I had a bolt go through the tread section on the front tire. It was so big that most of the solution just ran out of the hole onto the cold, wet, rain soaked road. and all over the bottom of the pump, etc. I was able to limp at about 5-10 mph for 1/2 mile to a repair shop who plugged the hole and charged me 8 dollars for the job. That was about a week ago, and the tire is holding fine. The dealer apparently knows nothing about tirerack.com. The mechanic saitd these new plugs are used on TRUCK tires, and the repair ougth to be good for probably 3 years, which at my yearly mileage would far outlast the tread on the tire.
Mentioned this in other threads before... the Ultraseal PRE-flat alternative sealant is a viable solution. We are up to 10,000 miles on our testing this product inside the wheels of our 2008 smart. No malfunctions, no false readings, no air loss. Seals the punctures (up to 1/4") immediately upon incident. As far as we know, we are the only ones to have tested any Pre-flat sealant product in tires with Tire Pressure Sensors. Ultraseal has worked flawlessly for us. We do sell this stuff, so take our objectivity with a grain of salt if you wish, but we also love the product for what it does for our peace of mind.
Just called my dealer. The liquid itself is $44.. Seems excessive but that's what they recommend for the smart. I'm going in for a new tire, 10k service and inspection on Saturday
Those fix a flat things are bad for your rim, they actually eat into the wheel. This was my experience.
Yes, i will cause the aluminum to oxidize. That is why you have to have it removed as soon as possible. Many people do not realise that Fix-a-flat is only to get you from where you are to the tire shop. I should not be in the tire for more than a day or so. Any longer will not only damage the wehhl, but also will eat away the inside coatings of the tire itself. Some products are better than others and don't do it as bad, but it is still only a temporary, limp-home, fix. I always watch to make sure the hose the wheel, and the inside of the tire out good whenever I have to use the stuff.
Yes, i will cause the aluminum to oxidize. That is why you have to have it removed as soon as possible. Many people do not realise that Fix-a-flat is only to get you from where you are to the tire shop. I should not be in the tire for more than a day or so. Any longer will not only damage the wehhl, but also will eat away the inside coatings of the tire itself. Some products are better than others and don't do it as bad, but it is still only a temporary, limp-home, fix. I always watch to make sure the hose the wheel, and the inside of the tire out good whenever I have to use the stuff.
Regarding the tire sealants, use one that is water based (if you can find them). Those will not corrode the rim or cause any other chemical related problem (Ultraseal is water based), while still doing the job required.
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