A possible solution to getting a flat tire on your smart

[ritchaso]

I have been worried about getting a flat tire on a car that does not have a spare tire or a jack. The tire kit provided on the smart is not attractive. If you use the kit and put the goo in your tire you have to get a new tire and also replace the goo. Maybe around $160 just for a flat.

I was looking at the Canadian smart forum and a very nice person named bigladstone suggested that I look at a product called "Ride-On" that he has used for 3 years on his smart. It's a gel that you put in your tires and seals nail holes, or whatever pierces your tire. It is designed to seal most slow leaks and punctures (efficiency of 85-95%)in the crown area of a tire caused by nails, screws, thorns, road debris and virtually any perforating object up to 1/4" in diameter. You put the gel in and then should have some protection against flat tires.

You don't have to balance the tires as in the Ultraseal product. In fact, they recommend that you remove any balance weights. The gel balances your tires constantly. When you first put the gel in, you have to drive around for 12-15 miles, then the tires are balanced. They say if you let the car sit for a long time (like a month), it'll take 3-4 miles to redistribute and balance again.

The company claims that it does not hurt your valve or pressure monitoring system. From what I've seen so far, I haven't found any down side to this product. I have had the gel in almost a month, and no problems. Take a look at the web site at:

https://www.ride-onshop.com/

They list dosages for most tires but did not list a recommendation for the smart. I spoke with their tech support guy and he asked the engineers what dosage to use. He called me back and said that the front tires (155/60/R15) should have 9oz (but you could put 10oz in). For the back tires (175/55/R15) he said 10oz, but you could put in 11oz.

[imcquade]

Not sure if accurate but the dealer told me the tire pressure thingys may be ruined by this - No idea if this is crap or not

Of course I would think the manufacturer of this product would have to say it doesn't since now ALL cars manditorily have these sensors

Let me know

Cheers

[Evilution]

I recommend Ultraseal over any other type of tire gunk.
They supply the military with military grade Ultraseal that can seal a 9mm bullet from point blank in the side wall with no pressure loss. Obviously the one you can buy isn't as effective as that but it is still well worth the money as it makes the tires last longer.

Ultraseal Tire Sealant

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by imcquade

... Of course I would think the manufacturer of this product would have to say it doesn't since now ALL cars manditorily have these sensors ...

Yes and no. The smart uses an active radio frequency transmitter in each tire. They are not cheap. Another authorized passive system that is much cheaper is a chassis-mounted sensor that detects the different rotation of a soft tire due to its smaller effective radius. It is part of the electronic stability installation and there is no monitor to goo-up inside the tire.

[redbluff]

I have had to flats in my Smarts ( have two) nail puncture. Forget all the other things you have heard or read and get a Nealey tire repair kit for $11 bucks. It is permanent not temporary and uses no glue or slime to fix the hole. It uses synthetic rubber plug that you can do in 10 minutes. I have used it twice on the same tire !

I am not affliliated with them but once you go to their website and look at the testimonials it is the only true repair. Others on the forum have bought them as well.

[Old smart]

I think a plugging kit should be the first choice over a goo job - if you can locate the puncture and have access to it with the wheel still mounted to properly install the plug. Got one. But....

Though in most cases an externally applied plug can be a permanent fix, I would consider it a semi-temporary fix (not nearly as tenuous as goo) and have the tire dismounted when it is convenient and the plug replaced with a really permanent internal plug. And with no big extra charge for cleaning out goo.

[mvukovich]

My wife purchase a extra front tire online from Discount Tire, Custom Wheels, Truck & Car Rims | Discount Tire Co.
She paid $61 dollars for it, you can use a front tire for a spare for the rear also. She had a flat tire a week or so a go and I took the spare tire with me in case the tire could not be repair. The tire shop in our rural area does not sell the size tires needed for a Smart car. We were lucky this time and the tire could be patch. I am glad we have the spare for a backup.

[orngandblack]

Based on the reviews for that tire, I don't think I will buy one any time soon. Good luck with yours.

[daleharrison]

Originally Posted by orngandblack

Based on the reviews for that tire, I don't think I will buy one any time soon. Good luck with yours.

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"]I fully agree with orngandblack. The customer feed back for these tires was terrible. The rating is 80k miles and people are getting about 30K?? Someting is not right. Could be that these folks are not looking after their tires as they shoud(rotate,balance, correct air pressure). I have ordered a front wheel from Smart in Cary NC and plan to get a tire--but I dont think it will be a Continental brand. Any one have an idea for another more reputable brand??[/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[pdxplm]

Has anyone seen Run Flat tires for the Smart? I've had them on my BMW and just wondering if that would be a good alternative...