Tyre repair kits

[hinsch]

I have been looking around for a tyre repair kit, many different brands and types out there, I am only looking at an emergency kit just to keep me going, hopefully will never have use it. These kits for a small amount of $$$$ seems a good idea to have one sitting in the back just in case.
What kits do forum members have, if any, what are proven worthwhile and what are not worth the money, lots of kits around the $30.00 / $40.00 mark seem OK, like I said emergency only just to get you home I don't believe they are a permanent fix.

[MoreliaMatt]

Ive got the Bushranger "Plugga II" kit....

Never had to use it, but it looks pretty good, i reckon it would stand up to the task of being used without breaking...

But then that's only an assumption since its never been used....

http://www.bushranger.com.au/product_information_sheets/5_6_Plugga_II_Tyre_Repair_Kit.pdf

[old Jack]

Hi Hinsch,

The most common emergency tyre repair kit is the string/ plug type that is sold in most accessory shops, these are brown in colour and are inserted using a special tool and lubricant. There are two issues with this type of repair,
1. It is very temporary and sometimes they will not seal the leak completely, they are particularly prone to leaking when multiple plugs are used or in hot weather.
2. Because they are a wax based it can make the correct repair more difficult at the tyre shop.

A better string/plug option is a Chemical Cold Vulcanising string/plug . These plugs are grey in colour and are individually wrapped to keep clean, a chemical glue is used and the plug actually melts into the surrounding tyre rubber to for an airtight seal. Multiple plugs can be used on larger holes. Although these repairs are legal/permanent repairs in the USA and Europe,in Australia they are not so if used the tyre must be removed from the rim, inspected, patched and sealed from the inside for legal repair. The only brands I am aware of are Tech and Rema Tip Top, these are normally only available from good tyre repairers on special order.

Be warned there are a few ABC / XYZ 4wd stores that say their tyre repair kits are chemical cold vulcanising but unless the plugs are individually wrapped and the glue is in a sealed tube then they are the wax type.

Do not even bother with the aerosol can repairs or tyre slime they do not reliably work.

cheers, old Jack.

[nj swb]

I've been lugging around Tyre Pliers and a plug kit for about 10 years - maybe more.

The Tyre Pliers have been used in anger once - on a trailer tyre that was staked by a root in a creek bed. It was fascinating to watch them in action - my brother did all the hard work.

I can't recall what's in the plug kit - to be honest, I'm not 100% certain that it's still in the Paj, because I can only vaguely recall what it looks like.

But I'm not suggesting that I am questioning why I carry them - I see them as a form of insurance, in that I'm most likely to need them when I don't have them.

Having read Old Jack's post, I might go shopping for a new plug kit.

[chriso of penrith]

I have an Aldi plug kit I bought for $20. The same cost as a repair at the local tyre shop and they only use plugs as repairs.
Ive used the kit. It was a lot easier than changing a tyer and 6 months later its still holding strong. I think jack is being a bit dramatic.
My best mate of 30 yrs worked in a tyre shop and he has never seen a plug that is installed properly leak.
If the hole is bad then a plug and patch is used. But a nail or such in the tyre is easlily fixed in less than five mins and with the portable compressor I am on my way and clean and off the ground without changing tyres.
Get a kit. It is easy and small and will pay for its self on the first repair.

[captain_paj]

Old Jack is entirely correct about the only legal repair being a vulcanising process.

My thoughts are that any repairs to get you out of trouble are good repairs - but the legality is irrefutable.

Anything that coats the hole with something that will interfere with vulcanization will result most likely in a tyre repairer refusing to repair the tyre. And as I doubt if anyone can tell me what compounds are used in the slime type repairs or generic tyre plug kits, or if they interfere with chemical vulcanisation - well don't blame the the shop for refusal to repair.

That being said - if the worst thing that can happen is your tyre go flat because you used a cheap plug kit - who cares?

[hinsch]

tyre repair

Yes guy I agree my thoughts are plug the tyre to get you out of trouble then change the tyre, put it on the back as a spare if you have to, at least you still have five round black donuts with air on the inside on the paj has to be better than four.
I am not comfortable driving 110kmph with a plug in the tyre all be it they might be good.

[sharkcaver]

As Hinsch asked specifically about an "emergency" kit......I'll reply accordingly.

The brown wax cord types work well. Certainly well enough to have one sitting in the back of the car and I would recommend if traveling remote you do so.

If I had the choice of sitting on the side of the road, miles from anywhere, waiting for assistance, or plugging with the brown cord, I know what I would choose.

I have had to use one once when a 10mm diameter stick staked a sidewall. 4 cords sealed the hole enough to make the tyre usable again and keep me mobile. That's what an emergency kit is for.

Jack already stated in Aus, even vulcanising cords are not a legal repair. And if you have a sidewall stake, the tyre is fubar anyway, its not legal to permanently repair a damaged sidewall. I also have concerns with the shelf life of these vulcanising cords and glue, stuck in the back of a hot car for years, only to be used in anger and you find the components have gone off.

For an emergency, keep me rolling kit, the cheap brown cords are a good investment imo.

[old Jack]

Brown/Wax plug repairs may be ok around the city as an emergency repair but if you are loaded up, towing, high speed, dirt roads or any combination of, then I would not trust a wax plug.

Chriso, you may think that I am being dramatic but the correct amount of air in the tyre is the most important thing on any vehicle in regards to safety, how much is your and your passengers lives worth? Much more than a $20 el-cheapo tyre repair kit.

This is what happens to "P" rated tyre overinflated (35psi) driven at 80kph on the Gibb River Road. The failure scared the living daylights out of the Prado owner when the front right tyre destructed and he speared across to the opposite side of the road out of control. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic and he managed to keep it on the road.


Or even worse, this rollover was on the road to Winjana Gorge, just off the Gibb River Road.


Dramatic? Yes it is if this happens to you!

I have just spent 6 weeks in the Kimberley and the number of ill prepared and ill informed travellers that have "bad luck" which was preventable was amazing. Tyre, suspension, trailer failures and rollovers are happening on a daily basis to people that underestimate how tough this area is or are trying to save a few $$$.

cheers, old Jack.

[old Jack]

Here is a photo of what is in my kit.

1. Spiral Auger, used to clean the hole out and work the glue into the hole.
2. Glue, the small 15ml tubes were purchased in 1997 and are still ok if the metal seal under the cap is intact. The 20ml tubes were purchased in 2002 and like the smaller tubes if the metal seal is intact then the glue is ok.
3. The plug insertion tool, this has a replaceable needle if you happen to break it.
4. A grey plug partially unwrapped for the photo.




cheers, old Jack.

[sharkcaver]

Brown/Wax plug repairs may be ok around the city as an emergency repair but if you are loaded up, towing, high speed, dirt roads or any combination of, then I would not trust a wax plug.

If its

I am only looking at an emergency kit just to keep me going

Something just to keep one rolling, then the brown wax plug is more than sufficient. I it goes without saying, if you fitted one, you wouldn't be traveling at the same speed as if one was not fitted.

And yep, the pics are certainly pretty dramatic but are also not relevant to what repair kit to purchase. The only issues I saw with tyres up there were with people running highway, passenger rated stuff.

A brown plug repair (dependent on the damage), driven accordingly will get you to Iminjti, Mt Barnett, Wyndham or one of the stations that can replace or repair something properly. Better than sitting on the side of the Gibb waiting for a ride from an overloaded passerby that may/maynot be in a position to transport you and said tyre to the next point of help. I'm not saying the vulcanising kit isn't superior, but you are not giving the wax plug kit the credit it deserves.

[old Jack]

I would always change the wheel and put the spare on the car and then if I still had lots of kms to do I would inspect the punctured tyre and plug it just in case I needed to use it. I am not in favour of plugging a tyre on the car and using it straight away, this is when you have the greatest chance of a plug failure and possible tyre failure. On corrugated roads it can be quite difficult to detect a tyre that is losing air and the difference in time between a flat tyre and a destructed tyre is very little. Complete tyre failure can lead to loss of control and a rollover, yes this is a worse case scenario but it is common.

Yes you are correct, most tyre failures are on HT tyres but overloading, overinflation, excessive speed and worn tyres even if they are 8 or 10 ply rated AT's also are common reasons for failures.

The cost of a chemical cold vulcanising kit is a fraction of the value of a tyre, wheel or insurance excess (if you are covered) and it should be considered by anyone travelling off the bitumen and where help is not readily available.

cheers,old Jack.

[Kingbrown]

A comprehensive (professionsal) kit from Rema Tip Top has kept me out of trouble on more than a few occasions. Wouldn't be without it (and tyre pliers) when venturing out in the sticks.

[Blutak]

Brown/Wax plug repairs may be ok around the city as an emergency repair but if you are loaded up, towing, high speed, dirt roads or any combination of, then I would not trust a wax plug.

Chriso, you may think that I am being dramatic but the correct amount of air in the tyre is the most important thing on any vehicle in regards to safety, how much is your and your passengers lives worth? Much more than a $20 el-cheapo tyre repair kit.

This is what happens to "P" rated tyre overinflated (35psi) driven at 80kph on the Gibb River Road. The failure scared the living daylights out of the Prado owner when the front right tyre destructed and he speared across to the opposite side of the road out of control. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic and he managed to keep it on the road.


Or even worse, this rollover was on the road to Winjana Gorge, just off the Gibb River Road.


Dramatic? Yes it is if this happens to you!

I have just spent 6 weeks in the Kimberley and the number of ill prepared and ill informed travellers that have "bad luck" which was preventable was amazing. Tyre, suspension, trailer failures and rollovers are happening on a daily basis to people that underestimate how tough this area is or are trying to save a few $$$.

cheers, old Jack.

WTF? P rated tyre at 35 psi doing 85 on the gibb? The tire didn't fail! The twat driving failed!

He failed to maintain correct tire pressure.
He failed to drive according to the conditions.

The most common reason that people end up in the crap or on their roof off road is because they fail to rub 2 brain cells together!

Common sense reigns supreme people...

As for plug kits, I've used a dr air $15 jobbie for years. Brown wax plug, just like the 'permanent' repairs used by tire shops.

The phrase 'emergency use only' is used by any company that wishes to avoid liability.

After growing up in the pilbara, I know first hand that getting home with a slow leak from a plug is a damn sight better than sitting for an indefinite amount of time in the middle of nowhere slowly dying of heat stroke or dehydration.

The rule of the north west is 2 spares, 2 tubes, a plug kit and a frikkin brain.

End of rant...

[Nik]

I've got a plugga kit. I've used it once and it did the trick. I know I should have changed it straight away when I got back but I left the tyre on for about a month and had no issues. It didn't do any heavy duty work once I was home but the trip back included about 4 hours of dune driving.