How to Seal a Flat Tire
Does anyone enjoy having a flat tire? A flat can spawn annoying comments like: “It’s only flat on one side.” Regardless of how it happened, the only true solution is to get it fixed. You may choose to do either a temporary or permanent fix on your own. To seal a flat tire, you will have to patch it, plug it, or use some type of sealant product that is sprayed into the tire. If the tire can be repaired, all of these solutions will work at least for a while.
Using some product that is designed to air up the flat and inject a liquid sealant into it is the easiest solution.
These products are packaged in an aerosol can that can be screwed onto the valve stem of your tire. As the can is tightened onto the stem, the can will hiss to let you know that the liquid and the compressed air are shooting into the flat tire. Within a few seconds, the tire should begin to show signs of inflating.
Normally, these products are not designed to completely air up the tire.
Depending on the size of the tire, you should end up with somewhere between 20 and 30 pounds of air pressure. Since the next step to this type of repair is to drive the car, it is best to drive it to someplace to either have the tire permanently repaired or where you can finish fully inflating the tire. These flat repair products generally advertise that you will be able to complete a short trip with no problem. You can expect that a small leak will often go away completely.
Flat repair kits are available at most auto parts stores.
These kits come with some type of material to plug the hole in the tire and adhesive to keep the plug in place. You will need to locate the source of the air leak in order to repair it. Removing the tire and submerging it in water is the best way to do this. Use pliers or some other tool to remove any foreign object that may have penetrated the tread of the tire to cause the leak.
Use the tool in the kit to cover the interior of the hole with adhesive.
Coat the plug with adhesive. Push the plug into the hole until it fills up the opening. Pull back on the tool and the plug will remain inside the opening. Cut away any excess material from the plug that is protruding above the tread of the tire. Let the adhesive dry for several minutes before trying to inflate the tire. Inflate the tire to the correct pressure and put it back onto the car.
Patching a tire is a more labor intensive operation.
Once you have discovered the leak, mark it with chalk or some other type of marking material. Remove the tire from the wheel. Find the point inside the tire that corresponds to the chalk mark on the outside. You should be able to see the opening in the tire from the inside. Use the buffer that comes with the patch kit and scuff up the interior of the tire in an area about four inches in diameter with the hole in the center of the area. Coat this area with adhesive.
Let the adhesive dry for a few seconds while you coat the underside of the patch with the same adhesive.
Some types of adhesive recommend igniting the glue for a few seconds. Read the label for exact instructions. Place the patch over the opening and rub it to seal it tightly to the inside of the tire. Remount the tire onto the wheel. Inflate the tire and remount it onto the car to complete the job.
