Repairing a slow leak in a car tyre; professional repair only - or are DIY kits good enough?

[More Amps]

https://www.btmauk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Minor-repairs-to-passenger-car-and-light-van-tyres.pdf

see page 3 of 3 "The following ‘repair’ methods are not recognized as acceptable"
i would assume insurance companies would see this info the same after a crash is caused by blow out of incorrectly repaired tyres

Call me cynical but it might just be in the interests of the British Tyre Manufacturing Association to want the number of tyres deemed beyond repair...so their members sell more tyres!

 

[Kram]

I used the string repairs a lot on my bikes. I also fitted tyres myself and quite easy to get one off to do properly. A bit more difficult with a car tyre but still possible.

Strings are great as temporary repairs. I found after a month or couple of months they had lost all of their stickyness and were only held in by the knot/twist.

Tyres deform over bumps and stones. It would not take much to push a string repair inside the tyre and cause rapid deflation. Wont happen with a fresh one but once its lost its stick it would be easy, and you can test that your self, poke it with your keys or similar. If it moves it needs replacement with a proper repair.

A proper repair is done after removing the slippery rubber liner and gluing to the sticky rubber.

Strings also will not stick if latex liquid sealants have been used, they are no good in that situation.

 

[RWD3M]

Call me cynical but it might just be in the interests of the British Tyre Manufacturing Association to want the number of tyres deemed beyond repair...so their members sell more tyres!

Is there any British car tyre manufacturing?

 

[More Amps]

Is there any British car tyre manufacturing?

If my memory still works, I think that @Wozzaaah used to be involved before he became a postie.

 

[Hood]

For what its worth..

 

[Wozzaaah]

If my memory still works, I think that @Wozzaaah used to be involved before he became a postie.

Yes, I did 26 years at Avon Tyres.

 

[brightspark]

I’ve had four rear punctures in the last four rears tyre on my bike. Never the front though.
One scrapped the nearly brand new tyre, but the other 3 I repaired myself. Two with wiggly worms, the last one with the screw in type repair bung. No problems, I have no qualms using them.

Some people obviously think that’s dangerous, a death wish, but punctures happen anyway, yet we still ride, or drive our vehicles.

what makes me laugh is you have a screw or a nail in a tire for weeks and never have a problem even if it popps out it goes down slowly so people worry about a glued in string blowing out which is impossible and lasts for years. on the continent there allways used

 

[RWD3M]

Yes, I did 26 years at Avon Tyres.

Which became Cooper Tyres and is no longer making tyres in the UK.

 

[RWD3M]

https://www.btmauk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Minor-repairs-to-passenger-car-and-light-van-tyres.pdf

see page 3 of 3 "The following ‘repair’ methods are not recognized as acceptable"
i would assume insurance companies would see this info the same after a crash is caused by blow out of incorrectly repaired tyres

So I've been having a bit of a read up of this lot and if ever there was an association that didn't need to exist, it's this one! According to their own website:

'Approximately 50 million new tyres are supplied in the UK every year for use on cars, vans, trucks and buses (on new vehicles and as replacement tyres).

48% of these come from Europe, 40% from China and 12% from Asia excluding China. (Source HMRC trade statistics)'

So, no British Tyre Manufacturers!

 

[More Amps]

Pedant mode - UK is in Europe (if no longer in EU)

P.S. I've no idea whether any tyre manufacturers operate in UK

Edit - It turns out that there are some manufacturers in UK - no idea who or where 'cos I'm not buying some industry report! https://www.ibisworld.com/united-kingdom/market-research-reports/tyre-manufacturing-industry/

 

[james butler]

kind of doesn't matter when the British standard BS AU 159 on how to repair any tire in the uk dictates that above methods using "strings" simply isnt good enough even if your lucky enough to make them work
each unto their own but just please don't crash into me

 

[Wozzaaah]

kind of doesn't matter when the British standard BS AU 159 on how to repair any tire in the uk dictates that above methods using "strings" simply isnt good enough even if your lucky enough to make them work
each unto their own but just please don't crash into me

I fail to see how a tyre repaired with a string can cause a catastrophic failure, unless it’s been run flat.

 

[RWD3M]

I only know of one UK tyre manufacturer and that's Dunlop. But they only make aircraft tyres now after selling off their automotive division to Goodyear some years ago.

 

[brightspark]

kind of doesn't matter when the British standard BS AU 159 on how to repair any tire in the uk dictates that above methods using "strings" simply isnt good enough even if your lucky enough to make them work
each unto their own but just please don't crash into me

didnt need a puncture to crash in to anyone go stockcar racing and crash in to the back of someone and shove em up hard in to the fence

 

[Smallfry]

So I've been having a bit of a read up of this lot and if ever there was an association that didn't need to exist, it's this one! According to their own website:

'Approximately 50 million new tyres are supplied in the UK every year for use on cars, vans, trucks and buses (on new vehicles and as replacement tyres).

48% of these come from Europe, 40% from China and 12% from Asia excluding China. (Source HMRC trade statistics)'

So, no British Tyre Manufacturers!

As a member of the HCLFA, I find this post somewhat insulting. Of course we are still relevant. Standards MUST be kept and adhered to, or the whole industry goes to pot.

 

[james butler]

I fail to see how a tyre repaired with a string can cause a catastrophic failure, unless it’s been run flat.

they are badged as a "temporary repair" and as such are not a suitable permanent repair as many comments on here suggest they are
that would be where your possible failure will come from, or worse (as most of the general public know little to nothing about tyre repair) the inevitable attempted repair of a sidewall

 

[james butler]

As a member of the HCLFA, I find this post somewhat insulting. Of course we are still relevant. Standards MUST be kept and adhered to, or the whole industry goes to pot.

exactly this, even if you have succeeded with a repair it still doesn't make it right or safe especially on the public roads

 

[brightspark]

they are badged as a "temporary repair" and as such are not a suitable permanent repair as many comments on here suggest they are
that would be where your possible failure will come from, or worse (as most of the general public know little to nothing about tyre repair) the inevitable attempted repair of a sidewall

you do not use strings on side walls only on the flat tread surface you dont normaly get screws and nails on the sidewalls

 

[james butler]

you do not use strings on side walls only on the flat tread surface you dont normaly get screws and nails on the sidewalls

you know that and i know that but do you really think everyone who uses such a kit will know or really apply that rule?
if you have a puncture in a new tyre close to or on the edge that no garage will touch, for £7 how many people are going to try ad repair it themselves?
they are iffy at best and only ideal in a get you home situation but nothing like the correct authorized repair patch and training to determine whether a punctured tyre is really repairable
my concerns are what would people take from this topic and apply in their own situation?

 

[Wozzaaah]

they are badged as a "temporary repair" and as such are not a suitable permanent repair as many comments on here suggest they are
that would be where your possible failure will come from, or worse (as most of the general public know little to nothing about tyre repair) the inevitable attempted repair of a sidewall

Really, the worst than can happen if a screw/nail/similar is replaced with a sticky string is a leak that’s even slower than the original.
DIY sidewall repairs…. absolute no.