Tyre Sealant Kit Experience: Use, Tyre Repair, and Sealant Replacement

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SageBrush

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
7,957
Location
NM
A nail was polite enough to puncture a tyre in a groove rather than cause sidewall damage, and the TPMS alerted me to the low pressure before I could tell from the feel of the road. This was my first time using a repair kit, but I had looked it over ahead of time and knew what to expect. It was nice to not mess around with removing a tyre on the side of the road.

Kit use is straightforward, although it took a couple moments to realize that the 12v power outlet in the car is only energized when the car is powered on. The tyre pressure gauge quickly increased to over 40 psi and then dropped down to ~ 20 psi. Then it took a good 5 minutes to inch back up to 35 psi. I'm not sure if I over-inflated the tyre initially and caused more problem than necessary. After removal of the kit I could still hear air hissing out so I figured I would have to reinflate the tyre periodically on the way home but a pressure recheck after a couple of miles showed 35 psi and I could not hear any more leak so the repair improved with a bit of driving. The car tyre was repaired 4 days and about 25 miles later and still had 35 psi the day of repair.

Tyre repair was done at a 'Big O' tyre franchise. I brought them an OEM Denso replacement TPMS sensor bought off Ebay for $7 they were happy to install for free. This may not have been required but I didn't want to risk a faulty TPMS afterwards or be in a position of paying the store rate if they determined replacement was needed. The repair cost $19, the same as a puncture repair without sealant. The internet is chock full of stories that the tyre cannot be repaired after sealant is used but that was not my experience and the repair shop was not really burdened and other than thanking me for letting them know that sealant was in the tyre so that they did not make a mess, they did not seem to care. So far as I could see, the only extra step was washing out the sealant with a water hose.

I've yet to refurbish the kit. After use I tried to clean the hose and passages from sealant by running the compressor with only air but I don't know if that is enough. Next time I'll also run some water through the kit and hose when I get home. The replacement kit at Nissan is prohibitively expensive, but tirerack.com has the sealant and hose for $30 or I can buy just the sealant for around $20 on Ebay or buy (I think) the same kit but branded for a different car for under $20, e.g
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Original-Kia-Hyundai-Complete-Tire-Mobility-Kit-With-Pump-and-Sealant-/322536737861

All in all, this was anti-climatic and thankfully not an expensive melodrama. And as an added plus, my wife is now much more comfortable with the possibility of a tyre puncture while driving alone.
 
It is a matter of expectations ...
I was worried I would have to buy a new tyre and an expensive Nissan replacement kit but instead the tyre repair cost was the same as if I carried a spare tyre, and I ended up paying ~ $25 extra for the nice convenience of not spending time trying to repair a tyre on the roadside; or had my wife been traveling alone, the cost and time of a tow.

Not so long ago this sealant method was an expensive and annoying solution but it is *much* better now. I would go so far as to say it is the best for us, but ymmv. I look forward to finding the replacement kits at Walmart or other local store in the near future.
 
You got lucky with the tire repair - most tire stores will not patch a 'gooped' tire. And if you plug them yourself with a 'rope' they won't repair them either. They will ONLY insert a plug in a clean tire. Otherwise you're on the hook for a new tire. BTDT got the t-shirt.

And most are fair on pricing for a new tpms insert, about the same as you pay for them aftermarket.

I have a long driving career and come from the era where cars had a full size spare. I recommend for any long distance drivers that they buy at least a donut spare, if not a full size spare. At least a donut will get you to a shop for a tire or repair. If you're doing trips across the state then a full size spare makes even more sense, and especially after dark or in inclement weather. I surely wouldn't want to be trying to insert goop and pump up a blown tire on the side of the hiway, in the rain, at midnight. Just sayin'.

To replenish your repair 'kit', any bottle of Slime sealant will work, from any auto parts store, or even wallyfart.
 
CJBROWN said:
You got lucky with the tire repair - most tire stores will not patch a 'gooped' tire. And if you plug them yourself with a 'rope' they won't repair them either. They will ONLY insert a plug in a clean tire. Otherwise you're on the hook for a new tire. BTDT got the t-shirt.

This thread has been dormant for quite a while, but your post happens to coincide with another tyre repair on my LEAF earlier this week. It turned out to be a screw in the thread. The leak was so slow that I didn't even think to look for the cause before I brought it in for repair. Anyway, to the reason for my response: the shop did not put a plug, they put a patch on the inside of the tyre.

I don't know what they would say to a DIY 'rope' repair. Sounds like something worthwhile to know.

Addendum: I called the local shop that did the repair this week. The fellow said that they do not categorically refuse to repair temporary 'ropes' but sometimes the hole from the reaming is too large and they are not able to fit a large enough plug.
 
^^^ I believe you meant patch at the end of your paragraph, makes more sense anyway.
Anyway, that can be an issue but I try and not ream the hole out too big and truthfully at one shop I went to where I didn't plug it, the shop actually did a Plug-and-patch. First, they used a plug followed by a patch inside the tire so I guess both can be done.
 
LeftieBiker said:
I believe that Plug & Patch has become SOP for tire shops when they feel the tire can be safely repaired.

Unfortunately it's not. And most refuse to do them anymore. I don't know why, that is the correct method. I think it's a liability thing, or it's too labor intensive to dismount, properly apply a patch, and then get it back on the rim in the same location so the balance stays. Or they have to balance again.

I got irritated with our local auto parts place that sells a lot of tires - pretty expensive offroad tires on my truck - used a rope plug to get it to the shop, they said they won't do ANYTHING when they're plugged that way, that they will ONLY do them with THEIR plug if it's a virgin hole (no punn lol) No slime, no rope plugs. So I could buy a new tire. Which I did, kept the old one, patched it myself, and got another wheel and had the patched tire mounted on the rim for a full size spare, which I wanted to have anyway since we end up in timbuktu where no road service will come to rescue you.

That patched tire ended up back on the truck cuz the other tires got cupped so bad (don't buy Cooper tires) and lasted the life of the tire set. It now has new Michelin LTX's on it and they're like ridng on air. But I digress.

I also got a nail hole in the fat tires on the Challenger, it also got a rope plug and it lasted the life of the tires as well.

As always, buyer beware, do your own diligence, and your mileage may vary. LOL
And get a full size spare if you have long travels!!
 
jjeff said:
^^^ I believe you meant patch at the end of your paragraph, makes more sense anyway.

The store guy said plug, fwiw. I also wondered about his answer but I did not clarify to avoid taking too much of his time. I rationalized his answer as perhaps meaning bigger holes get plugs.
 
Got another flat on our two-week trip in the RV. Our 'toad' is a chevy spark, and I was fortunate to have enough forethought to get a full-size spare for the trip. It has a 'donut spare' but for towing it nearly three thousand miles I didn't want to chance it.

Sure enough, went to leave the RV park one morning in the car the tpms popped up saying right front had 23psi. I got out, rolled the car back looking for a nail or screw or something. NOTHING. I said to wifey, we gotta get this fixed as we were leaving for the next stop later that day and while it's being towed there is no tpms monitor. A flat would likely ruin the wheel before you realized it was flat.

Anyway, took the alloy wheel and tire off and put the steely spare on, it's full size so no biggie. Once off the car I found the puncture - looked like heavy stainless staples or something, a wad of them, with air leaking out. Circled it, threw it in the back, and dropped it off to Discount Tire to repair. Went on our way, said we would be back later.

They called in fifteen minutes, it was ready. Stopped over to get it, they plugged AND patched it, FREE. I guess I've bought enough tires from them that I'm in their system.

At our next destination I put the patched wheel and tire back on, good to go.

Having a full size spare was definitely a plus. One should be able to get a wheel or spare off ebay for whatever your car is, a cheap tire from Amazon, and have it mounted and balanced. Throw it in the back if you're traveling far from home. Cheap insurance plan. Or get AAA and sit and wait for them. Either works. LOL
 
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