OT Spare Tire in a Spray Can Any Good?

It was 7 lousy degrees out this morning. My beloved
98 Civic HX is sitting in the barn waiting for the salt
to wash away. Meanwhile, I am driving a 90 Dodge
Omni with 178k on it. The Omni is my sacrificial anode.

Anyway, one of the tires has a slow leak. I have to pump
it up every morning. Every year I had put grease
on the lugs otherwise the nuts rust on solid. I didn't grease
it this year. Did I mention that it's cold?

Is there a spray can fix that would get me about 3 months use?

 

The answer is "maybe" I've kept one of those things in the trunk for
years; used them three times. Actually sealed the leak twice.

DON'T use it on a tire you care about, it makes an awful mess inside
that you'll have to clean up - in my case, it threw the balance of the
tire off as well.

Sadly, they work best if it's warm. Take seriously the recommendation
to drive the car a good while immediately after use.

if it were me, and I had other transportation, I take the wheel off and
take it to a service station to be reseated. TELL them it's because of
a slow leak.

 

for what i would pay for a spray can of stuff you can just drive it to a
tire place and get the flat fixed for the $6-$7 they would charge you
for either the flat or the spray can.....

 

Friggin Firestone store charged me $25.00 last year to patch one of
their tires that had a finnish nail dead center in the tread area. I
thought it should be more like seven or eight bucks. bob

 

Taking it somewhere I have considered,
but as a last option because it could do
more harm than good.

A number of years ago
I sheared off one of the studs
trying to get the nut loose. That is
when I started greasing the lugs
every year. This thing is not made
of quality material and for the last
8 years the only time it has been
driven is when there is salt on the road.

I tried one of those spray things a long
time ago. Apparently I didn't drive it long
enough because the tire was good
only for a circus car. I think if I try it again,
I am only going to use a tiny portion of
the can. I'm hoping there is something
better today. It seems to me that if we
can figure out a way to send a U. S.
Senator to the moon,
we ought to be able to figure out how to
seal a leak in a tire.

 

That's another reason I am hesitating. I got same "deal" last
time. There is a local (North Central Ohio) joint that charges about
$8, but they were telling stories about some new tires I wanted
a couple of years ago.
I have boycotted them since. Maybe I should give in, but I am
still concerned about getting lug nuts sheared off. I didn't check
if this tire is one the wheel with only three left.

 

Thinking back to my experience, if you shoot the whole can
in there, I think "a good while" would be about 10,000 miles.

 

By the way, that was the carry-in price. I have a jack and do my own
tire rotations. I can tighten the lugs to my own satisfaction. bob

 

I'd concur with others. Take it somewhere and have the tire fixed.
Otherwise you'll be fooling with this forever. I've never liked the
idea of that goo inside my tire; I'd consider the can only for
absolute emergencies. Even if it is $25 (should be less), so what?
Let's get real. Not much more than a tank of gas ... PLUS I notice
that you say it is COLD outside : - )

 

I'm going to try some Slime!

Why? "Because Flats Suck."
How can you argue with that?

www.slime.com

 

In Albuquerque, Discount Tire Co. fixes flats for free. Sure it's just a
gimmick to get new customers (or treat old customers right) but so what?

I've heard stories (maybe urban legends) that the gas those cans put in the
tire is flammable and there have been accidents when the flat fixer guy
starts to remove the tire from the wheel.

I only use the stuff in my wheelbarrow and rototiller tires.

Bearman

 

that will work great against flats, but you might look into how well
it might perform at highway speeds in 20-30 degree f temperature. I
believe the "slime" is mostly for bicycles, for which hardly ever
exceed 30mpg.
I propose the slime will either freeze in one spot or not be thin
enough to coat the inside of the tire evenly at 50 mph that could
mean a very very unbalanced tire.

 

Au Contraire. If you would have looked at the link I provided -
and I am shocked that you did not - slime can be used to -30 degrees F.

Furthermore, use in automobiles is recommended.

 

I've used several pressurized canned products with good results.
I keep 2 cans in the trunk for emergency use. If I get a nail, it
buys me some time until I can get it fixed properly. Never tried it
long term.
One thing about Slime: You need to remove the valve core to install
and need a source of pressurized air after installing the valve core.
To me, this makes slime a non-contender for emergency use. The canned
products I have used provided enough pressure (some gas...probably NOT
air) to be able to drive away

P.S. I found the phrase "The Omni is my sacrificial anode" to be one
of the most intelligent and amusing things I have ever read on any
newsgroup....

 

I had - but couldn't find so bought another one today - a little
12 volt air compressor. I don't believe I have every had a tire
problem that was ever so severe that it wouldn't hold air for
an hour or two. I really like these small 12 volt compressors.
Sears is one source. Not only are they a great time and effort saver
on the road, they can inflate basketballs, footballs, bicycle
tires, etc. The one I got can pressurize up to 250 psi. It might
take a day or so to get there, but that kind of pressure can be handy.

From what I read, you can put the Slime in anytime you want -
even before you have a leak - not that I am that ambitious.
Sunday it is supposed to get all the way up to 32. I might
try it then

The canned

It is a consolation that my 14-year travail has brought mirth.

 

I drive on freeways and don't question spending money on tires and
brakes. I would not drive a car with missing or damaged wheel nuts. I
replaced a couple of the wheel studs on a Mazda pickup a few years
ago. I think I payed $2 or $3 each for them at an auto store. You hit
the stud with a hammer and it pops out the back. You may have to press
it out with big clamp if it's rusted in place.

 

Ill stand partway corrected. my point being is their recommendation,
Not recommended as a preventative for all 4 automotive tires. recommended
as a repair only for automotive application due to possible tire
imbalance. Not intended for speeds in excess of 75 m.p.h will not seal
bead leaks
and finally it has a recomended life span of 2 years. then what
happens? do you add more? Do you have the tire dis-mounted cleaned of
all the old goo. What happens if the goo after 2 years becomes a solid,
do you replace the tires, re-balance them etc.

as an emergency repair its good stuff, I use it in my bicycle tubes all
the time and with good results but I replace the tubes every 2-3 years
anyway.

 

At Hibdon Tire here in Oklahoma they always ask if you have it in
there and they charge you extra if you do. I think they charge double
if you didn't tell them. Ironically, they sell their own version that
they put in when they install the tire which supposedly turns the tire
leak-proof. Who knows....

Nate

 

If you don't care about the slight weight penalty, I got sick of
replacing tubes all the time due to stickers (those prickly seeds),
and I bought the foam rubber inner tubes from Wal-Mart. It was around
$14 a tire, but I've had them for two years without replacing a tube,
and I used to replace them every 3-4 months.

Nate