Author Topic: Fix a flat?? (Read 2560 times)

Warren Rhen · « **on:** November 16, 2019, 10:35:02 AM »

So I got a finishing nail in my rear tire on my Stornello which has tubes in the tire. Pulled it out the nail and put some fix a flat in it and got home. Since I've never used fix a flat before do you think its safe to just leave it be or do you think I have to take it apart and replace the rube?

Zoom Zoom · « **Reply #1 on:** November 16, 2019, 10:40:24 AM »

You need to replace the tube at the very least. Being a tube, you're fortunate it got you home.

John Henry

Wayne Orwig · « **Reply #2 on:** November 16, 2019, 11:47:23 AM »

Patch or replace the tube. Don't rely on the goo.

moto-uno · « **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2019, 11:55:23 AM »

The Goo is an excellent TEMPORARY repair ! Problem is when you forget it's what's keeping the rim off the road and carry on . Is there anything on the can that indicates it's
a permanent repair ? Peter

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2019, 11:55:23 AM »

LowRyter · « **Reply #4 on:** November 16, 2019, 12:08:51 PM »

replace the tube

Sasquatch Jim · « **Reply #5 on:** November 16, 2019, 12:43:29 PM »

Fix it forever. Get hard rubber tires.

Perazzimx14 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 16, 2019, 01:07:19 PM »

I'd not worry with patching the tire seems like a waste of a plug/patch. I would like the others suggest replace the tube and get you another can of fix-a-flat for the possible bag incase it happens again.

cliffrod · « **Reply #7 on:** November 16, 2019, 01:39:25 PM »

Unless there were protruding pieces or it was a cut instead of a pinpoint puncture, we would rarely patch a tire. Install a new tube and hope the fix a flat stayed mostly inside the tube...

Warren Rhen · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2019, 01:46:48 PM »

Thanks for the input guys. Like I said I never used the stuff before. I'll replace the tube and parch the old one and keep it around for a spare. I rally don't think it would be possible to patch the tire even if I wanted to. I mean it was a very small finishing nail.

Lannis · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2019, 02:08:26 PM »

Quote from: Warren Rhen on November 16, 2019, 01:46:48 PM

Thanks for the input guys. Like I said I never used the stuff before. I'll replace the tube and parch the old one and keep it around for a spare. I rally don't think it would be possible to patch the tire even if I wanted to. I mean it was a very small finishing nail.

I agree with leaving the tire hole as is. All my mechanical sympathy cringes whenever I have to stick a tool through the tread and ream out chunks of rubber in order to patch a 1/16" hole.

I wouldn't keep a patched tube around even as a spare. Patch cement gets old soon, and it already got you home once, it did its job and tubes are cheap. Give it a decent burial or cut it up for rubber bands ... !

Lannis

Muzz · « **Reply #10 on:** November 16, 2019, 02:48:06 PM »

Many of us older farts (before tubeless were even thought of) carried with us a pair of tire irons, a mini tire inflater and a patch kit. Contained patches, glue, sandpaper and some chalk. tire went down, wheel out, tire removed, if you could see the nail or whatever mark the tube when it came out so you knew where the hole was. Patch, cover spread glue with chalk and replace. Because I never actually sliced a tire I never ever replaced one simply because of a puncture. I would only ever throw a tube out once it had 3+ punctures.

Because it was very difficult to get full inflation with a mini pump the trip to the nearest service station was conducted at much reduced speed and definitely easy acceleration; if the tire spun on the rim it would rip the valve out of the tube and then you were really stuck unless you also carried a spare tube.

wirespokes · « **Reply #11 on:** November 16, 2019, 03:06:05 PM »

I've ridden on patched tubes a lot. Never an issue. I do it like Muzz.

Stornello - wire wheels. Right? Seal the spokes and go tubeless. Safest way to go. And you know, if it had been tubeless, you'd probably not even have known it picked up a nail for another week or two when the pressure was down a little. And even then, it might have gone undetected if you hadn't inspected the tire.

I'll bet your rims even have the safety bead.

kingoffleece · « **Reply #12 on:** November 16, 2019, 03:11:02 PM »

I'm with Charlie. A flat patch inside the tire over the nail hole if you can find it. No need to ream.

Perazzimx14 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 16, 2019, 04:29:29 PM »

I say stick one of these on the inside to patch the hole. Maybe a couple dabs of Merthiolate to ward off infection

moto-uno · « **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2019, 04:56:05 PM »

If putting tubeless tires on a tube type rim , please verify that the tire manufacturer states "on tube type rims , fit tube " . I'll get a lot of push back for this , but the bead area is slightly different on tubeless tires . Yes they'll probably hold air and on some models and combos handle okay . I know Dunlop mentioned this on their tires . Check with the tire manufacturer and be sure .( Not all parts people are that versed on the subject . ) . Peter

malik · « **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2019, 05:31:54 PM »

You've got to be careful with patches these days. Rubber ain't rubber anymore, and glues don't seem to work as well as they used to. Just a few weeks ago i had a flat on the way back from a trip, the new tube blew out when putting the air in to set it straight inside the tube, so had to patch the hole (really a slit). 160km & a couple of days later, the tyre was down again - the patch had come off, there was no sign of the sanding I did on the tube, the glue had peeled off the tube, although there were traces of it on the patch. The tube was a Michelin butyl; the glue, although still runny was a few years old. I swapped out the tube for a new one (AND found the shaft of an old screwdriver INSIDE the old tube).

Moral of this story - to cover your bases, a quality tube made with a higher rubber content is to be preferred. It gives you one more option when things go wrong. (As sometimes they are wont to do - often in the middle of nowhere).

And then, just last week got my first flat on the front tyre, ever. I don't usually carry a spare for the front, so bought a new tube at a friendly country motorcycle workshop & fitted that (after finding & removing an extremely sharp half nail). Could have patched it, but $16 for a new tube from just down the road gave peace of mind.

I don't patch the tyre usually, merely remove the offending article, & ensure the inside wall is smooth. I have never yet had a second tube not outlast the tread.

Chet Rugg · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2019, 07:21:05 AM »

blackcat · « **Reply #17 on:** November 17, 2019, 08:15:02 AM »

Whenever I install new tubes, I always use Slime as a preventative.

https://www.slime.com/au/products/lawn-garden/sealants/tire-sealant.php

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2019, 10:09:19 AM »

Quote from: blackcat on November 17, 2019, 08:15:02 AM

Whenever I install new tubes, I always use Slime as a preventative.

https://www.slime.com/au/products/lawn-garden/sealants/tire-sealant.php

That's all GuzziBob (RIP) did for years on his T3 and 1000S. Never had a flat. <shrug>
Personally, I prefer going tubeless.

blackcat · « **Reply #19 on:** November 17, 2019, 10:42:06 AM »

Quote from: Chuck in Indiana on November 17, 2019, 10:09:19 AM

That's all GuzziBob (RIP) did for years on his T3 and 1000S. Never had a flat. <shrug>
Personally, I prefer going tubeless.

About a year ago I picked up a pair of tubeless rims for the 1000S and I will probably install those at the next tire change. Only the Norton will keep tubes and I’m already riding that in “close enough to push home” mode for that bike.

Lannis · « **Reply #20 on:** November 17, 2019, 01:27:23 PM »

Quote from: blackcat on November 17, 2019, 08:15:02 AM

Whenever I install new tubes, I always use Slime as a preventative.

https://www.slime.com/au/products/lawn-garden/sealants/tire-sealant.php

That's what I do on my old Brits and on the tubed SP-1000. No flats. No mess when you change the tires. I've never quite understood the wide-eyed desire to "eliminate tubes" .... I guess it's just what some folks do, because ... it's done.

Lannis

blackcat · « **Reply #21 on:** November 17, 2019, 03:59:15 PM »

Quote from: Lannis on November 17, 2019, 01:27:23 PM

That's what I do on my old Brits and on the tubed SP-1000. No flats. No mess when you change the tires. I've never quite understood the wide-eyed desire to "eliminate tubes" .... I guess it's just what some folks do, because ... it's done.

Lannis

Yeah, I’ve only had one slow leak in all the years of riding with tubes and a good portion oF that time was without slime.

moto-uno · « **Reply #22 on:** November 17, 2019, 04:08:55 PM »

^ +1, in over 50 years and god knows how many kilometers I've ridden on only tube type tires , I've only had 1 flat tire on the road

( I should be careful making remarks like that) . Peter

Gliderjohn · « **Reply #23 on:** November 17, 2019, 05:06:49 PM »

Over 40 years of riding and I have had two tube tire flats and four tubeless, none of which left me down on the road however. Extremly lucky about that.
GliderJohn

Gliderjohn · « **Reply #24 on:** November 17, 2019, 05:11:11 PM »

I might add that living off pavement doesn't help the odds. Can't recall how many tire leaks we have had between the car and PU since moving out here in 2005, but a bunch. For a while it was like every oil change one or two tires were repaired. Living rurally is great but has it's own set of challenges at times.
GliderJohn

wirespokes · « **Reply #25 on:** November 17, 2019, 05:25:30 PM »

John - do you fix your own flats? Plug em, air them up and go?

I've been riding mostly tubed tires since 1966 and haven't had that many flats, maybe four or five, but I use my bike for transportation. Fixing a tubeless is much easier and quicker than a tube type. Another advantage is tubeless is safer, plus less unsprung weight making for a better ride. Racers will go to great lengths to remove an ounce of unsprung weight - and here's a tube that must weigh at least a half pound if not more. So the ride is improved removing a tube as well.

Gliderjohn · « **Reply #26 on:** November 17, 2019, 07:58:19 PM »

From wirespokes:

Quote

John - do you fix your own flats? Plug em, air them up and go?

Only one plugging on the road with a tubeless and it got me home but didn't really hold. My others were one that went flat two blocks from my house, another tubeless that just required an airing up to get home and the rest were found before my next ride.
GliderJohn

wirespokes · « **Reply #27 on:** November 17, 2019, 09:45:38 PM »

Quote from: gliderjohn on November 17, 2019, 07:58:19 PM

From wirespokes:Only one plugging on the road with a tubeless and it got me home but didn't really hold. My others were one that went flat two blocks from my house, another tubeless that just required an airing up to get home and the rest were found before my next ride.
GliderJohn

I was wondering more about the cages than the bikes.

I think I've only had a flat tubeless on the bike once. The tire was already worn and getting thin. All I had was the mushroom plugs and there wasn't enough carcass depth to hold it. It held, but minimally and leaked down pretty quickly. After that I switched to sticky ropes from Nealey: https://www.nealeytirerepairkit.com/

They'll plug the leak from the inside like a patch. They're also cheap and easy to use.

Tom · « **Reply #28 on:** November 18, 2019, 07:04:24 PM »

Slime it. Run your finger over the hole from the inside to see if you need to trim/sand the edges. If you do then also patch it so that it won't be abrasive to the tube.

roadventure · « **Reply #29 on:** November 19, 2019, 09:35:09 AM »

replace the tube

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Author Topic: Fix a flat?? (Read 2560 times)

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