Ride-On Tire Sealant

[jimreed1948]

http://www.ride-on.com/auto-and-suv-formula.html

Has anyone used this sealant on their car? When I was riding bikes, I used it on both of them. Both bikes had aluminum wheels and the sealant does not attack the aluminum. It does not create a hugh mess on the inside of the tire. But what it will do is seal a puncture when your out in the middle of nowhere without a spare. This is different than the "Fix-A-Flat. Since I will buying new tires shortly, I though about adding this as well. Very easy to install. Let the air out, put this in, add air, drive away. On my bikes after the install I would drive away slowly at first to let the liquid coat the tire.

[jparnes1]

That stuff is probably the same as the mobility kit BMW sells or Conti's emergency inflation kit. The only thing is that you need some compressed air to inflate your tire, so one of these kits may be the more convenient thing.

[jimreed1948]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

That stuff is probably the same as the mobility kit BMW sells or Conti's emergency inflation kit. The only thing is that you need some compressed air to inflate your tire, so one of these kits may be the more convenient thing.

This goes in the tire and stays in. It does not go in the tire after the flat.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by jimreed1948

This goes in the tire and stays in. It does not go in the tire after the flat.

I see. Make sure it doesn't mess up the pressure sensor on the valve. The stuff you use to fix a flat does and you need a new sensor.

[jimreed1948]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

I see. Make sure it doesn't mess up the pressure sensor on the valve. The stuff you use to fix a flat does and you need a new sensor.

I agree. According to the company's information it is TPS compliant.

[nicknaz]

Sounds like just putting in fix a flat before the puncture happens

[riccis]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

I see. Make sure it doesn't mess up the pressure sensor on the valve. The stuff you use to fix a flat does and you need a new sensor.

Do you mean tyre pressure sensor?

If so, I didn't think Z4's had tyre pressure sensors on the valves. I thought they had a system for detecting tyre deflation which was based on the different rotational speed of the wheel who's tyre had deflated?

Apologies in advance if I have mis-understood.

[tranquility]

Silly question, I've had my tire fixed for punctures numerous times by non-BMW techs...does my TPS still work or is it is missing now that they replaced the valves? I'm clueless.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by riccis

Do you mean tyre pressure sensor?

If so, I didn't think Z4's had tyre pressure sensors on the valves. I thought they had a system for detecting tyre deflation which was based on the different rotational speed of the wheel who's tyre had deflated?

Apologies in advance if I have mis-understood.

In the US at least, older BMW's (like my 2006 525) have the FTM system which measures rotational speed. Newer BMW's (like my 2012 Z4) have the TPMS which measures tire pressure.

[z4z4z4]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Silly question, I've had my tire fixed for punctures numerous times by non-BMW techs...does my TPS still work or is it is missing now that they replaced the valves? I'm clueless.

Your Tpms will provide Not Active alert or similar on the dashboard if a sensor fails,is damaged, is incompatible (my issue) or is missing.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Silly question, I've had my tire fixed for punctures numerous times by non-BMW techs...does my TPS still work or is it is missing now that they replaced the valves? I'm clueless.

they likely just plugged the hole without taking the tire off the rim. To patch it from the inside, you obviously have to dismantle the tire, but you would know because you'd be charged for mounting and balancing, not just the puncture fix.

[riccis]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

In the US at least, older BMW's (like my 2006 525) have the FTM system which measures rotational speed. Newer BMW's (like my 2012 Z4) have the TPMS which measures tire pressure.

Interesting. I have a 2009 Z4 (E89) and I'm pretty sure it has the FTM system. At least I think it has. Have had my tyres changes and a puncture repaired and certainly when the tyres were replaced they replaced the valves also (think its standard practice to do that) but have never had a warning to say there was an issue with the TPM system.

I'm based in the UK in case it makes any difference. Do cars with the TPMS system have to have special valves fitted when tyres are replaced?

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by z4z4z4

Your Tpms will provide Not Active alert or similar on the dashboard if a sensor fails,is damaged, is incompatible (my issue) or is missing.

Oh, so if the tech took it off, I would've gotten an alert?

Originally Posted by jparnes1

they likely just plugged the hole without taking the tire off the rim. To patch it from the inside, you obviously have to dismantle the tire, but you would know because you'd be charged for mounting and balancing, not just the puncture fix.

Everytime I had a plug, I needed rebalancing (that's what they always charged me for) so they had to take the tire off of the wheel. However, according to the above post, I guess that I should be ok or else I would have gotten an alert? Do non-BMW techs know about these TPMS and just work taking them into account?

[nicknaz]

http://www.amazon.com/Victor-22-5-00...dp/B000AMOEGY/

With one of those doesn't seems like rebalancing or even taking wheel off car is needed.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

http://www.amazon.com/Victor-22-5-00...dp/B000AMOEGY/

With one of those doesn't seems like rebalancing or even taking wheel off car is needed.

Hmm, so those techs are just overcharging me when I only needed a plug? Went to several shops since I had several leaks on diff occasions, they always rebalanced.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by riccis

Interesting. I have a 2009 Z4 (E89) and I'm pretty sure it has the FTM system. At least I think it has. Have had my tyres changes and a puncture repaired and certainly when the tyres were replaced they replaced the valves also (think its standard practice to do that) but have never had a warning to say there was an issue with the TPM system.

I'm based in the UK in case it makes any difference. Do cars with the TPMS system have to have special valves fitted when tyres are replaced?

Easiest way to tell what kind of monitor you have is this: FTM-equipped cars have a rubber valve stem, TPMS have metal stems.

[riccis]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

Easiest way to tell what kind of monitor you have is this: FTM-equipped cars have a rubber valve stem, TPMS have metal stems.

In that case I have FTM.

[riccis]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Hmm, so those techs are just overcharging me when I only needed a plug? Went to several shops since I had several leaks on diff occasions, they always rebalanced.

As far as I know (and I stand to be corrected) to repair a puncture, they need to insert a "plug" from the inside of the tyre This requires them to remove the tyre from the wheel. As a result when they refit the tyre they would need to rebalance. Essentially anytime the tyre comes off, they need to rebalance.

As an idea, I recently had a puncture repaired and it cost me £20 (approx USD 30) to have it repaired. Not sure how much you got charged but hope this gives you a rough guide.

[nicknaz]

on the record BMW won't repair rft. Off the record bmw techs and sales people all use the type of kit I posted on their own vehicles. I paid a friend of a friend $20 the first time to see how it was done then bought the $10 next time and did it myself.

My fix was all good for 20k miles of 328 commuting. Never lost any more air than other tires and no need for rebalance. (I turned the car in after 20k miles... Fix was fine)

Not sure I would do that for a tire I tracked but for street I would do it again for sure. Worst case, I need a new tire. Best case, $2 fix saves me $400

[riccis]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

on the record BMW won't repair rft. Off the record bmw techs and sales people all use the type of kit I posted on their own vehicles. I paid a friend of a friend $20 the first time to see how it was done then bought the $10 next time and did it myself.

My fix was all good for 20k miles of 328 commuting. Never lost any more air than other tires and no need for rebalance. (I turned the car in after 20k miles... Fix was fine)

Not sure I would do that for a tire I tracked but for street I would do it again for sure. Worst case, I need a new tire. Best case, $2 fix saves me $400

It was a bit of a mission for me to find someone who would repair my puncture. "Oh. You have run flats. Can't repair them mate. But I'll sell you a new tyre.". Same story at five different places. Luckily found a place near work that said he would repair it subject to inspection and depending where the nail was.

Both Michelin and Bridgestone state that their run flats can be repaired subject to inspection and no sign of damage/degradation to sidewall etc. although they recommend that a new tyre is purchased (it's somewhere on their website).

Think we'e gone slightly off topic here ;-)

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by riccis

As far as I know (and I stand to be corrected) to repair a puncture, they need to insert a "plug" from the inside of the tyre This requires them to remove the tyre from the wheel. As a result when they refit the tyre they would need to rebalance. Essentially anytime the tyre comes off, they need to rebalance.

As an idea, I recently had a puncture repaired and it cost me £20 (approx USD 30) to have it repaired. Not sure how much you got charged but hope this gives you a rough guide.

Thx, I'm in-line with that, my repairs have been under CAD40.

Originally Posted by nicknaz

on the record BMW won't repair rft. Off the record bmw techs and sales people all use the type of kit I posted on their own vehicles. I paid a friend of a friend $20 the first time to see how it was done then bought the $10 next time and did it myself.

My fix was all good for 20k miles of 328 commuting. Never lost any more air than other tires and no need for rebalance. (I turned the car in after 20k miles... Fix was fine)

Not sure I would do that for a tire I tracked but for street I would do it again for sure. Worst case, I need a new tire. Best case, $2 fix saves me $400

How exactly do you use that kit? I'm not confident in my own skills(I'm sure that you are perfectly competent, but me, doing that stuff, I dunno lol) repairing something that travels in excess of 100mph.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by riccis

Think we'e gone slightly off topic here ;-)

It is so on topic.. We have advised OP to watch out for his TMPS and mentioned some other solutions rather than a preemptive usage of the fix a flat goop.

@tranquility... it is super easy... you thread the rubber twizzler thing through the eye hole in the T handle, then coat the twizzler with epoxy, pull out the nail, jam the handle (epoxy coated rubber twizzler and all) in then pull it back out. That motion creates a plug in the hole. You finish up by cutting the ends of the twizzler that are sticking out of the tire with box cutters, and put more epoxy on the outside for good measure. After that you top off the air and reset the TPMS. Takes about 5 minutes (and the kits have pictures of all steps).

I've had 3 of those 1/4" diameter or less puncture that were more than 1" away from the edge of the tread. 2 of them fixed fine with the twizzler kit and 1 was a fix a flat epic fail

back on topic... i think the orig product posted will fall into the fix a flat epic fail category

EDIT: I think I left the twizzler repair kit in the trunk of the 328 I returned recently I can't find it.. I was going to post a pic of the instructions for tranquility