Flat tyre fixed, but who uses what tyre pluggers?

[oxforshirerider]

Hey all,

Night before last I was on my way home from London to Oxfordshire on my daily commute, got to the forrest section of my ride just out of Henley and picked up a flat. Thankfully it was (a) still light, and (b) sunny. It was the rear tyre and it went down pretty quick, I was alerted to it by the Tyre pressure sensors flagging up Red Warning triangle, giving me time to pull over, nice to know they work well.

Pulled out my tyre plugging kit and having never used one before set about trying to remember the steps I'd watched in a YouTube video a year ago. Well thankfully I seemed to remember what to do and managed to get the tyre plugged. However I managed to get through all 3 plugs in the kit, as failed on the first 2 efforts doh! 3rd time was indeed lucky. I used all 3 air canisters with the kit, but that barely gave me half the bar pressure I needed, but enough to limp to a garage a few miles away to get the pressure set properly (note to self that 5/6 canisters is really whats required as don't have a compressor yet)

I got a new tyre put on by North Oxford BMW yesterday morning, who I must say once again went above and beyond the call of duty by fitting me in straight away and having stock of the tyres I wanted and sorting me out in quick time so I could get back to London for a meeting. hats off to North Oxford BMW once again Kim & Matt pulling out all the stops, thanks!

So with my plugging kit working but not perfectly I wanted to find out who prefers what plugging kits and who thinks which one is easiest to use?

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

Have a search on here for stop n go

 

[CPJS]

One of these,
http://www.rockycreekdesigns.eu/tyre-accessories/dynaplug-ultralite-spare-plugs.html
and one of these,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airman-Compact-Compressor-Inflator-Gauge/dp/B006B96OGS

3 punctures fixed with Dynaplug, last fix still had a slow leak but I managed to make it last another 5,500 mls and pump used loads of times,

 

[oxforshirerider]

Have a search on here for stop n go

Wow there's a whole site dedicated to them, looks like something I need in my life......will see what looks suitable.

Cheers

 

[littleade]

I've got the airman pump. If you've got a bike with canbus you will need to provide a seperate fused feed direct from the battery as the airman draws too much current so canbus will switch it off! I've got the repair plugs that look like twiglets after watching a video on youtube from delboys garage. There's loads of options on ebay with or without the tools for not a lot of money

 

[timeandtide]

Have a search on here for stop n go

Stop n Go + Slime compressor

 

[POL382]

One of these,
http://www.rockycreekdesigns.eu/tyre-accessories/dynaplug-ultralite-spare-plugs.html
and one of these,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airman-Compact-Compressor-Inflator-Gauge/dp/B006B96OGS

+1

I carry the same, I fitted a lead from the battery with a socket that I can run the pump from.

http://www.ctek.com/gb/en/chargers/Comfort%20Indicator%20Eyelet%20M6

The above doubles as a battery monitor.

I replaced the cable on the pump with the below so it connects without using the canbus controlled accessory socket.

http://www.ctek.com/gb/en/chargers/Comfort%20Connect%20Extension%20Cable%202.5

I cut off the female socket and connected the wires to the pump.

 

[JonF]

I've used various sorts over the years - commuting into a big city gives lots of punctures. This one is the best I've used by far

http://www.amazon.co.uk/STOP-DELUXE-TYRE-PLUGGER-KIT/dp/B003VE41OS

Never had a problem using it. The repairs are supposed to be temporary but I've done thousands of miles on repaired tyres using it.

 

[Beemerman59]

Stop n Go + Slime compressor

+1 from me

 

[paul08]

Just to show my ignrance of such things: is there a difference between the ones that seem to be inserted with a form of screwdriver and the ones with some sort of 'gun" used to insert the plug?

And recommended compact compressors?

 

[kurienp]

Carry plugs as well as rat tails. Plugs usually work on small straight ones. If larger cuts, rat tails work the best. An Airman mini or a slime compressor works good as long as you have a separate outlet for power direct to the battery. Canbus will not take the load. Airman or slime is what most bods on here seem to carry. I have an airman and happy with that.

 

[CPJS]

Stop n Go + Slime compressor

Don't use Slime as it death to the tyre pressure sensor fixed inside the wheel/tyre.
If you use it in am emergency be prepared to be annoyed by the tyre pressure readout not knowing what's going on.

 

[Steptoe]

I used all 3 air canisters with the kit, but that barely gave me half the bar pressure I needed, but enough to limp to a garage a few miles away to get the pressure set properly (note to self that 5/6 canisters is really whats required as don't have a compressor yet)

You're making the same mistake that many many people also make regarding air canisters.

You'll never fully inflate a tyre with the small air canisters no matter how many you use.

They are fairly low pressure and once your tyre is up to around 25psi they can't pump anymore air in as the pressure is equal between the canister and the tyre.

So using a dozen canisters won't increase the pressure from the initial canister

 

[littleade]

Just to show my ignrance of such things: is there a difference between the ones that seem to be inserted with a form of screwdriver and the ones with some sort of 'gun" used to insert the plug?

And recommended compact compressors?

I don't know how the plugs work, but you insert the rat tail in covered in glue after using the bradall file thingy tbe tail loop goes further into the tyre than the wall thickness and when you pull the inserter tool out that extra bit forms a mushroom type plug on the inside of the tyre to prevent it coming back out. What ever you choose to go with the compressor it's better than chancing it IMO even if you do have BMW assist who may take hours to recover you.

 

[Beemerman59]

Don't use Slime as it death to the tyre pressure sensor fixed inside the wheel/tyre.
If you use it in am emergency be prepared to be annoyed by the tyre pressure readout not knowing what's going on.

He said "Slime compressor" which blows air in through the valve and is perfectly harmless to the tyre pressure sensors

 

[hairysteve]

Stop n Go for me. Got me out of a sticky situation on the M1 a bit back. The small CO2 cylinders put enough pressure in rear tyre for a pillion and full luggage no problem.. about 5/6 in all.

 

[cookie]

You're making the same mistake that many many people also make regarding air canisters.

You'll never fully inflate a tyre with the small air canisters no matter how many you use.

They are fairly low pressure and once your tyre is up to around 25psi they can't pump anymore air in as the pressure is equal between the canister and the tyre.

So using a dozen canisters won't increase the pressure from the initial canister

yup, me and Pikey did a test of that once in a GSA back wheel, and you don't need a dozen canisters anyway. IIRC 1 gets about 12psi, 2 gets to 18 odd and 3 will go to low/mid 20s which is enough to get you wherever you need really.

 

[Big Rob1200]

I've got the stop'n'go kit which works a treat and even fixed one of my car tyres. What's with the green rivet gun thing in the kit as I didn't get one of those with mine?

 

[Beemerman59]

You're making the same mistake that many many people also make regarding air canisters.

You'll never fully inflate a tyre with the small air canisters no matter how many you use.

They are fairly low pressure and once your tyre is up to around 25psi they can't pump anymore air in as the pressure is equal between the canister and the tyre.

So using a dozen canisters won't increase the pressure from the initial canister

One canister gets a cycle tyre up to 120psi no problem.

 

[oxforshirerider]

You're making the same mistake that many many people also make regarding air canisters.

You'll never fully inflate a tyre with the small air canisters no matter how many you use.

They are fairly low pressure and once your tyre is up to around 25psi they can't pump anymore air in as the pressure is equal between the canister and the tyre.

So using a dozen canisters won't increase the pressure from the initial canister

Thanks for this input, although obvious when I think about it, I hadn't really connected my brain and it all makes sense. Thankfully some compressor advice is also coming through on this thread so will be on my list to get ASAP too! Do any work with the canbus directly, or do they all need a battery feed, I already have battery beed for my optimate and heated clothing, do any of them plug into the Optimate adapter (old school white connecter they used to use on Remote Control Car batteries ha ha), or am I going to have to run yet another cable ha ha.

R