Fix-A-Flat- bogus or useful?

[jeff kushner]

Yeah, what jamo said.....

for 200 bucks, get-er-done! If you don't have the $$, spend 6 for a plug kit....it will be a much better repair for your type of puncture~



Fix-a-flat should be in every car/truck for an Emergency, as should a plug kit and compressor.....a hole in a populated area isn't one.

jeff

 

[Flexpedition]

If you have 18,000 on your tires, just find a matching used tire with similar treadlife to what you have already. No need to replace with a brand-spanking new tire. Ebay, Craigslist, marketplace, etc.

Sidewall has a lot of flex which is why patches don't hold. Boils down to shop liability and none want any.

For what its worth, Fix-A-Flat has a new formula which addressed the TPMS corrosion from years ago. Its OEM in place of a spare on many, many new vehicles, and is about $8-$10. But is 100% temporary.

 

[joethefordguy]

Fix-a-flat and such are strictly last-ditch, temporary measures; such as when you are out of spares and it's too far to carry the tire for a repair. Just remember the TPMS damage. First chance you get, get the tire properly fixed or replaced, including a new TPMS sensor.
I've never heard of it unbalancing a tire, though. I assume if you put it in then just let it sit, it certainly would, but if you put it in and then go, the liquid will properly distribute, at least well enough for the distance to a correct repair. It is NOT a permanent repair.

 

[JasonH]

As others have said, fix a flat is temporary. It's not worth the risk to save save a few hundred dollars. If you have a Discount Tire near you, you can buy a tire warranty for around 10% of the tire cost. It's very much worth it, as I've had to have irreparable tires replaced several times due to driving through neighborhoods with new construction. They will warranty existing tires as well.

You will have to replace the damages tire, but if anything happens to it the replacement is no cost and you can buy another warranty.

 

[haviland]

Thanks for all of your advice.

I now need to top off the air about every 2 weeks. My compressor is handy.

As you can see in the pic, the nail is very close to the sidewall. For this application, I don't feel that Fix-A-Flat is the way to go.

Based on the location of the nail, do the "plug it yourself" group feel that the plug is still the best way to go?

Be advised in the summer I trailer a 7k lb boat fairly often, with the occasional 100 mile trip.

Oops, forgot the pic. Working on figuring out how to post...

 

[jeff kushner]

I kind of put Fix-a-flat with "Balancing beads"......crap inside your tire will cause you heartache, it's just a matter of time.



jeff

 

[haviland]

 

[bobmbx]

View attachment 33867

Sorry, that tire is done. Nobody is going to fix it. Earlier I recommended to plug it yourself; having seen your photo now there is no fix.

 

[bobmbx]

I kind of put Fix-a-flat with "Balancing beads"......crap inside your tire will cause you heartache, it's just a matter of time.



jeff

A few years ago, I had all four tires replaced on my Explorer. One of them had an estimated 2 gallons of water (liquid?) in it (based on what was still in the tire and what had spilled onto the floor while they were unmounting it). Fairly large tire shop, and all the techs were standing around looking in disbelief. One said it was probably a fix-a-flat substance, but I had never used any, and I had replaced all four tires earlier. I got a picture or two of it. The inside of the rim was really rusty.

 

[Shantheman73]

View attachment 33867

Especially if you tow...get a new tire.
It sucks...but the alternative sucks much worse (damage/injury to yourself or others)


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