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Emergency tire plug kits

T

TRIPPER

Guest
Anyone have to use one of these? I'm looking to get a tubeless kit in case of flat for roadside repair. Any advice? The dynaplug looks cool but you still have to supply air - riderswarehouse sells the whole shebang for $50 tube/tubeless w co2 cyclinders and plug tool etc.

Just wondering if anyone has had to use a plug kit and what to look for.......how easy are they to use? Once tire is plugged do you need to seek a service station immediatly or can you ride on the plug for a bit. Never had to do this and hope it never happens, but i started thinking about what i would do in case of a flat, miles from any cities or towns........
 
I carry the Pocket Tire Plugger and a small aircompressor. I found that the Pocket Tire Plugger was easy to use and worked very well when a jagged piece of metal poked a hole my TKC80. I plulled the metal out, and followed the directions for plugging the tire. Within 20 minutes the tire was fixed, and I rode another 1000 miles before changing out the tire. Aerostitch and many others sell the Pocket Tire Plugger and it is easy to buy extra mushroom type plugs as well. I think the kit comes with about ten plugs or so.
 
I like the convenience of the Stop N Go kits - have both the big kit and the pocket kit - but have had some problems with the steel belts in Metzeler tires cutting the soft plug and then it begins to leak.

I now carry a packet of the long, tough, stringy plugs sold in auto parts stores for steel belted radial tires. These are a bit harder to install but the cutting is not anissue. To trim the thing flush I need to use diagonal wire cutters because neither a good knife or the razor blade in my kit would cut the things.
 
I now carry a packet of the long, tough, stringy plugs sold in auto parts stores for steel belted radial tires. These are a bit harder to install but the cutting is not anissue. To trim the thing flush I need to use diagonal wire cutters because neither a good knife or the razor blade in my kit would cut the things.

+1 When I lived in NM, I used these a couple times a month due to construction. Granted, it was on a pick up, but they work well. One of my more frugal co-workers set the record with 13 plugs between two tires.
 
Thanks for the info

Question - does the walmart"compressor" plug into accessory outlet on bike, directly to the battery or to a 110 outlet?

What about the c02's - do they really work? How many do you need? I did see a kit with a very small "hand pump" but I imagine this would be a nightmare.

I'm trying make up a small tool kit w/ tire plugger/leatherman/flashlight/air supply inflation device and maybe a small pressure guage. I'm hoping to keep the whole thing in some kind of case maybe the size of a couple of cracker jack boxes.
 
I would certainly get a compressor instead of dealing with those CO2 cartridges. What if your first attempt at plugging the tire didn't work? Ooops, now you are out of CO2 or do not have enough cartridges to fully inflate the tire up to a safe pressure. Or what if it works great for the first 50 miles and then something goes wrong or you get another flat? With a small aircompressor you don't have to worry about getting it right the first time or not having enough CO2 cartridges.

I think the Wally World compressor plugs in to a 12v cigarette lighter type socket.
 
Thanks for the info

Question - does the walmart"compressor" plug into accessory outlet on bike, directly to the battery or to a 110 outlet?

What about the c02's - do they really work? How many do you need? I did see a kit with a very small "hand pump" but I imagine this would be a nightmare.

I'm trying make up a small tool kit w/ tire plugger/leatherman/flashlight/air supply inflation device and maybe a small pressure guage. I'm hoping to keep the whole thing in some kind of case maybe the size of a couple of cracker jack boxes.

Tripper,

This is probably one of the better deals right now Slime Power Sport compressor it's small, it's versatile. http://www.slimesealant.com/product.php?product=40001

If you want to spend more or as much your can get the CyclePump (slightly bigger) http://bestrestproducts.com/celestia/products/cyclepump/

Or go to Wally Mart and buy something small and put your own plug on it.


To answer your other question it takes about three CO2 cartridges to get you on the road (slowly) and five to fully inflate.

The rest of the tire repair kit can be bought almost anywhere for less than $12.00 (Get the Radial Tire Kit)

The Stop-N-Go and Pocket Stop-N-Go are about $30 - $50.00 http://www.bestrestproducts.com/celestia/products/tireproducts/

HTH

Russ
 
Question - does the walmart"compressor" plug into accessory outlet on bike, directly to the battery or to a 110 outlet?

Your pleasure, and depending on how the bike's bodywork is: alligator clips on the battery, or a BMW plug on the cord so it plugs into the accessory outlet. I did the latter.

What about the c02's - do they really work? How many do you need? I did see a kit with a very small "hand pump" but I imagine this would be a nightmare.
They work, but not well. Easy to spill air. Tire often tops out at something less than 30psi. What if you run out of cartridges? What if your friend (with no cartridges) has a flat? Small hand pumps are nighmares.
 
Tire repair...

I started off using a Dynaplug: www.dynaplug.com It was extremely easy to use, and quite effective. The plant burned down, and for a few years the company was up for sale. Someone finally bought it and it's back up and running again, so I have restocked on plugs!!

In the interim, I bought a Stop 'n Go kit. I never had a need to use it on the bike, but I did use it on my Durango when there was a lot of construction in the neighborhood and I was picking up nails :( It works well and I carry one in the bike and Durango.
 
The $35 dollar slime compresor kit looks pretty sweet. Some of the reviews on amazon complained about vibration when filling up a SUV tire, but for a bike it should be fine.

Thanks for the lowdown on the C02's...I was seriously considering these but I'm going to go with this kit. it looks like the company is pushing the "slime" sealant. I have heard that some of these so called "fix a flats" will ruin your tire or prevent it from ever being plugged again. I may go 6 bucks for a bottle just in case - I guess if the plugs fail, adding the slime may get me into town.

Thanks again for info - this looks to be exactly what I want. After reading the link posted i figured the price would be at least $75.

FYI a lightwieght kit(250psi and looks to be cigarette only adapter) is $20 on amazon and the one posted (w/ 300psi and 3 different connection options) is $35.
 
We got the cute little Walmart job, Campbell- Hausfield I think. I believe it was under $15. The air gauge on it seems dead-on.

Sarah
 
I like the convenience of the Stop N Go kits - have both the big kit and the pocket kit - but have had some problems with the steel belts in Metzeler tires cutting the soft plug and then it begins to leak.

I now carry a packet of the long, tough, stringy plugs sold in auto parts stores for steel belted radial tires. These are a bit harder to install but the cutting is not anissue. To trim the thing flush I need to use diagonal wire cutters because neither a good knife or the razor blade in my kit would cut the things.

I do essentially the same as Paul. The string plugs are cheap, and so some thing they wont work, especially when some people sell kits for more than $50!:laugh

The string plugs are about $4 at most any autoparts store, and even many convenience stores.

Here is a link to a pictorial I did on how to use string plugs.

Jim :brow
 
I had to plug the rear tire on my GSPD last year and its Still holding! I just used the plug kit that came with the bike. It looks to be German. I love the "D"shaped plugs too...not sure what they are called or where to find more of them but their shape seems to make more sense than the "string" type plugs.
 
I had to plug the rear tire on my GSPD last year and its Still holding! I just used the plug kit that came with the bike. It looks to be German. I love the "D"shaped plugs too...not sure what they are called or where to find more of them but their shape seems to make more sense than the "string" type plugs.

It all depends on if you have steel belted radials, and if the puncture cut any of the strands on the steel belts. You could be lucky.

Jim :brow
 
I have a Stop-and-Go kit and a Cycle pump. In a reverse Murphy's Law, after spending that much and being completely prepared, I haven't had any flat tires. :dunno
 
It all depends on if you have steel belted radials, and if the puncture cut any of the strands on the steel belts. You could be lucky.

Jim :brow

Ahh...I see. SO, what would the difference be? Does one type work better radials??
 
Whatever system you go with, be sure and try it out on a tire you're about to change, before you have to plug a tire on the side of the road. I had my front wheel over at a friend's house to replace the tire, a Metzler 880 (he has a changer). My plugger of choice is the DynaPlug, and another rider carries the Stop-N-Go. Doug has neither. Neither of us had actually used the kits. We dropped the wheel onto a drywall screw, pulled the screw out with a pair of pliers (how many of us carry pliers?) and then I attempted to plug it. In a couple of minutes I was through. The tire was filled to 45 PSI, no leaky. All of us tried the Stop-N-Go, none successful. We kept trying to ream the hole large enough with the supplied rasp. In spite of hearing the steel belts shredding, the reamer was worn dull before we could enlarge the hole enough. I'm sure the Stop-N-Go works on a lot of tire from the positive remarks so I'm not trying to start a discussion of which system is best.
 
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