Imagine you prepared a long road trip for months in advance, only to have it interrupted by a flat tire. A flat tire will not only ruin your day, but it may ruin your vacation as well. Sure, you can easily replace the flat tire with the spare one, but it isn't recommended to continue the trip unprepared. Luckily, with the right tools, you can repair flat tires so they will immediately be ready for the road ahead.
There are several different types of tire repair, and you can use all of them while on the way. Some vehicles today even come with flat tire repair kits and without spare tires, so learning how to seal any puncture properly is all the more vital if you own that kind of vehicle.
How much does it cost to repair a flat tire?
The price of a tire repair kit for tubeless tires is around $8 to $15. These kits are designed to be small, so you can throw them in the trunk and use them when you have a flat tire. One tire repair kit can be used several times in the case of spring plugs and one time in the case of puncture sealant that comes in a pressurized bottle (i.e., Fix-a-Flat or Slime).
If you visit a tire repair shop, the price will be higher and ranging from $15 to $30. However, even though costlier, the mechanic will do a much better job repairing the tire from punctures. The biggest drawback of tire repair shops is pretty straightforward – they don’t work all of the time. If a tire on your vehicle gets punctured in the middle of the night, it will be tough to find a nearby shop that works.
Can you still drive on a flat tire?
You should avoid driving with a flat tire by any means possible. The vehicle would not only be undrivable, but the flat tire will get destroyed in the first few hundred yards without the chance for repair. A replacement tire might cost you much more than it costs to repair it. For example, all-season 16-inch tires from brands like Bridgestone and Michelin cost around $150 per tire.
That said, if you equipped your vehicle with run-flat tires, it should be able to travel up to 50 miles at a maximum velocity of 50mph even after a puncture. These tires have stiffer sidewalls that help them withstand the whole weight of the car for a limited time. Nevertheless, you can still damage run-flat tires if you exceed the limit the manufacturer suggested.
How to repair flat tires with "flat tire repair kits"?
Using flat tire repair kits is not rocket science, which means that everybody can do it. However, it is best to follow the steps carefully if you want the best results. Skipping one of the steps may result in improper sealing of the puncture or even damage to the tire. Here’s everything you need to do in case of a flat tire:
Remove the wheel from the car
Removing the wheel will let you repair the tire more easily.
Inflate the tire fully
It is tough to find the leak if you don't inflate the tire in the first place. To do this, you will also need a tire inflator close at hand. Electric tire inflators that work on the 12V outlet in your vehicle are cheap today and keeping one in your trunk might be handy sometimes.
Inspect the tire for a puncture
Everyone that has driven a bicycle in their lives knows that using the ears is the best way to find a leak. Put your ears closer to the tire and look for a hissing sound. Then, put your hand over the area where you hear the hissing sound – you should feel a slight breeze of air (it works even better with wet hands). In the end, make a visual inspection of the area to pinpoint the puncture.
Use soapy water (optional)
If you still can’t find the puncture, using soapy water might help. Make a water and soap solution (the same ratio you would use for cleaning your car) and apply it to the tread of the tire. You should see bubbles form over the puncture due to air escaping the tire.
Pull out the object (if any) with a pair of pliers.
If there is no object in the puncture, continue to the next step.
Use the rasp and plugger tools to prepare the hole for repairing
It should come within the package. Insert the rasp tool into the hole and pull it out. Repeat this process until the rasp tool moves freely through the hole. Then, use the T-handle plugger and reamer to roughen the inside of the hole.
Put the plug on the top of the insertion tool
Make sure that you divide it in the middle so that you can easily insert it into the tire. Apply glue or cement on the plug (if provided in the package). Then, insert the plug into the hole about 2/3 of the way. Take the insertion tool out and cut away the plug that protrudes from the tire.
Inflate the tire again to see if the puncture is adequately sealed
Use soap mixture to spot the puncture more easily. If the leak is not appropriately sealed, apply glue or cement on the top of it. If that doesn't work, repeat the whole procedure.
Reinstall the wheel to the vehicle and tighten the lugs
Drive for several miles and then re-check if the lugs are still tight.
Please note that the repairing process only applies if there’s a puncture in the tread of the tire. If there’s a puncture on the sidewalls of the tire, you will not be able to repair it on the road, and you might need to visit a technician or completely replace it with a new one.
Is Fix-a-Flat bad for your tire?
Using a Fix-a-Flat is probably the easiest way to repair any tire – just empty the contents of the bottle into the tire via the valve. Then drive it for a few miles, preferably at higher speed, so the centrifugal forces spread the solution to the tread of the tire evenly.
That said, some people are afraid that aerosol tire inflators like Fix-a-Flat might destroy the tire, the rim or the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System). While that might have been the case in the past, today Fix-a-Flat and similar products like Slime are very gentle to both the tire and the rim and aren’t combustible.
Nevertheless, if your vehicle has TPMS, it is best to clean the interior of the tire soon after you use a sealant so that the sensors don’t get damaged. That is especially true for sensors that reside inside the tire, like in some vehicles from the past decade. Newer cars with TPMS sensors on the cap shouldn’t have any issues.
Does AAA fix a flat tire?
The short answer is no; AAA will not fix your tire even though they market “Flat Tire Service” as one of the benefits of their services. They will come and change the damaged tire with the spare one though, or tow your vehicle to the nearest tire repair shop.
Do you have any tips and pointers to share on how to repair a flat? Let us and our readers know below by commenting on this post!
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