QuestionHello,
I have never carried one of these cans in my trunk, but have started wondering whether it would be worthwhile to do so.
From what I have read on the can, if you get a minor hole (nail, etc) you can insert this can into the valve stem and it will fill up with air and also plug the leak (at least temporarily).
Have you used these before? Do they actually work well? And will using one mean that your tire would need to be replaced afterwards, rather than patched or plugged (since the stuff is inside the tire)?
Thanks very much!
AnswerHi Dave,
Well here's a question I haven't seen before.
As cheap break-down insurance, fix-a-flat is a great item to have stored for a rainy day.
Ok, now the truth. Fix-a-flat is no miracle substance and chances are that if you go into a store shopping and come out noticing you now have a flat tire, fix-a-flat will probably not be of any use to you other than to get you even more pissy than you were when you first saw the flat. Why? because those cans only hold enough air to fill the tire about 1/3 of the way and you are supposed to fill another third of the tire with compressed air and then take the car for a ride to spread the sealant. The problem is if the tire lost that much air that quickly, the fix-a-flat won't be staying in the tire long enough to try and seal the leak and then you'll be sitting on the side of the road instead of a nice well-lit parking lot near a phone and other civilization.
So, what is the point of it then? Well, if you are cruising down the highway and clip a nail dropped by one of them trucks carrying those house pieces and it sticks in your tires tread causing a slow-leak, when you pull into a gas station you'll probably notice the tire low on air. In a situation like that, fix-a-flat shines because you may not even need to have the tire replaced if the leak is small because that stuff really does work, just not great.
The down side to fix-a-flat is it is highly explosive when mixed with oxygen. Don't worry, there is only a small amount (PPM) in your tire of O2 and it is mostly inert gasses and there is little chance that a tire with fix-a-flat in it will ever explode on the car but the problem happens when the tire needs to be serviced off of the car such as replacement. You would need to inform the tire technician to your use of the substance so they can prevent any injury or damage.
A good ol' fashioned inside radial patch is the only correct way to patch a tire. Period. Fix-a-flat should ONLY be used in an emergency situation such as if you break down on a deserted, dark road and want to get two miles down the road to a well-lit parking lot.
Looking for a reputable service technician? My advice on finding a good technician is: Steer clear of the dealership and 'chain' stores like Firestone, Sears, Pep Boys, Monro Muffler/Brake, Midas, etc. as they usually only employ ONE ASE Certified Tech just so they can say they do and chances are, that guy is the asst. manager or manager and is not in the store to diagnose/repair vehicles anyway. Find a service location in the link below or get some names out of the yellow-pages and do a drive-by. Garages that employ ASE Certified Technicians will be marked with the 'Blue-Seal' insignia. If unsure about whether a place employs Certified Techs, just ask to see their credentials. ALL ASE Certified Technicians will be PROUD to show and display their certificate(s).
Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
Knucklebusters Used Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
"Re-use is the best form of recycling" Help us recycle by purchasing used parts from us!
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Click here: http://www.ase.com/bluesealsearch/locator.php
