Tire repair kits - types, prices, advantages and disadvantages. Guide

More and more vehicles are being fitted with a tire repair kit instead of a spare tire. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such solutions?

Car manufacturers are increasingly switching to equipping their vehicles with tire repair kits. They consist of a can of tire sealant (foam) and a mini tire inflation compressor that plugs into the vehicle's 12V outlet.

Manufacturers explain that thanks to these kits, the car owner has additional space in the trunk. According to them, the relief of the car is also of no small importance (the spare wheel weighs from several to several kilograms), which translates into lower fuel consumption.

- In my opinion, equipping cars with repair kits is the result of manufacturers' desire to save money. A kit is much cheaper than a spare, says Ireneusz Kilinowski, owner of the Auto Centrum Service plant in Słupsk. 

One way or another, there are more and more cars with repair kits in the trunk. Are they effective?

Pressure is important

The compressor in the repair kit is a very important thing. Because if you repair a tire with such a kit, you first need to inflate it to the pressure indicated in the instructions. Only then can the foam be pressed into the tire.

According to automakers, a tire patched with a repair kit is serviceable for about 50 kilometers.

- It is difficult to judge, because most drivers, having caught the rubber and temporarily sealed it, try to find a tire shop as soon as possible. At least we have such customers,” says Adam Gurczyński of Goodyear Tire Service in the Tricity. 

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The experience of vulcanizers shows that the sealant is sufficient for half the distance declared by the automobile companies, i.e., for about 25 km. And sometimes even less - it all depends on the accuracy of this operation, road conditions and even weather. For example, frost does not promote sealing, as some drugs compact and fill the inside of the tire poorly.

However, this distance is enough to find a tire shop. Most importantly, for safety reasons, you should drive at a moderate speed (50-70 km / h). 

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Advantages and disadvantages

For some drivers, tire repair kits can be very helpful. For example, for those whose cars run on liquefied gas, and the gas tank is installed in the spare wheel well. Then such a set is even necessary. The kits can also be useful for taxi drivers and all those who travel mainly in the city and time is critical for them. Tire repair with a compressor and polyurethane foam does not take much time.

They can also be a lifesaver for women for whom changing a wheel is a difficult task.

But these are, in fact, the only advantages of such a solution. The disadvantages, though not many, but much more serious.

First of all, you can use a repair kit to close a small hole, such as a nail on the front of a tire. If the tire bead is damaged (for example, after hitting a curb) or it breaks on the tread, then the only guarantee of further movement is ... the installation of another serviceable tire. The repair kit does not repair such damage.

See also: Choose tires with a lower cost per kilometer 

But even if we managed to close the hole and get to the tire shop, it may turn out that there will be more problems. Well, the sealing foam that fills the inside of the tire leaves a sticky layer there that must be removed before professional repairs (including from the rim). And therein lies the problem.

– Not all vulcanizers want to do this, because it is labor intensive. Many simply explain to customers that this foam can no longer be removed, says Adam Gurczynski.

Therefore, it may happen that before we repair the tire, we visit several service stations, which will lead to a loss of time.

What about mounting foam?

In addition to repair kits with compressors, there are also sealant sprays that can be purchased at almost any supermarket. The cheapest ones cost less than 20 PLN.

According to Adam Gurchinsky, these accessories only partially work.

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– The pressure is too low to evenly fill the inside of the tire with foam and fill the hole. In any case, the sealant itself is often too little, says Gurchinski. 

From poverty, sprays can be used when the hole is microscopic and the loss of air from the tire is noticeable. Then you can stick a tire on them and, of course, go to the service station as quickly as possible.

Wojciech Frölichowski