In the absence of a real spare wheel or, failing that, a spare wheel, the tire sealant has become an essential accessory. In the event of a puncture, it allows you to repair your wheel in an emergency and to set off again immediately. Be careful, however, this is not a miraculous solution. Its effectiveness is certainly limited, but it is an excellent first aid kit. However, if your tire is split by a piece of metal or a very sharp element, it will not be able to do anything for you. The anti-puncture bomb is indeed reserved for punctures of less than 3 mm due to a nail, a screw, or any other small element. Beyond that, if there is no spare wheel, you will have to call the breakdown service of your insurer.
Advantageous, the anti-puncture bomb is economical since it costs from 5 to 16 € depending on its capacity, simple to use and acts quickly.
A tire sealant to get going again.
Choose it well and use it…
A tire sealant is an aerosol, containing an expanding foam, which diffuses inside the tire, covering the surface with a protective layer, thus sealing the holes present. There are nevertheless different types of puncture sealant, some being adapted to electronic valves, others proving to be more “standard” and adapting to all types of tubeless tires, i.e. tubeless, but you can also use it on a tire with an inner tube. But it is mainly according to its volume that it will have to be chosen. Indeed, to be effective, its capacity must be adapted to the size of your wheel! Hence the importance of reading the specifics of the product carefully before buying it.
In fact, to repair the flat tire, you must empty the entire contents of the bomb into it via the valve. If the capacity is too low, you risk not having enough foam to seal the puncture. Too bulky, you will waste a lot of product for nothing.
Using a tire sealant is very simple. Just locate the location of the puncture, remove the object that caused it, shake the can well to mix the contents, attach the nozzle to the inflation valve and finally empty the contained inside the tire, the foam will go through the hole and air dry to plug it. It is imperative to completely empty the aerosol so that the expanded foam seals the surface perfectly.
Then all you have to do is start and drive slowly for about twenty kilometers so that the product spreads evenly in your tire until you reach the nearest service station in order to replenish the correct pressure.
Puncture sealant is not made for long riding
Puncture sealants are intended for “emergency” use. It is by no means a definitive solution that will allow you to drive over long distances or at high speeds. If you still have 500 km to go to reach your destination, you absolutely must have your tire changed. Gradually the foam will “attack” the rubber of the tire and damage it. In fact, you cannot repair a flat tire after using an anti-puncture spray. It definitely needs to be changed.
Assuming that this is only a temporary repair, it is better to then drive at moderate speed around 70 km/h for a maximum recommended distance of 100 km.
Bomb fault and if you used a repair kit
The dowel repair kit is similar to what we used to use to repair our bicycle tires. It includes an auger, rubber pegs, a tube of Thumbs-up tire glue also called vulcanizing glue, a peg guide tool and a CO2 canister that will allow you to re-inflate the tire enough to get going again.
Although more complex to use than a simple anti-puncture spray, it can permanently repair the tire but it can only be used on tubeless tires.
The dowel repair kit includes an auger, rubber dowels, a tube of vulcanizing glue, a dowel guide tool and a CO2 canister for tire inflation.
To carry out the repair, all you have to do is remove the foreign body that punctured your tire. Use the auger to improve the appearance of the hole and clean it. Then simply put glue on a dowel, place it in the hole using the guide tool and cut off the excess using a knife or a cutter. Once the element has been repaired, you can reinflate your tire using the CO2 cylinder.
Again you will just have to stop at the first service station to top up the tire pressure.
You will find in auto centers repair kits from 10 to 150 €. Their price depends on the expected quality of repair. Some kits allow you to obtain a permanent repair while others will require a visit to the mechanic, if only to check the tightness of the latter.
And the nails…
The repair nails are used as self-drilling screws for holes of 3 to 5 mm.
Vacuum Tire Repair Nails are designed to quickly and reliably repair a flat tire without having to remove it. They look like big rubber piercing screws that just screw into the hole. These “nails” can be used to close holes up to 5 mm in diameter. Inexpensive, you will find them in auto centers from €3.90 to €9.
Again, these type of kits only repair holes on the tread. If the sidewall of the tire is split, it will not be able to do anything for you!
After removing the element that caused the puncture, simply screw in the repair nail to restore the tire’s integrity.
