Slow puncture dilemma

Author
Discussion

Gtom

Original Poster:

1,718 posts

146 months

Thursday 29th December 2022
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My wife’s kuga has picked up a slow puncture which has turned out to be a staple about 20mm from the edge of the sidewall. Tyre place won’t fix it which is fair enough but the car has got Michelin crossclimate + all round with 6mm-ish of tread.

Sod’s Law that now the crossclimates + has been discontinued of which a pair would have done. Crossclimate 2’s were quoted at £180 a corner and the tyre geek in me would want them all matching.

This leads on to my thought, the staple is less than 1mm x2 and I’m pumping the tyre up about once every 5 days (from around 27psi to 40) so it’s not losing a lot of air. How good is the green slime stuff? The car is only travelling locally, if it wasn’t losing air I wouldn’t know about the staple and I wouldn’t class it as dangerous.

Bad idea?

tapkaJohnD

1,997 posts

218 months

Thursday 29th December 2022
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One of my trailer wheels picked up a piece of swarf recently. The summit of the M62 was no place to change a wheel, so out with the Green Goo. But I knew it wasn't going to succeed for long when it started to stream out past the metal. Just made it to Ferrybridge Services.

The swarf was bit bigger than a staple, and may have lacerated the tyre wall, when a staple might leave a perforation. Worth a try? But the Green Goo can always says that it's a temporary repair, and that the tyre must be definitively repaired ASAP.

John

QJumper

3,236 posts

40 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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Did the tyre place refuse to repair it due to the location, or because it's a CrossClimate, as I had a slow puncture in one and found that most tyre places won't repair them. In the end I took it to my local garage, who also do tyres, and they did the repair.

vikingaero

11,900 posts

183 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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Tyre plug kit for around a tenner from Maison de Bezos:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TYRE-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-STRI...


Safe? Thousands of YouTubers will tell you that you will die a fiery death, thousands will tell you they are safe. I worked for a Logistics co, who would routinely plug tyres intending to repair later, the repairs were forgotten and lasted the life of the tyres. You takes your picks.

phillpot

17,362 posts

197 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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Another vote for tyre plug thumbup

stevieturbo

17,745 posts

261 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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vikingaero said:
Tyre plug kit for around a tenner from Maison de Bezos:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TYRE-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-STRI...


Safe? Thousands of YouTubers will tell you that you will die a fiery death, thousands will tell you they are safe. I worked for a Logistics co, who would routinely plug tyres intending to repair later, the repairs were forgotten and lasted the life of the tyres. You takes your picks.
Used plugs of that style many times. And closer to the sidewall than really should have been....and never had an issue.

Worst was a staple as you say, U shaped staple to make matters worse, so two holes close beside each other. It wasn't nice having to put the plugs in that location and so close beside each other but it worked fine and I ran it like that for a few thousand months before changing the tyre.
It was still in the tread block though. I would definitely not repair anything in the sidewall.

If you're 20mm in, and do not drive like a crazed lunatic all the time. Plug it.

ONLY if the tyre has never been driven flat.

If I'm doing any bigger journeys. I always keep the kit and a tyre inflator with me. Usually a repair can be effected within 60 seconds without removing the wheel

https://www.devon4x4.com/arb-speedy-seal-tyre-repa...

Drive Blind

5,390 posts

191 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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I'd try other places for a 2nd opinion,

I had a slow puncture on one of my winter tyres, it would lose about 10psi in 2 weeks. 3 of the big chain tyres places wouldn't touch it for some reason - they could get me a replacement tyre at £170 next day though...

Found a local indie guy who fixed it no problem.


Gtom

Original Poster:

1,718 posts

146 months

Friday 30th December 2022
quotequote all
This is what I’m up against, a lot closer to the sidewall than I thought.



I went to Halfords today and got this and stuck it in

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-equipment/br...

Time will tell whether is works and whether it was a good idea or not. I have found someone on Facebook market place selling 2no crossclimate + tyres with 6mm on for £150 fitted which would give me a good spare to keep.

Failing that it’s either 2no crossclimate 2’s or 4no all seasons of a different brand unless it’s not too bad to mix brands on each axle?

Caddyshack

12,434 posts

220 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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I wouldn’t change all 4, just the 2 on the same axle - then sell the good one you remove perhaps?

The tyre manufacturer tech team may be able to confirm if it is ok to mix with the newer cross climate that replaces it.

I have used green slime in motorbikes (off road) and push bikes and it is brilliant.

I wouldn’t just keep pumping up unless you are very certain not to miss it as a low pressure tyre overheats the side wall and can fall apart / blow out.

stevieturbo

17,745 posts

261 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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Gtom said:
This is what I’m up against, a lot closer to the sidewall than I thought.



I went to Halfords today and got this and stuck it in

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-equipment/br...

Time will tell whether is works and whether it was a good idea or not. I have found someone on Facebook market place selling 2no crossclimate + tyres with 6mm on for £150 fitted which would give me a good spare to keep.

Failing that it’s either 2no crossclimate 2’s or 4no all seasons of a different brand unless it’s not too bad to mix brands on each axle?
That's roughly were I plugged mine in the van with the U shaped pin, 2 holes. Sucks to have happened, but it worked fine.

If it was a pin or a screw that didn't get noticed, you could drive on it for weeks or months before it went flat. So is a plug that seals the hole any worse ?
The structure of the tyre will not be affected by something so small.

Evanivitch

23,896 posts

136 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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I'd check that in a paddling pool before being sure that's the cause. That's a very small staple though quite a lot of rubber and tyre.

Rich1973

1,233 posts

191 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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Somewhere that does vulcanising will repair that for you no problem. Had something similar a few years ago.

Panamax

6,071 posts

48 months

Friday 30th December 2022
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Rich1973 said:
Somewhere that does vulcanising will repair that for you no problem. Had something similar a few years ago.
This. Just get it properly fixed. Cost should not exceed £30.

stevemcs

9,405 posts

107 months

Friday 30th December 2022
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
Tyre plug kit for around a tenner from Maison de Bezos:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TYRE-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-STRI...


Safe? Thousands of YouTubers will tell you that you will die a fiery death, thousands will tell you they are safe. I worked for a Logistics co, who would routinely plug tyres intending to repair later, the repairs were forgotten and lasted the life of the tyres. You takes your picks.
I would rather take my chance with the tyre sealent. The reason why garages won't (well we don't) is because you cannot get the patch on a flat section and as it curves there is a chance it may fail at some point.

Panamax

6,071 posts

48 months

Friday 30th December 2022
quotequote all
stevemcs said:
I would rather take my chance with the tyre sealent. The reason why garages won't (well we don't) is because you cannot get the patch on a flat section and as it curves there is a chance it may fail at some point.
Yup, sealant gunk or proper vulcanised repair.

BUT, if you use sealant make sure you check it won't wreck your tyre pressure sensors before you start....

wyson

3,402 posts

118 months

Saturday 31st December 2022
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I always change my tyres if there is any doubt.

Aside from the potential safety issue, I would hate to keep worrying is this working, of having to monitor it for the sake of a new tyre or pair of tyres.

If I had enough space, I would go with one of the options you suggested, a new pair of cross climate 2’s across the same axle and keep the good crossclimate as a spare.

Running a tyre with low psi really works them out, because of all the extra flexing they have to do, especially at speed and if your car is loaded. You risk a blow out and the car behaving strangely during emergency manouvers. Something to bear in mind, especially if you do decide to embark on a longer motorway journey.

Edited by wyson on Saturday 31st December 10:51

Caddyshack

12,434 posts

220 months

Saturday 31st December 2022
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wyson said:
I always change my tyres if there is any doubt.

Aside from the potential safety issue, I would hate to keep worrying is this working, of having to monitor it for the sake of a new tyre or pair of tyres.

If I had enough space, I would go with one of the options you suggested, a new pair of cross climate 2’s across the same axle and keep the good crossclimate as a spare.

Running a tyre with low psi really works them out, because of all the extra flexing they have to do, especially at speed and if your car is loaded. You risk a blow out and the car behaving strangely during emergency manouvers. Something to bear in mind, especially if you do decide to embark on a longer motorway journey.

Edited by wyson on Saturday 31st December 10:51
Pretty much what I said 7 posts up….glad we are in agreement and therefore we are right.

stevieturbo

17,745 posts

261 months

Saturday 31st December 2022
quotequote all
stevemcs said:
I would rather take my chance with the tyre sealent. The reason why garages won't (well we don't) is because you cannot get the patch on a flat section and as it curves there is a chance it may fail at some point.
I wouldn't, sealant goo inside is ste and likely less chance of doing anything nearer the edges.

Plug will work fine.

stevieturbo

17,745 posts

261 months

Saturday 31st December 2022
quotequote all
wyson said:
I always change my tyres if there is any doubt.

Aside from the potential safety issue, I would hate to keep worrying is this working, of having to monitor it for the sake of a new tyre or pair of tyres.

If I had enough space, I would go with one of the options you suggested, a new pair of cross climate 2’s across the same axle and keep the good crossclimate as a spare.

Running a tyre with low psi really works them out, because of all the extra flexing they have to do, especially at speed and if your car is loaded. You risk a blow out and the car behaving strangely during emergency manouvers. Something to bear in mind, especially if you do decide to embark on a longer motorway journey.

Edited by wyson on Saturday 31st December 10:51
Not a lot of doubt in this case.

If it is the staple a plug will fix it.

But always yes, hard to beat a new tyre....but is it really necessary ? Not always

Caddyshack

12,434 posts

220 months

Saturday 31st December 2022
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Damn you and this thread. Went outside and found a screw in my Rangie cross climate…it”s a pretty new tyre and the puncture is on the shoulder….of course!