn't.

Depending on the gunge.

Depending over what time period. I've been using a 'gunge' for quite a few years now (~20).

Nope ... because I've never had the gunge fail requiring any further treatment.

Punctureseal. We have it in all our road going vehicles (cars, vans, motorbikes and trailers) and the lighter stuff in our cycles.

It is designed to be used as a preventative treatment but we have also used it retrospectively (cars and motorbikes) with 100% positive results.

The last being the front tyre on our car with a screw in it. Took the weight off the wheel, removed the valve core (tool provided with the kit), injected the right quantity for that size tyre, replaced the valve core, re-inflated to the right pressure, span the wheel a few times by hand, dropped the car back on the road, drove around for about 20 mins and that was it (2 years ago).

No connection other than a very happy and long term customer. ;-)

It's the same sort of solution as provided by Continental.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

With the sort that 'fill' your tyre with a latex foam you are probably right. With the type that line your tyre with a gel that seal punctures as they occur, no (as they are nowhere near the TPMS).

Cheers, T i m

[Huge]

[22 lines snipped]

That's exactly what it means. I've cleaned it out of a ride-on mower tyre and had that repaired. In their defence, it's a vile job.

[Huge]

Wrong.

[T i m]

But that is a different thing again to both the latex foam and the likes of Punctureseal in a road vehicle.

I believe the cycle slime stays fairly liquid and so could fall into the valve. The expanding latex foam is the same.

Punctureseal (and the gel type puncture prevention solutions) are dispersed to the inside of the tread area and they stay there, so never going anywhere near the valve.

When I install it I generally set the valve to the 6 o'clock position so that it falls away from the back of the valve and straight into the tyre.

Never had any issues checking or re-inflating the tyres in the many years I've been using it.

That said, I can't say I've ever had any problem with the Schrader valves we have on all our solo cycles, the tandem and trailer and don't have anything with Presta valve ... but could see how that might be easier to block and difficult to clear.

Cheers, T i m

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

TPMS valves cost a fortune ......